In his perfect football world, Ben Flizack would be a defensive tackle for Lehigh over the next three years. It would be the ideal ending to a position change this past spring that apparently changed his world.

However, he doesn't have too much trouble adjusting to circumstances in his current football world. Tomorrow afternoon, Flizack will start a game from his defensive tackle position in Newark, Delaware, the second one in recent weeks that will be worth the entire wait.Flizack, a senior member of Lehigh's squad and former Jim Thorpe High School standout, is ecstatic to have another chance to play in a NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) second-round playoff game and will cherish every moment of his team's battle with the No. 3 seeded Delaware Blue Hens."It (playoff game) took four years and it is certainly worth it," said Flizack. "Being able to finally play in playoff games has been awesome. It's a feeling I can't put into words."I got a start last week after being out for a while, and it was an incredible experience. All of us want to keep it going."Flizack returned to Lehigh's lineup last week in their opening-round, 14-7 victory at Northern Iowa, a game played in a dome, which help make the crowd noise a 12th man for the home team.He had missed the previous two games due to a hamstring injury, and Flizack played through some mild pain last week."It feels good and I'll be ready to good," Flizack said. "Last week was the first time I played in a dome. We expected their crowd (Northern Iowa) to be loud when they were on offense, but our secondary and linebackers did a great job defensively. We all also did a good job of winning the line of scrimmage."In fact, Flizack's unit has been a monumental reason for Lehigh's current eight-game winning streak as they have allowed a little less than 12 points per contests during the span. Last week, Lehigh intercepted three passes and recorded three sacks.Flizack began his career as an outside linebacker in Lehigh's system and appeared destined to finish his career there until he reached a particular weight and caught the eye of defensive coordinator Dave Kotulski. At Jim Thorpe, Flizack was lighter and played tight end and defensive end."I kept gaining weight over the past couple of years and I finally hit the 260 mark this spring," Flizack recalled. "When that happened, coach Kotulski asked me about playing defensive tackle."During spring ball, I made the change and basically worked on technique. I didn't know what to expect at first, but it didn't take long to make the transition. I went from a two-point to a three-point stance, but I got the chance to take off."I soon discovered this was a great move for me, and I wished I had been there for the past three years."Flizack, a 6-foot-7, 260-pounder, has contributed his share to Lehigh's outstanding season with with 34 tackles and 2.5 sacks from his position in Lehigh's 3-4 alignment."Ben (Flizack) has done a great job in the transition and he has elevated his game," said Lehigh head coach Andy Coen. "He has been a big reason in keeping our unit effective and together."When Lehigh initially recruited him, Flizack was asked about playing either defensive line or linebacker. He also stated how Holy Cross heavily recruited him as a defensive lineman and he also received interest from the University of Buffalo at the same position.But Flizack chose Lehigh due to its warm reception and comfortable environment. A few weeks later, Jim Thorpe teammate and current wide receiver Craig Zurn joined him there."When I met the coaches (at Lehigh), they quickly made me feel at home," Flizack said. "I knew it would be a good fit for me with a good football tradition and strong academics. I was far enough away from home and close enough to get home if I needed to."When he isn't involved with football, Flizack is an avid tennis player, whether it is at home at Jim Thorpe's tennis courts or those on Lehigh's campus. It has been a hobby that has not only helped in taking him away from the game, but it also has improved his overall game, too."I just love playing tennis whenever I can," Flizack said. "(At Jim Thorpe), my friends and I will play singles or team up with some of the older guys to play doubles. I also play at Lehigh as much as I can."(Tennis) has kept me active and it a great sport for my footwork that I need as a lineman."Flizack hasn't dismissed playing football somewhere in the future, but he also has plans to pursue a career as a possible geologist or another job in the field from his earth and environmental science major. Whatever the outcome, he'll likely stay active as sports has been a common thread in his family in which his father Frank was a former defensive lineman at Kutztown University, his brother Dan was a former quarterback at Jim Thorpe and sister Elissa was a former softball pitcher at their high school alma mater."I'd love to keep playing football," Flizack added. "But I really don't know what is going to happen. Right now, I just want to go out there and play hard and have fun. That's all I can do. It has been a great experience."One he's cherishing every moment of from his new position.