JeremyCuse
Renowned lacrosse analyst
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Think both teams are familiar enough with each other (and the fanbases) that a complete war and peace breakdown really isn't needed. Maryland is similar to SU in that they are a pretty heavy Sr team (even moreso when SU when you consider defense and the specials). Tillman again cashed in via the portal with the Yale duo, Dodge etc.
From a defensive standpoint for SU clearly this will be the most talented offense they have seen. Tillman can mix and match his top 6 with Leo and Lyons both able to play mid and some of the younger mids showing well vs Loyola. I doubt Tillman is going to run 3 lines on Friday but we will see. Leo and Lyons are both very good players so they add an extra element Maryland didn't really have last year. Maryland has really hurt SU in transition and with good ball movement. SU's been sloppy with penalties which has exacerbated the situation
( see last years games). When playing Maryland I usually advocate to be slow to slide and force Maryland O Players to win 1 on 1 matchups for 60 mins. It's hard to do but Michigan has had some success playing a very similar style the last few years. They have played Maryland ultra physical and really forced them to into tough looks. The problem with playing this way for SU is two fold. One is Michigan also combines this with an O strategy that mirrors Tillman pre-shot clock. They take long drawn out possessions with heavy screen and pick work. This is the antithesis of how SU wants to play offense. They also will thrown a 10 man out there at times and again are slow to slide, things SU doesn't really do. The Defense has looked very good so far but the SSDMs will really be tested on Friday especially Bowen and Spallina. Matchups will be critical, does SU bump Chuck K down to Erksa and put Beck up top as suggested by Lexus? Does SU go zone at all ( I hope not)? Does SU pull a rabbit and bump Chuck to close and run D'agostino and Filardi at LSM?
From an offensive standpoint as I noted above Michigan has found success in the screen and pick game and really grinding possessions down. That's not SU's style (at all) and very unlikely to be the game plan. SU has had some success in the past when they can win individual matchups from the midfield. YOu saw this 2 years ago in the OT loss when Rhoa and Leo had monster games attacking short sticks. Maryland has counted this by shorting Thomson and double polling. SU really hasn't had an answer if I am being fair as the offense was bad in both matchups last year. Maryland's D strategy is essentially the same each year. Short Finn, shut off Joey and force the SU midfield to beat them. Assuming Anderson is back (he should be) I think SU has to consider a few things.
1. Thomson playing 60 mins at attack probably isn't going to work. Maryland has limited him in the last two matchups to 1 goal it the reg season game and 2 in the playoff game (after the game was already out of hand). If your Syracuse you have to give some consideration to playing Leo at attack with Joey and Bear. Yes its not optimal because they both can't play the left slot but Leo can play either side or around the crease and it forces Maryland to play it straight up and they can't double pole the midfield. Would put pressure on McCarthy (more on him later) and Rhoa will have to deal with Larkin but you have to force Maryland to play it straight and not allow a double pole. It also for the 1st time since really the Desko area would put three above average dodgers on the attack line vs Maryland.
2. Make or break for McCarthy. He's been a bit of a whipping boy since last year (some deserve some probably not) but being in the top 6 means he's gonna get a shortie pretty much 100% of the time. Right now he has more turnovers 2 then he does points on the year 1 (an assist vs BU). I think as laxmouse noted SU is trying to almost use him like English last year. I get the comp because McCarthy has looked very good playing SSDM but he's no where near the O player English was. Hottle is pushing the spot and I would give a lot of consideration to giving McIntee some run he has zero hesitation on pulling the trigger that's for sure. I still think McCarthy should be a full time SSDM because he has looked good whenever he's played there for extended minutes but regardless Fri is gonna be huge, he's gotta produce because Maryland is gonna shut off the attack and Joey.
The rest I think is mostly common sense Lax 101 stuff. Maryland has made a concerted effort to slow down SU transition since the OT game and they have been very successful. ON the other hand Maryland has killed SU in transition including 2 Larkin long pole goals last year. SU HAS TO limit Maryland in transition. You have to force these guys to score in the settled 6 on 6. On the flip side when you have transition push it, Ruppel is a good goalie, he's not McNaney, go after him.
Dodge and Carrier are probably the best 1-2 fogo group in the country and they can go 3 deep if needed. Johnny has to be at or near 50% Friday and the wing play has to be light years better then it was on Sat. McCarthy should be on the wing 90% of the time. Again this is a spot he usually excels get him the hell out there. Angelo showed some good stuff on Sat. Gonna need him again as he's likely gonna have to take a handful of draws. Very tough matchup, gotta win a few. Johnny has seen Dodge a few times so he knows what's coming there.
In closing I am a bit surprised SU re-upped the Maryland series. Clearly you wanna play best on best but it's not a great matchup for SU for a # of reasons I outlined above and you wonder if it's starting to become a mental thing ala a sort of here we go again when SU struggles for long stretches. Still if your gonna beat them this is the chance to set the tone for a possible playoff matchup and you get them at home. This regardless of the outcome will be a great measuring stick game.
Main thing to watch for is can SU play disciplined enough to win. Maryland has handled them because they have been by far the more buttoned up team (save for the OT game) and made much fewer mistakes ie penalties, off sides etc. SU needs to play physical but has to clean up the dumb mistakes and penalties that have haunted them vs Maryland (see the entire 1st half in the final four last year).
From a defensive standpoint for SU clearly this will be the most talented offense they have seen. Tillman can mix and match his top 6 with Leo and Lyons both able to play mid and some of the younger mids showing well vs Loyola. I doubt Tillman is going to run 3 lines on Friday but we will see. Leo and Lyons are both very good players so they add an extra element Maryland didn't really have last year. Maryland has really hurt SU in transition and with good ball movement. SU's been sloppy with penalties which has exacerbated the situation
( see last years games). When playing Maryland I usually advocate to be slow to slide and force Maryland O Players to win 1 on 1 matchups for 60 mins. It's hard to do but Michigan has had some success playing a very similar style the last few years. They have played Maryland ultra physical and really forced them to into tough looks. The problem with playing this way for SU is two fold. One is Michigan also combines this with an O strategy that mirrors Tillman pre-shot clock. They take long drawn out possessions with heavy screen and pick work. This is the antithesis of how SU wants to play offense. They also will thrown a 10 man out there at times and again are slow to slide, things SU doesn't really do. The Defense has looked very good so far but the SSDMs will really be tested on Friday especially Bowen and Spallina. Matchups will be critical, does SU bump Chuck K down to Erksa and put Beck up top as suggested by Lexus? Does SU go zone at all ( I hope not)? Does SU pull a rabbit and bump Chuck to close and run D'agostino and Filardi at LSM?
From an offensive standpoint as I noted above Michigan has found success in the screen and pick game and really grinding possessions down. That's not SU's style (at all) and very unlikely to be the game plan. SU has had some success in the past when they can win individual matchups from the midfield. YOu saw this 2 years ago in the OT loss when Rhoa and Leo had monster games attacking short sticks. Maryland has counted this by shorting Thomson and double polling. SU really hasn't had an answer if I am being fair as the offense was bad in both matchups last year. Maryland's D strategy is essentially the same each year. Short Finn, shut off Joey and force the SU midfield to beat them. Assuming Anderson is back (he should be) I think SU has to consider a few things.
1. Thomson playing 60 mins at attack probably isn't going to work. Maryland has limited him in the last two matchups to 1 goal it the reg season game and 2 in the playoff game (after the game was already out of hand). If your Syracuse you have to give some consideration to playing Leo at attack with Joey and Bear. Yes its not optimal because they both can't play the left slot but Leo can play either side or around the crease and it forces Maryland to play it straight up and they can't double pole the midfield. Would put pressure on McCarthy (more on him later) and Rhoa will have to deal with Larkin but you have to force Maryland to play it straight and not allow a double pole. It also for the 1st time since really the Desko area would put three above average dodgers on the attack line vs Maryland.
2. Make or break for McCarthy. He's been a bit of a whipping boy since last year (some deserve some probably not) but being in the top 6 means he's gonna get a shortie pretty much 100% of the time. Right now he has more turnovers 2 then he does points on the year 1 (an assist vs BU). I think as laxmouse noted SU is trying to almost use him like English last year. I get the comp because McCarthy has looked very good playing SSDM but he's no where near the O player English was. Hottle is pushing the spot and I would give a lot of consideration to giving McIntee some run he has zero hesitation on pulling the trigger that's for sure. I still think McCarthy should be a full time SSDM because he has looked good whenever he's played there for extended minutes but regardless Fri is gonna be huge, he's gotta produce because Maryland is gonna shut off the attack and Joey.
The rest I think is mostly common sense Lax 101 stuff. Maryland has made a concerted effort to slow down SU transition since the OT game and they have been very successful. ON the other hand Maryland has killed SU in transition including 2 Larkin long pole goals last year. SU HAS TO limit Maryland in transition. You have to force these guys to score in the settled 6 on 6. On the flip side when you have transition push it, Ruppel is a good goalie, he's not McNaney, go after him.
Dodge and Carrier are probably the best 1-2 fogo group in the country and they can go 3 deep if needed. Johnny has to be at or near 50% Friday and the wing play has to be light years better then it was on Sat. McCarthy should be on the wing 90% of the time. Again this is a spot he usually excels get him the hell out there. Angelo showed some good stuff on Sat. Gonna need him again as he's likely gonna have to take a handful of draws. Very tough matchup, gotta win a few. Johnny has seen Dodge a few times so he knows what's coming there.
In closing I am a bit surprised SU re-upped the Maryland series. Clearly you wanna play best on best but it's not a great matchup for SU for a # of reasons I outlined above and you wonder if it's starting to become a mental thing ala a sort of here we go again when SU struggles for long stretches. Still if your gonna beat them this is the chance to set the tone for a possible playoff matchup and you get them at home. This regardless of the outcome will be a great measuring stick game.
Main thing to watch for is can SU play disciplined enough to win. Maryland has handled them because they have been by far the more buttoned up team (save for the OT game) and made much fewer mistakes ie penalties, off sides etc. SU needs to play physical but has to clean up the dumb mistakes and penalties that have haunted them vs Maryland (see the entire 1st half in the final four last year).
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