For two seasons, there has been little doubt that Lehigh football coach Kevin Cahill knows how to run a college football program.
But after leading the Mountain Hawks to back-to-back Patriot League championships and appearances in the FCS playoffs, the question was: Can Lehigh keep Cahill?
In the crazy world of college football, where the coaching carousel spins faster than anything you’d find at Disney World, there is always speculation, especially when you’re named the Eddie Robinson Award winner as the top coach in FCS football.
On Tuesday, Cahill tamped down the speculation when he agreed to a multi-year contract extension.
“In addition to all that Kevin has done to build a successful program on the field, what has impressed me most is Kevin is so clearly an educator and mentor,” said Lehigh University president Joseph J. Heible in a release issued by the school. “He has become a deeply connected member of the campus community, helping all students feel a part of Lehigh and connected to Lehigh athletics. This extension and Kevin’s continuing commitment to our student-athletes is wonderful, not just for Lehigh football, but equally for Lehigh University.”
“What Kevin has accomplished in his first three seasons at Lehigh is remarkable, culminating in an undefeated regular season and the well-deserved honor of the Eddie Robinson Award,” said Jeremy Gibson, the school’s Dean of Athletics. “He has restored Lehigh football’s winning tradition, delivering our first playoff victory since 2011 and giving our community a historic home playoff atmosphere this past weekend. Kevin is an outstanding educator who values Lehigh’s mission of developing true scholar-athletes. I look forward to working with him and his outstanding staff to build upon this incredible momentum.”
After going 2-9 in his first season, on the heels of a 2-9 mark in 2022 under previous coach Tom Gilmore, the turnaround began in 2023 when the team won its last six regular-season games to win the league title and beat Richmond in the first round of the FCS playoffs before falling in the second round at Idaho. The Mountain Hawks finished 9-4.
Picked to win the league in 2024, Lehigh didn’t disappoint by staging just the sixth undefeated regular season in program history and first since 2001. The Mountain Hawks were 12-0, and one win shy of a school record, but lost to Villanova 14-7 before nearly 9,000 fans Saturday at Goodman Stadium in the program’s first home game since 2004.
“I want to acknowledge President Joseph Heible and Dean of Athletics Jeremy Gibson for providing this special opportunity,” Cahill said. “The strength of our program lies in the direct alignment between the vision for Lehigh football and the vision for Lehigh University. This alignment is key to our future success. I am deeply thankful to have the chance to continue growing and advancing Lehigh football.”
After spending the previous 11 seasons at Yale and having previous stints in New England, the 47-year-old said he and his family have embraced the Lehigh Valley, where the oldest son, Patrick, is a junior at Allentown Central Catholic. He was the Vikings’ starting quarterback on the football team last season. Another son, Thomas, was a record-breaking receiver as a freshman at Saucon Valley in the 2025 season.
“It has been awesome,” Cahill told The Morning Call last week before the Villanova playoff game. “Lehigh specifically has been fantastic. We try not to ask for a lot, but when we do, they come through with it. This is a great area to live and our kids are thriving in school with sports and all of that stuff. My wife, Carah, and I do a lot of things together here, and it has been really neat.”
