Maryland Gameday...

[Gettysbrg10]

Based on all the comments and memes I've seen since Saturday at the expense of our beloved Orange squad - hopefully this is a great wake up call. It'd be great to beat up on some nerds this weekend (who dropped a $150K on an education they could've got for a dollar fifty in late charges at the public library).

 

[4evaOrange]

Well I didn’t watch any. Just caught the cuse highlights, and what others have posted here. I don’t have anything to really add other than we need to show out when it matters.

And I too when I spoke with a certain someone last year about the team who is 100% in the know when this person said that Thomson is not right for attack, but this year he is at attack. So I just wonder what changed. And why we didn’t continue with a Leo exp or try to run Anderson at the start against jacks and Vermont and see how he did and take a good look at a townson play from him to see how ready he is.

Idk I’m just spouting off.

 

[W'boro'Cuse315]

Offense had a ton of looks. Bad shooting day. Looked to me that McCarthy had a few good looks that he passed on early and Rhoa wasn’t the same after Stamos hit.

I noticed this with McCarthy as well. In the 1st quarter, he twice blew by his defender on a speed dodge with plenty of separation to shoot from a great angle before the slide came but passed to X. You could almost see him thinking “my job is to draw a slide, get the D rotating, & get rid of it to open things up for our established scorers.” He was hesitant & timid but this is to be expected from a young player playing real minutes in a big game for the 1st time. I guarantee that in film review, the coaches & vets are telling him to shoot there. He’s got a great first step & I expect to see him look to shoot more going forward.

 

[36'sq.]

Agree, he is the best coach in the game. I listened to Till's press conference. I am probably in the minority here - I actually enjoy listening to his insights. There was some coach speak in there, but most of it was thoughtful & spot on.

I pretty much tune out of any coach, or player, interview due to the amount of "coach speak." Didn't see Tillman talk, but your comment reminded me of catching Jon Cooper, the Tampa Bay Lighting coach, interviewed last year during the playoffs DURING the game on the bench. I thought that was just a setup for off-the-charts coach speak, but the guy gave pretty solid, non-coach speak answers. I was impressed! Not easy to talk in the middle of the game.

 

[ks orange]

I pretty much tune out of any coach, or player, interview due to the amount of "coach speak." Didn't see Tillman talk, but your comment reminded me of catching Jon Cooper, the Tampa Bay Lighting coach, interviewed last year during the playoffs DURING the game on the bench. I thought that was just a setup for off-the-charts coach speak, but the guy gave pretty solid, non-coach speak answers. I was impressed! Not easy to talk in the middle of the game.

Speaking of "coach-speak," on the advice of one of the vets on this forum, I went to listen to John Tillman's postgame presser. Some things stood out:
1) Maryland played poorly for much of their earlier game against Loyola and barely eked out a win. I wonder how much that stress accounted for the poise the Terps showed against "Cuse. I don't think the Orange has faced that kind of stress (until Saturday).
2) None of Tillman's players were on any of preseason All-America teams (and that his team was keenly aware of that). Tillman allowed as they don't have "that guy" and thus must put more emphasis on team play. I think that showed up on Saturday.
3) Tillman was extravagant in his praise for Gait and the Syracuse program and suggested that he expected them to stay good for a while. Some of that, of course, is pure "coach-speak" but it was nice to hear the high regard a very good coach had for the Orange.
4) Tillman remarked that he had his team out in the elements every night the week before the game. I can't help but think that was a major advantage in the game. Along with that, I can't help wondering how many of Syracuse's wild shots on goal were a breakdown in stick maintenance (i. e. adjusting for "baggy" pockets,etc.)

 

[DoctahLexus]

4) Tillman remarked that he had his team out in the elements every night the week before the game. I can't help but think that was a major advantage in the game. Along with that, I can't help wondering how many of Syracuse's wild shots on goal were a breakdown in stick maintenance (i. e. adjusting for "baggy" pockets,etc.)

On this point, in hindsight, I do not really think the elements were as big a factor as expected. The field overall still seemed solid, with not a whole lot of slipping and sliding from either team. Most people looked fairly normal off the dodge, with maybe a little less traction occasionally holding someone up. Both teams had a low turnover count and there were practically no turnovers due to wild passes in the rain.

The most likely area it affected on offense was shooting, but in my experience it is not overly hard to adjust your shooting form in the rain and it is something all of our players have dealt with before, despite all the games in the dome. There were no constant shooting issues during our two outdoor heavy rain games last year against Hop and Cornell, where we put up 14 and 17 goals. In the end I think the biggest factor on us missing or hesitating on clean looks at cage was McNany in the goal.

Despite all the warm cozy dome games, I really do not think playing outside is a significant weakness for our team/staff, and not what held us back on Saturday. Gait mentioned in the pre game presser that we were only able to do minimal practice outside since the fields were all covered in a ton of snow, but I think the result is the same if we got a bunch of outdoor practices in.

 

[Powellfan]

Someone on Facebook put together a video with all of Syracuse's shots vs Maryland. I found it helpful to watch. My main takeaway was that there was meat left on the bone by the offense, for sure. Maryland didn't give them a ton of opportunities, but if SU had cashed in on some looks that they normally take advantage of, it's a much closer game. The Terps on the hand seemed to capitalize on every mistake the Orange made.

Again, the Leo looks are pretty brutal. Right down the ally, wide open for a couple of steps before shooting wide. Both times. Just seemed like almost every "good" look the Orange had, they missed the cage completely. Also most of the shooters seem intent on going low on McAnaney, and he handled those pretty easily (outside of Rhoa's goal early in the game). Not sure if it was bad scouting or the MD goalie having a good game, but the execution wasn't there. There were plenty of bad shots as well, Hiltz seemed determine to take every no angle wing shot that was available to him. Spallina had a could of questionable shots. English of course was 0-8, which just isn't going to win you a lot of games, especially when you are drawing the short stick.

I don't think this is the time for wholesale changes. There were plenty of issues, but I'm willing to give the offense a bit of a pass here. I know people are clamoring for Anderson, but he didn't play at all in this game to the best of my knowledge. He's got a ton of potential, but it doesn't seem to me like he's going to be some sort of savior figure for the offense. Leo to attack doesn't have a great argument after the game he just had. Guys have to execute. If there is another stinker like this one, then yes, I am all for changes. But I just have a hard time seeing these sorts of issues continuing throughout the season.

 

[cuselaxss26]

Not really sure this is the thread to post this but gonna anyway.

Was thinking n looking at some teams schedule mostly their early schedule n few teams start first game with a cupcakeish team then go to few heavy hitters. Colgate seem to go right into a good psu team to uva. I wonder if maby cuse should start first game off easy then schedule some tougher opponents. If maby doing some tougher opponents early may help prepare more in later stage. Or least have them feel pressure early on in tough early season game, kinda throwing them in fire right out gate that may they need shot to arm right away.

I don’t know just seems things made to easy first few games then real test come and we crap bad. Like use to it being easy to score n not having to work so hard. Plus could be good for coaches also to see early issues to adjust instead later down road. Don’t know just kinda thinking is all.

 

[wgdsr]

Not really sure this is the thread to post this but gonna anyway.

Was thinking n looking at some teams schedule mostly their early schedule n few teams start first game with a cupcakeish team then go to few heavy hitters. Colgate seem to go right into a good psu team to uva. I wonder if maby cuse should start first game off easy then schedule some tougher opponents. If maby doing some tougher opponents early may help prepare more in later stage. Or least have them feel pressure early on in tough early season game, kinda throwing them in fire right out gate that may they need shot to arm right away.

I don’t know just seems things made to easy first few games then real test come and we crap bad. Like use to it being easy to score n not having to work so hard. Plus could be good for coaches also to see early issues to adjust instead later down road. Don’t know just kinda thinking is all.

they opened with jax, hoo's not chopped liver, towson was pre and last season top 15 ish and vermont was their tightest game. then the terps. hoo should they have played when?

 

[cuselaxss26]

vermont jax n towson are decent teams but not tops. Not sure who would have play but playing the better or best teams will only help you.

could of started with maryland wk 2 or whatever. How bout richmond or denver. I didn’t go in depth on it was just saying playing top teams right out gate could how teach or get use to pressure early.