Difficult Road | Syracusefan.com

Difficult Road

ivorytower

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Reason for season optimism but making playoffs is not a given and making Final Four will be a difficult for any squad as there are several very strong teams with their core returning and/or boosted by a strong recruiting class. Guess listing these names down in order is my early preseason rankings.

Nobody is a shoo in but these first three teams listed seem to be cut above

PSU
UVA
Yale



Then... knowing several teams omitted will contend . Gonna miss a few, no offense intended

Maryland
Syracuse
Notre Dame
Duke
Cornell
OSU
JHU
Penn
Denver
UNC
Loyola
High Point
 
Reason for season optimism but making playoffs is not a given and making Final Four will be a difficult for any squad as there are several very strong teams with their core returning and/or boosted by a strong recruiting class. Guess listing these names down in order is my early preseason rankings.

Nobody is a shoo in but these first three teams listed seem to be cut above

PSU
UVA
Yale



Then... knowing several teams omitted will contend . Gonna miss a few, no offense intended

Maryland
Syracuse
Notre Dame
Duke
Cornell
OSU
JHU
Penn
Denver
UNC
Loyola
High Point

I certainly wouldn't recommend anyone making final four plans at this point. There are some very dangerous Sr laden teams like Yale, UVA, PSU, Cornell, that will be tough matchups if Syracuse met up with one of them.

That being said if SU failed to make the tourney period it would be a disaster of epic proportions for the staff and probably lead to a change at HC and that's not hyperbole. There are major expectations and there coming from the top.
 
I don't know that I would call UVa senior laden.
Kraus and Aitken on offense, and Connors on the defense seem like the major seniors.
 
I don't know that I would call UVa senior laden.
Kraus and Aitken on offense, and Connors on the defense seem like the major seniors.

Those are 3 enormous pieces. I know UVA has been recruiting like Duke in bball and Shellenberger is the second coming of christ but I don't see how they don't at least take some hit losing those three especially Aitken at middie.
 
Those are 3 enormous pieces. I know UVA has been recruiting like Duke in bball and Shellenberger is the second coming of christ but I don't see how they don't at least take some hit losing those three especially Aitken at middie.

Losing those 3 will be tough going into 2021, but I don't know that I would call UVa senior laden for this Spring in terms of senior leadership.
Certainly, UVa needs some of its sophomores (Connor, Cormier (RS Fr), Dickson...) to start stepping up this Spring, along with Shellenberger. If that happens replacing Aitken and Kraus might not seem too hard with Moore and Laviano returning as seniors in 2021.
 
I certainly wouldn't recommend anyone making final four plans at this point. There are some very dangerous Sr laden teams like Yale, UVA, PSU, Cornell, that will be tough matchups if Syracuse met up with one of them.

That being said if SU failed to make the tourney period it would be a disaster of epic proportions for the staff and probably lead to a change at HC and that's not hyperbole. There are major expectations and there coming from the top.

We have missed the playoffs once in 20 years? I doubt it happening this season.
 
So I think there is a pretty big gap between the Final Four and not making the tournament. What are people's expectations for this season? What would you find acceptable? I agree with Ivorytower, there are three exceptional teams this season, and also a pretty big pack of teams behind them who are also very good. For me, given the talent level on SU this year, my ceiling for this team, and I think its a very real expectation, that they make the final four. At the very least, if they don't make the second round of the tournament, it would be a disappointing season. Not a lot of wiggle room, but I think this team is really good, good enough to grab that fourth "open spot" after Yale, UVA and Penn State.

FWIW I would probably have the below top 10. I think SU can be lumped into the second tier of teams, and would probably include Maryland, Duke and Penn in that group. After those teams I think there is another drop off.

1. Penn State - video game numbers on offense, lots of returners.
2. Yale - a really complete team, think they would have won last year if there was a week between semi-final and championship game - Irelan too gassed.
3. UVA - will miss Conrad more than most think but still have three of the best offensive players in the country.
4. Syracuse - no obvious weakness, needs to replace two long poles and has a question mark at attack. Best midfield in the country can carry you very far.
5. Maryland - Talent all over the field, but has questions about midfield depth and defense
6. Duke - Never found a real quarterback for the offense last year, losses goalie and one of best defensemen in the country.
7. Penn - Got a raw deal with last year's tournament seeding, can they be consistent? Handley will be a beast this year.
8. Cornell - Teat one of best players in the country, can't imagine they get held outside of playoffs again. Need to fix defense.
9. UNC - really young last year, Gray could be a game changer.
10. Notre Dame - Lose defensive coordinator and second best offensive player on a team that lacked depth.
 
5. Maryland - Talent all over the field, but has questions about midfield depth and defense

Maryland returns their starting midfield from the end of last season.
Fairman, A.DeMaio, and Long. The 1st two were All-Americans.
It is possible that Tillman could move one to attack, but that is unknown at this point.
 
So I think there is a pretty big gap between the Final Four and not making the tournament. What are people's expectations for this season? What would you find acceptable? I agree with Ivorytower, there are three exceptional teams this season, and also a pretty big pack of teams behind them who are also very good. For me, given the talent level on SU this year, my ceiling for this team, and I think its a very real expectation, that they make the final four. At the very least, if they don't make the second round of the tournament, it would be a disappointing season. Not a lot of wiggle room, but I think this team is really good, good enough to grab that fourth "open spot" after Yale, UVA and Penn State.

FWIW I would probably have the below top 10. I think SU can be lumped into the second tier of teams, and would probably include Maryland, Duke and Penn in that group. After those teams I think there is another drop off.

1. Penn State - video game numbers on offense, lots of returners.
2. Yale - a really complete team, think they would have won last year if there was a week between semi-final and championship game - Irelan too gassed.
3. UVA - will miss Conrad more than most think but still have three of the best offensive players in the country.
4. Syracuse - no obvious weakness, needs to replace two long poles and has a question mark at attack. Best midfield in the country can carry you very far.
5. Maryland - Talent all over the field, but has questions about midfield depth and defense
6. Duke - Never found a real quarterback for the offense last year, losses goalie and one of best defensemen in the country.
7. Penn - Got a raw deal with last year's tournament seeding, can they be consistent? Handley will be a beast this year.
8. Cornell - Teat one of best players in the country, can't imagine they get held outside of playoffs again. Need to fix defense.
9. UNC - really young last year, Gray could be a game changer.
10. Notre Dame - Lose defensive coordinator and second best offensive player on a team that lacked depth.

Good points and a good top 10 sir. As I've said before feeling a little more bullish on Penn as being right there with the top tier of Yale, UVA, and Penn St. Similar to State, they have a ridiculous offense coupled with a high level FOGO, and they looked unstoppable towards the end of last year. Don't lose that many guys either, but Simon Mathias will be missed.
Yale loses basically their entire starting middie line so I might have them slightly lower until they prove they can reload there. Their D was oddly inconsistent last year, especially under performing in the tourney, and I am not a fan of their goalie.
Cornell's defense both looked terrible last year and loses a lot of guys (their best D pole and at least two ssdms) so I may even have them out of the top 10.
Totally agree on Duke but they will probably be preseason ranked number 2 or something ridiculous anyways. Mine would be something like:

1. Penn St.
2. Uva
3. Penn
4. Yale
5. Maryland
6. Cuse
7. Duke
8. ND
9. UNC
10. Hopkins
 
Andrew Baxter, Yale’s defensive coordinator, is at Fairfield; Andrew Stimmel, the offensive coordinator, was hired away by Marquette. Both are now D1 head coaches.

Not sure if replacements are upgrades or how much of their success is due to Shay.

Or if they do better with coaches named Andrew?
 
Having watched PSU and UVa this past weekend, I don't really feel they are that much above some of the others. Both teams have some stars to lead them: PSU: Ament, O'Keefe, Arceri; UVa: Kraus, Aitken, Moore, but both teams do have their weaknesses. Neither team's defense seems particularly strong. Without Sausted, UVa was starting 2 freshmen on close and got carved up by Ament. Even with Sausted, UVa will probably be starting one freshman. PSU's defense look Ok, but they will be without last season's 1st team All-American Sabia. The midfields didn't look to great either, UVa lost 2 starters in Conrad and Herring. PSU lost 3rd team AA Nick Spillane.
So I would have it as a top 5 or 6 with UMd, Syracuse, and possibly Penn, filling out the group.
Then you have Duke, who could be there, if some of their younger guys are ready to go.
 
for what its worth Cornell beat Maryland in the fall scrimmage.. A couple big pieces for Cornell didnt play but it still comes down to whether they can win any faceoffs against the good teams
 
for what its worth Cornell beat Maryland in the fall scrimmage.. A couple big pieces for Cornell didnt play but it still comes down to whether they can win any faceoffs against the good teams
Fall ball results are not worth much.
 
its a bigger deal for the ivies though since they get fewer games and practices.
 

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