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Stevens’ season ends too soon
L.J. Stevens’ senior seasons in high school and college have similarities, but with different outcomes.
In high school at Ursuline, the Irish went 15-0 in 2008 and beat Findlay Liberty-Benton for the Division V state championship.
After Stevens graduated in 2009, he played four seasons at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pa., the last of which concluded on Nov. 10 with a 52-45 win over East Stroudsburg.
But the Lakers finished 9-2 with no playoffs and no one else to play.
End of season and end of story, right?
Not exactly, because Mercyhurst was recently ranked fourth in the latest Eastern Collegiate Athletic Association Lambert Meadowlands football poll for Division II.
The poll, presented by FieldTurf Tarkett, is the basis for consideration for the Lambert Meadowlands Award, which recognizes schools that are located in the East or play at least half of their schedule against eligible Lambert teams.
Ranked ahead of Mercyhurst were New Haven, Indiana (Pa.) and Bloomsburg — all NCAA Div. II playoff teams.
Although, Stevens doesn’t take solace in the also-ran status, he can take heart, otherwise.
“I had two good senior seasons in both high school and college,” said the 5-foot-7 Stevens, who played defense, primarily, at Mercyhurst.
He had a fifth-best 49 tackles from the Laker position and two interceptions, as well as 14 punt returns for 123 yards and seven kickoff returns for 190 yards and a TD.
As a freshman, Stevens played in 10 games, including his first collegiate start at Lock Haven. The next year, Stevens was a reserve defensive back who played an integral part on a stingy Laker defense.
In 2011, Stevens played in all 11 games and was a key player in both the secondary and on special teams.
Mercyhurst’s record was 5-6 in 2009, followed by a 10-3 playoff season — and one game away from the final four as a sophomore, then 4-7 in 2011 after starting 4-1 before an injury to the QB sent the Lakers into a tailspin.
The Laker position is a hybrid of outside linebacker and safety.
His separate roles include backing up linemen or coverage.
“If there’s no extended receiver [slot] to my side, I’d stay in the box and help support the run,” Stevens explained. “I’d guard a slot receiver if he’s to my side or sometimes I’d blitz, depending on the call.”
Making the transition to college ball was difficult in his first few seasons.
“It took some getting used to,” Stevens said of players’ increased speed. “Each guy I went up against was usually one of the best in their high school, but then it slowed down [the reaction gap closed] as far as making reads on a run or pass. At first, it was happening so fast, then I found different keys and was able to react faster because I knew what to look for and I was able to make more plays.”
Stevens also faced linemen who were 6-5 to 6-7 in height.
“Being 5-7 was both a disadvantage and an advantage because I was able to use my size in the leverage battle in the trenches. You could see a difference from my freshman year to my senior year when I was pushing some of those bigger guys around.”
Mercyhurst’s two losses were by a total of 35 points in a 59-42 season-opener to Notre Dame College and a 31-13 loss to Indiana (Pa.).
“We beat them [Notre Dame College] pretty good the last two years, but this year they were able to get a game over us,” Stevens said of the school whose program has been in existence less than five years.
“We came out a little flat the first game and they finished 4-7, which hurt us trying to make the playoffs,” Stevens said of NDC. “Against IUP, it was 14-14 going into the fourth quarter and they were able to get a field goal early, then two scores after that.”
Mercyhurst placed first in the PSAC Western Division, but the IUP loss had a bearing on Mercyhurst’s playoff shortfall.
“It hurts to have that kind of record [9-2], especially your senior season and come up short.”
Mercyhurst’s receivers coach David Arnold is a brother of Warren Harding football coach Steve Arnold. Former Ursuline running back Allen Jones transferred from YSU to Mercyhurst where he has one more year left.
Is this the end of the line in football?
“I might do a pro day and see what happens,” said Stevens, who is searching out graduate schools to pursue a physical therapy degree.