Time to face facts this team just isn't that good

[JeremyCuse]

Despite the 5-0 start is abundantly clear this team has some fatal flaws and is headed to a non NCAA tourney season for the first time since 07. Issues that have been bubbling around the surface the last few years have finally broken out and this team is in a real bad place. Not going to repeat every single issue because we have already debated them to death but last night was a microcosm of the entire season wrapped into 60 minutes.

First off lets give credit to Ben Williams, kid had a great night against a fellow top tier faceoff guy. Also the wings seemed to really hold their own yesterday, that unit can hold it head high. Worst part about the last two years is wasting Ben Williams talent, when this kid graduates next year were gonna really lament the fact we blew a golden opportunity with him.

I can't speak for anyone else but that ending yesterday was so expected you could have set your watch be it. You could have predicted that loss at halftime. Offense had so many chances up 2 to extend the lead probably a half a dozen and couldn't capitalize on any of them. Just so frustrating to watch a Syracuse team look so bad on offense and defense that it's becoming hard to watch. Even Dylan Donahue who has done everything he could to help this team fell into the trap, he was terrible in the second half yesterday, something this team just can't afford.

The main issue is that this team from a personnel standpoint simply doesn't have the talent, the SSDM's continue to get beat with regularity and the staff continues to run the same people out there week after week. Offensively this team shows flashes and then goes dormant from 20 minutes. There is zero inside game and zero depth. Cornell played a zone last night and Derek Dejoe didn't have a point, how in the world is that possible. Salcido was O fer as well but based on the season he has had I can cut him some slack but the two of them were 0-10 and high on everything, how about shooting low??? Mariano had a great game but he needed to demand the ball in OT and go to the goal like Desko said he wanted to in his PC. Instead Dejoe takes a terrible shot steps in the crease and our porous D gave up one of the softest goals ever to lose the game.

The lack of depth continues to be an ongoing issue as well. The second and third mid lines who played again did squat, zero points. Its gotten to the point where we might as well do what Duke does and just run the 1st line 95% of the time and sub one guy at a time if we have to. Its mindboggling that none one of the 20 some middies we have outside of the 1st line have stepped up to be a consistent performer, its almost impossible when you guy by the law of averages.

Other people have already mentioned it but how much farther can this Defense fall? A goal with 1.5 seconds before half? 2 or 3 goals where somebody was wide open after shutting the offense down for a few minutes prior? Guys wide open on the crease? This Cornell team is not a good team and their offense is probably the worst they have had in the last decade or so and they basically scored on nearly every possession in the second half that they didn't turn it over on. I don't even know where to begin with that unit, I feel like I am watching Siena or Canisius or something. Desko needs to make some changes at the end of the season this simply can't continue. If SU had one a Championship either of the last two years with those loaded offensive teams it would have been one thing but with two early upsets its time to make a move.

 

[OttosDad]

Despite the 5-0 start is abundantly clear this team has some fatal flaws and is headed to a non NCAA tourney season for the first time since 07. Issues that have been bubbling around the surface the last few years have finally broken out and this team is in a real bad place. Not going to repeat every single issue because we have already debated them to death but last night was a microcosm of the entire season wrapped into 60 minutes.

First off lets give credit to Ben Williams, kid had a great night against a fellow top tier faceoff guy. Also the wings seemed to really hold their own yesterday, that unit can hold it head high. Worst part about the last two years is wasting Ben Williams talent, when this kid graduates next year were gonna really lament the fact we blew a golden opportunity with him.

I can't speak for anyone else but that ending yesterday was so expected you could have set your watch be it. You could have predicted that loss at halftime. Offense had so many chances up 2 to extend the lead probably a half a dozen and couldn't capitalize on any of them. Just so frustrating to watch a Syracuse team look so bad on offense and defense that it's becoming hard to watch. Even Dylan Donahue who has done everything he could to help this team fell into the trap, he was terrible in the second half yesterday, something this team just can't afford.

The main issue is that this team from a personnel standpoint simply doesn't have the talent, the SSDM's continue to get beat with regularity and the staff continues to run the same people out there week after week. Offensively this team shows flashes and then goes dormant from 20 minutes. There is zero inside game and zero depth. Cornell played a zone last night and Derek Dejoe didn't have a point, how in the world is that possible. Salcido was O fer as well but based on the season he has had I can cut him some slack but the two of them were 0-10 and high on everything, how about shooting low??? Mariano had a great game but he needed to demand the ball in OT and go to the goal like Desko said he wanted to in his PC. Instead Dejoe takes a terrible shot steps in the crease and our porous D gave up one of the softest goals ever to lose the game.

The lack of depth continues to be an ongoing issue as well. The second and third mid lines who played again did squat, zero points. Its gotten to the point where we might as well do what Duke does and just run the 1st line 95% of the time and sub one guy at a time if we have to. Its mindboggling that none one of the 20 some middies we have outside of the 1st line have stepped up to be a consistent performer, its almost impossible when you guy by the law of averages.

Other people have already mentioned it but how much farther can this Defense fall? A goal with 1.5 seconds before half? 2 or 3 goals where somebody was wide open after shutting the offense down for a few minutes prior? Guys wide open on the crease? This Cornell team is not a good team and their offense is probably the worst they have had in the last decade or so and they basically scored on nearly every possession in the second half that they didn't turn it over on. I don't even know where to begin with that unit, I feel like I am watching Siena or Canisius or something. Desko needs to make some changes at the end of the season this simply can't continue. If SU had one a Championship either of the last two years with those loaded offensive teams it would have been one thing but with two early upsets its time to make a move.

When you say time to make a move, do you mean with the Head Coach? Or other assistants?

 

[JeremyCuse]

When you say time to make a move, do you mean with the Head Coach? Or other assistants?

Assistants, I think its time to let Rogers go and bring in someone new on Defense. I am hesitant to blow the whole thing up because the 2017 and 2018 recruiting classes are really stacked right now and there is young talent on this team in Solomon, Shewell, Thorpe, Mellen, Cunningham, Voight, Romano, and Trimboli is coming in next year and should be able to play right away. Desko has earned a long rope but changes are needed badly.

 

[OttosDad]

Assistants, I think its time to let Rogers go and bring in someone new on Defense. I am hesitant to blow the whole thing up because the 2017 and 2018 recruiting classes are really stacked right now and there is young talent on this team in Solomon, Shewell, Thorpe, Mellen, Cunningham, Voight, Romano, and Trimboli is coming in next year and should be able to play right away. Desko has earned a long rope but changes are needed badly.

I agree with that. I think Donahue is good, but I do tend to agree with you when it comes to Rogers. Defense has had some major issues for the past few years now.

 

[Orangello]

I think Rogers gets his walking papers after the season ends. The defense has gone backwards instead of improving as the season progresses. That is simply unacceptable. Losing Grimm and Mellen for a critical match is really tough but a program of this caliber simply has to have the next man in the rotation be able to step up. On the offensive side I agree that it is mindboggling that with the number of mids on the roster we have been unable to find 3-4 guys who can consistently create and score goals. I think this season is a throw away so why not open every single position up and play for next year. Desko won't do that he is too damn conservative but he needs to pull a Bull Durham and read this team the riot act. The message should be that you are going to have to earn it each and every week and if you don't, you sit.

 

[OttosDad]

I think Rogers gets his walking papers after the season ends. The defense has gone backwards instead of improving as the season progresses. That is simply unacceptable. Losing Grimm and Mellen for a critical match is really tough but a program of this caliber simply has to have the next man in the rotation be able to step up. On the offensive side I agree that it is mindboggling that with the number of mids on the roster we have been unable to find 3-4 guys who can consistently create and score goals. I think this season is a throw away so why not open every single position up and play for next year. Desko won't do that he is too damn conservative but he needs to pull a Bull Durham and read this team the riot act. The message should be that you are going to have to earn it each and every week and if you don't, you sit.

Don't kid yourself, Mellen was on the field for about 50 minutes yesterday. Cunningham only played for about half a quarter. Losing Grimm did hurt.

 

[JeremyCuse]

I think Rogers gets his walking papers after the season ends. The defense has gone backwards instead of improving as the season progresses. That is simply unacceptable. Losing Grimm and Mellen for a critical match is really tough but a program of this caliber simply has to have the next man in the rotation be able to step up. On the offensive side I agree that it is mindboggling that with the number of mids on the roster we have been unable to find 3-4 guys who can consistently create and score goals. I think this season is a throw away so why not open every single position up and play for next year. Desko won't do that he is too damn conservative but he needs to pull a Bull Durham and read this team the riot act. The message should be that you are going to have to earn it each and every week and if you don't, you sit.

Couldn't agree with your last assessment more, if I could like it 100 times I would. Desko needs to show some dame emotion, the Mr. Cool act doesn't work when your team isn't winning. Would be nice if the Syracuse.com reporter or somebody in the next PC went after him a little bit and demanded some answers outside of the cliché ones we always get and asked him where the fire is emotion. This team seems like its sleepwalking all the time, somebody light a fire under there @sses.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

I think Rogers gets his walking papers after the season ends. The defense has gone backwards instead of improving as the season progresses. That is simply unacceptable. Losing Grimm and Mellen for a critical match is really tough but a program of this caliber simply has to have the next man in the rotation be able to step up. On the offensive side I agree that it is mindboggling that with the number of mids on the roster we have been unable to find 3-4 guys who can consistently create and score goals. I think this season is a throw away so why not open every single position up and play for next year. Desko won't do that he is too damn conservative but he needs to pull a Bull Durham and read this team the riot act. The message should be that you are going to have to earn it each and every week and if you don't, you sit.

Who are the Senior leaders on this team, and why are they not reading the team the riot act every week?

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Couldn't agree with your last assessment more, if I could like it 100 times I would. Desko needs to show some dame emotion, the Mr. Cool act doesn't work when your team isn't winning. Would be nice if the Syracuse.com reporter or somebody in the next PC went after him a little bit and demanded some answers outside of the cliché ones we always get and asked him where the fire is emotion. This team seems like its sleepwalking all the time, somebody light a fire under there @sses.

Would be nice if syracuse.com had a dedicated LAX reporter (cough cough Rahme cough).

You get what you pay for.

 

[Orangello]

Who are the Senior leaders on this team, and why are they not reading the team the riot act every week?

I agree but I just don't get the sense with this group of seniors that there is a true alpha dog in the bunch who has that DNA. The obvious candidates, DD, Mullins, barber, Dejoe) I don't see them barking at the younger guys when they screw up. There is too much head hanging/deflation with this team.

 

[Orangello]

Who are the Senior leaders on this team, and why are they not reading the team the riot act every week?

I agree but I just don't get the sense with this group of seniors that there is a true alpha dog in the bunch who has that DNA. The obvious candidates, DD, Mullins, barber, Dejoe) I don't see them barking at the younger guys when they screw up. There is too much head hanging/deflation with this team.

 

[cuseguy]

Misses this year and next will be one Final 4 in eight years.

Inexcusable for this program.

We all want Desko to succeed. But it might be time for a change soon.

Among many issues, we may have all underestimated the loss of Rice. This offense hasn't been able to adjust without him. He was the QB, and Donahue isn't the same without him.

The offense is now a bunch of players running around trying to alley dodge and take long distance shots.

It's not Syracuse lacrosse.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Just to add on a little bit here where the heck were Tim Barber and Jordan Evans yesterday? Evans scores a nice goal early and then appeared to hop in his car and Drive back to Syracuse. Barber has to go back to the midfield he's so much better when he's at Midfield. No idea why we didn't give Solomon and or Shewell and or Thorpe some run at attack letting Barber go the midfield or allowing Evans to take a couple of possessions off.

 

[cuseguy]

Couldn't agree with your last assessment more, if I could like it 100 times I would. Desko needs to show some dame emotion, the Mr. Cool act doesn't work when your team isn't winning. Would be nice if the Syracuse.com reporter or somebody in the next PC went after him a little bit and demanded some answers outside of the cliché ones we always get and asked him where the fire is emotion. This team seems like its sleepwalking all the time, somebody light a fire under there @sses.

There seems to be no sense of urgency. And, yes, Desko's demeanor is the same, win or lose. If he does get a long rope, it won't be more than a few years.

Would be interesting to know if he's getting heat from the SU lax alums.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Just to add on a little bit here where the heck were Tim Barber and Jordan Evans yesterday? Evans scores a nice goal early and then appeared to hop in his car and Drive back to Syracuse. Barber has to go back to the midfield he's so much better when he's at Midfield. No idea why we didn't give Solomon and or Shewell and or Thorpe some run at attack letting Barber go the midfield or allowing Evans to take a couple of possessions off.

Piroli saw some time at attack yesterday (which allowed Barber to move back), and Solomon was on for one shift. Didn't hear Thorpe or Shewell's name mentioned yesterday.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

There seems to be no sense of urgency. And, yes, Desko's demeanor is the same, win or lose. If he does get a long rope, it won't be more than a few years.

Would be interesting to know if he's getting heat from the SU lax alums.

I'm sure he got an earful after the ND debacle.

 

[OttosDad]

There seems to be no sense of urgency. And, yes, Desko's demeanor is the same, win or lose. If he does get a long rope, it won't be more than a few years.

Would be interesting to know if he's getting heat from the SU lax alums.

He is Beardsley was on Orange Nation, hosted by Steve Infanti on ESPN radio Syracuse, and he was extremely critical of this team and Desko. Said they should be a top 3 team every year. Thinks that the Hobart win was even embarrassing, said Syracuse should beat Hobart by 15+ every single time they play. And obviously he wasn't happy about ND, that alone would have been enough to fire him if this were 15 years ago.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Piroli saw some time at attack yesterday (which allowed Barber to move back), and Solomon was on for one shift. Didn't hear Thorpe or Shewell's name mentioned yesterday.

Solomon needs more then one shift, I know Piroli was out there for one shift and on the man up but it appears he's still hobbled as he wasn't able to make any sort of impact. Solomon and Shewell need to see more PT, I think Thorpe should as well but without a QB type out there he's probably affected the most out of the 3.

 

[cuseguy]

He is Beardsley was on Orange Nation, hosted by Steve Infanti on ESPN radio Syracuse, and he was extremely critical of this team and Desko. Said they should be a top 3 team every year. Thinks that the Hobart win was even embarrassing, said Syracuse should beat Hobart by 15+ every single time they play. And obviously he wasn't happy about ND, that alone would have been enough to fire him if this were 15 years ago.

That will ultimately be Desko's death knell: when the alums start screaming. We may have reached that point.

The Carolina game is going to be big.

 

[Orangello]

Misses this year and next will be one Final 4 in eight years.

Inexcusable for this program.

We all want Desko to succeed. But it might be time for a change soon.

Among many issues, we may have all underestimated the loss of Rice. This offense hasn't been able to adjust without him. He was the QB, and Donahue isn't the same without him.

The offense is now a bunch of players running around trying to alley dodge and take long distance shots.

It's not Syracuse lacrosse.

Agree X 100. We have no one who can play in traffic, create shots and crash the goal. That is not SU lacrosse. I think a lot of that is just poor fundamentals. The number of dropped passes on the doorstep, missed bunnies etc. is inexcusable. Dejoe with the crease violation on a critical possession and he's a GD senior, is symptomatic of this.

 

[Orangello]

That will ultimately be Desko's death knell: when the alums start screaming. We may have reached that point.

The Carolina game is going to be big.

I think he's officially on the hot seat after this year. The lack of success with the talent level that he has every year and especially, going forward, is disturbing.

 

[kirbivore]

That will ultimately be Desko's death knell: when the alums start screaming. We may have reached that point.

The Carolina game is going to be big.

Fire Desko

 

[reedny]

Would be nice if syracuse.com had a dedicated LAX reporter (cough cough Rahme cough).

You get what you pay for.

They did, but he got transferred permanently to do articles on Breanna Stewart.

 

[tbonezone]

you can argue i suppose that the SU program is not moving forward or that the other schools have caught up. regardless , this program is slipping.

 

[swish7]

I haven't posted in a long time. Just want to say it's nice to come on here and read some good analysis of this program from true fans.

After Syracuse won their 1st of 2 NCs with Galloway and White, I bought one of those NC T-shirts that have the years of all our NCs on them. After we won our second, I thought 'Well, this T is still in really great condition, so I guess I'll buy the next one after these guys win their 3rd or 4th'. Still waiting. Dang shirt even has a spot where I spilled a drop of bleach on it. I want a new one and won't be getting one any time soon.

I forget exactly what happened after the likes of Dan Hardy graduated, but recall some other teams won, and we disappointed, and the 'parity' excuse was bandied about. Lax then went big time on TV, getting tons more exposure, and we've reaped none of the gains. The game passed the program by back then. 20 whatever straight final 4s to this. Very frustrating to watch.

You fix it with all it takes to be a winner, recruiting: chemistry, drive, appreciation of the fundamentals, innovation, and talent. Make sure the coaches are helping, not hurting. I've been coaching my kids' club team. I am not going to criticize the coaches. It's an unbelievably hard job. No matter how good my intentions are, I find myself sucking at it. There is no ACME bolt to tighten. It requires hard work, and talent that cares.

I watched the Hopkins and Duke disappointments, and the ND embarrassment. It's like some long, slow implosion. We had Hopkins by their blue balls. We were still a good team at that point, up 2, when we had the inexplicable turnover on that clear. We had Duke, until Deemer Class ripped Warren Hill a new one. And we lost both. ND was a debacle. Now, Cornell?

I will say that ND and Duke are very much out there in terms of helping to grow the game. When looking for drills and info, all links and queries lead back to them. It'd be nice to teach the 'Syracuse Way', whatever it is that that was.