Pitiful performance by the offense

[JeremyCuse]

You're only allowed to have one HC and two assistant coaches on the team.

Who do you fire to bring in this "faceoff specialist"?

Rogers or Donahue?

Volunteer assistant

 

[outoftownie]

Yes I was aware of Russell, good player unfortunate that medical issues will end his career, we certainly could have used him...

Not ending his career, SU just isn't an option because of the medical staff's concussion guidelines. I believe he is going to attend UAlbany and play for the Danes.

 

[outoftownie]

1. They did get a new face off coach last fall, Rogers took over for Donahue.
2. I would guess that Dr. Gross has bigger fish to fry, like funding for the IPF. I have a hard time seeing him pressuring Desko to find a new Volunteer Asst Coach to work on faceoffs.
3. Face off experts are not too plentiful (except on the Internet) and they might struggle to find one that lives in Syracuse and can commit 15-20 hours a week for 5 months.

I do still think our entire face off crew (draw man and wings) are significantly underperforming. Just do not have an answer to the problem.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Not ending his career, SU just isn't an option because of the medical staff's concussion guidelines. I believe he is going to attend UAlbany and play for the Danes.

Really? Wow, hope he is making the right decision in continuing his career. If Syracuse has denied him based on his concussion history then there must be serious red flags.

 

[JeremyCuse]

1. They did get a new face off coach last fall, Rogers took over for Donahue.
2. I would guess that Dr. Gross has bigger fish to fry, like funding for the IPF. I have a hard time seeing him pressuring Desko to find a new Volunteer Asst Coach to work on faceoffs.
3. Face off experts are not too plentiful (except on the Internet) and they might struggle to find one that lives in Syracuse and can commit 15-20 hours a week for 5 months.

I do still think our entire face off crew (draw man and wings) are significantly underperforming. Just do not have an answer to the problem.

1. Probably best to look outside the current lineup if the same problem has been here for 5 years and is actually getting worse not better.

2. Dr. Gross is the AD, all sports are his problem. I was simply giving my opinion that a little push from up top might help but I certainly dont expect it to actually happen nor do I think there will be any changes next year. The three official coaches are all great lacrosse minds, but an outside look at the program via a volunteer guy wouldn't hurt.

3. Between CNY, LI, and NYC I dont think it will be hard to find a former player or coach who has had success coaching faceoff specailists. Mens Pro Lax isnt exactly booming, there are plenty of former players we could bring in as a consultant for a few months.

Your last sentence pretty much sums it up, the entire face crew has been underperforming and has been for the last 4-5 years. At what point do you move beyond the status quo? Can you imagine Saturday's game being that close if SU had won 12 of 17 draws at the X versus just winning 5? What about next week and Denver with there Stud faceoff guy?

 

[outoftownie]

3. Between CNY, LI, and NYC I dont think it will be hard to find a former player or coach who has had success coaching faceoff specailists. Mens Pro Lax isnt exactly booming, there are plenty of former players we could bring in as a consultant for a few months.

So if we haven't have good faceoffs with in the last 5 years (I would contend it is closer to 10 years), who do you bring back? In my opinion, the last great faceoff guy SU had was Chris Cercy, combined with Sam Bassett on the wing they were lethal. Cercy isn't giving up his Wall St career to coach faceoffs at Syracuse for free. As easy as it may seem to you, think about giving 20 hours a week to volunteering. I would love to volunteer coach 20 hours a week, but my wife, family and employer may have other ideas. The guys that got out of school in the last 8 years are in the early stages of career building, not playing lacrosse, but real long term careers. It is tough to ask your boss if it is cool to leave everyday at 230pm so you can go to lacrosse practice.

The only real solution, if you do not want Rogers or Donahue, is to get rid of Donahue and hire another assistant coach to work faceoffs. I think he is too valuable to get rid of, but that is just one man's opinion.

 

[DaveR52]

So if we haven't have good faceoffs with in the last 5 years (I would contend it is closer to 10 years), who do you bring back? In my opinion, the last great faceoff guy SU had was Chris Cercy, combined with Sam Bassett on the wing they were lethal. Cercy isn't giving up his Wall St career to coach faceoffs at Syracuse for free. As easy as it may seem to you, think about giving 20 hours a week to volunteering. I would love to volunteer coach 20 hours a week, but my wife, family and employer may have other ideas. The guys that got out of school in the last 8 years are in the early stages of career building, not playing lacrosse, but real long term careers. It is tough to ask your boss if it is cool to leave everyday at 230pm so you can go to lacrosse practice.

The only real solution, if you do not want Rogers or Donahue, is to get rid of Donahue and hire another assistant coach to work faceoffs. I think he is too valuable to get rid of, but that is just one man's opinion.

Love your knowledge of the game, but if you don't think Danny Brennan was a great faceoff guy, well ...

 

[JeremyCuse]

Love your knowledge of the game, but if you don't think Danny Brennan was a great faceoff guy, well ...

Brennan was an absolute beast, one of the best faceoff guys in SU history.

 

[690West]

Love your knowledge of the game, but if you don't think Danny Brennan was a great faceoff guy, well ...

99.999999% he just forgot Brennan. This poster is the real deal

 

[outoftownie]

I stand corrected, 2007 faceoffs were very good...and we ended up 5-8.

 

[JeremyCuse]

I stand corrected, 2007 faceoffs were very good...and we ended up 5-8.

In 2008 he led the nation in win % and we won the National Championship. He had .667 winning % his senior year, i shudder to think how dominant this years team would be with someone with even half of his skills on this team.