Luke Lehnen, ’25, and the NCC football team head to Virginia this week, where they will look to win their second consecutive Stagg Bowl and third in program history. While team success is at the forefront of the Cardinals’ goals, there is another streak the team is looking to extend.
The Gagliardi Trophy is Division III football’s greatest honor. The award is given to the most outstanding player in Division III football and has been handed out since 1993. Since then, NCC is one of only four schools with multiple winners. Running back Ethan Greenfield, ’22, brought home the award last season.
One year later, the Cardinals have the chance to make history. NCC can join Mount Union as the only school with back-to-back Gagliardi winners. This year, the Cardinals nominee is star quarterback Luke Lehnen.
The numbers behind Lehnen’s campaign
Lehnen’s claim to the award goes well beyond being the starting quarterback for an undefeated team. He leads the nation in yards per attempt, passing efficiency and completion percentage and is second in passing touchdowns.
However, passing only scratches the surface of Lehnen’s game. Along with his 3,228 yards and 46 touchdowns through the air, he also has 876 yards and 11 scores on the ground. Altogether, that makes for a whopping 4,104 total yards and 57 touchdowns.
What might be the most remarkable aspect of Lehnen’s game is his ability to generate explosive plays without making mistakes. It’s widely accepted that the more aggressive a player is, the more likely they are to make errors.
Lehnen is an exception to this rule, only throwing for two interceptions on 215 attempts. He also masterfully used his escapability to extend plays and elude defenders, resulting in fewer sacks.
The catalyst of a potent offense
What stands out most of all with Lehnen is how much of an impact he made with such little usage. Because of NCC’s dominance, he seldom played in the fourth quarter and used his arm sparingly. Entering championship week, Lehnen is only attempting 15 passes a game.
At first, this may seem like an argument against Lehnen, as his offense didn’t always lean on his arm to get it done. But upon closer inspection, it reveals what makes Lehnen such an anomaly. Being able to produce on such a small clip has allowed other players on the offense to co-exist.
Joe Sacco, ’25, is just one of the beneficiaries. He currently has 1,661 rushing yards on the season and will likely finish the season as Division III’s leading rusher. This all-around production wouldn’t be possible with a quarterback who needed more passes to make an impact.
As a result, Lehnen led the Cardinals to the highest-scoring offense in Division III Football and yet another Stagg Bowl appearance. He is so much more than the face of one of Division III football’s premier programs; he’s a do-it-all machine who is on the verge of winning his second consecutive championship. Luke Lehnen may not need a Gagliardi Trophy to solidify his place in NCC history, but he deserves one.
