Fall All-Access: A Scary Mix of Veterans, Newcomers and Transfers at Rutgers Lacrosse

[Tango Two]

Fall All-Access: A Scary Mix of Veterans, Newcomers and Transfers at Rutgers

(Inside Lacrosse Photos: Matt Kinnear)Rutgers is coming off its best year in program history.The nation’s most exciting team finished 9-4

www.insidelacrosse.com

 

[Caliknight]

Love our style of play.

Great article but was missing another 4 or 5 core guys. Going to be another exciting year.

 

[DowntownT_Brown]

Excited for the season!!

Does anyone have any exposure to Brock Desmarais our new 2023 FO signee?

 

[Caliknight]

Seems like the new breed of faceoff guy. Not only can face off, but when they get it, can do something with it. He's an athlete that will fit in well with our run and and gun style.

 

[bigmatt718]

Let's also not forget we have an up and coming Women's Lax team who was ranked most of the season and won their first ever NCAA Tourney game last year as well. I'm expecting them to take another step forward in the spring. Wonder how the women's team is looking in their fall scrimmages.

 

[Caliknight]

First started hearing about it from a board member and many in the program are openly saying that the Penn transfer Bartolo absolutely hammers the ball.

That was a big concern losing Connor. Having that cannon on the outside opens things for the other guys. Expecting a big year from him, as well as Scott.

 

[Golfer2019]

Team is having a solid fall...

We're loaded with athletes in the midfield...big, fast, skilled...this team will get out and run...it's in the DNA. Lots of experience on this team

Team should be good...but so will the rest of the conference....

 

[Caliknight]

Little inside intel for the board. Brian is very happy with what he’s seeing so far.

 

[Golfer2019]

Little inside intel for the board. Brian is very happy with what he’s seeing so far.

I'll second that...from a little different inside view 😏

 

[bigmatt718]

A little intel...B1G Tourney is keeping the same format as last year where 1 and 2 seeds get 1st round byes and 3 vs 6 plays 4 vs 5 in Round 1. 2022 B1G WLax Tourney will be held at RU as well.

 

[Scarlet Craig]

Sounds great. Question from a Lacrosse noob…is the NASCAR offense a general lacrosse thing or a Rutgers invention?

 

[Golfer2019]

A little intel...B1G Tourney is keeping the same format as last year where 1 and 2 seeds get 1st round byes and 3 vs 6 plays 4 vs 5 in Round 1. 2022 B1G WLax Tourney will be held at RU as well.

Men's tourney will be at Maryland in 2022...

RU will have 3 home B1G games and 2 on the road...so that's a slight schedule advantage

I'm ok with the addition of all teams like last year...it gives everyone life and there is nothing quite like win or go home type events...

 

[Golfer2019]

Sounds great. Question from a Lacrosse noob…is the NASCAR offense a general lacrosse thing or a Rutgers invention?

I'll let someone else chime in here, but I would just say this is a style that is preferred by this staff...in particular BB...get stops, get your athletes out in transition and try and press in early offense and make the other team deal with pressure and bad matchups...

RU has some really nice pieces to fit this style of play and tempo...fast, athletic guys that are comfortable with the ball in their stick and understand when they have something early...and when they need to throttle back...

Trust me when I say this.."kids love to play at this pace...and the shot clock only fuels this approach

 

[Caliknight]

Sounds great. Question from a Lacrosse noob…is the NASCAR offense a general lacrosse thing or a Rutgers invention?

Golfer pretty much covered it, and really it's getting back to the way the game used to be played before over specialization took hold. Call it the Princeton strategy of sitting on the ball on offense and using the sub game to grind opponents down. It worked. But it also made the game come to a crawling pace.

With the advent on a shot clock you simply can't do that anymore. Also, as Golfer said, players want to play in a high tempo up and down style. It's why we started playing lacrosse in the first place. Fast is fun.

We didn't invent this style but we are very much married to it. As Colin said in the interview it's in our DNA. It forces players to be very well rounded and use their athleticism, which if you are an athlete, that is what you want. Certainly fitness is a huge factor as is skill, but in terms of the term Nascar, yes, we invented that as it relates to lacrosse. It's a cool thing that is ours.

Brian mentioned it many x in interviews. Players make plays. Our style is very much a players game. We are fortunate to have a coach that goes all in on it, because that is what it takes. You have to live with the turnovers, which we are more often than not very good keeping low, given our high risk high reward go for broke style.

 

[Golfer2019]

Golfer pretty much covered it, and really it's getting back to the way the game used to be played before over specialization took hold. Call it the Princeton strategy of sitting on the ball on offense and using the sub game to grind opponents down. It worked. But it also made the game come to a crawling pace.

With the advent on a shot clock you simply can't do that anymore. Also, as Golfer said, players want to play in a high tempo up and down style. It's why we started playing lacrosse in the first place. Fast is fun.

We didn't invent this style but we are very much married to it. As Colin said in the interview it's in our DNA. It forces players to be very well rounded and use their athleticism, which if you are an athlete, that is what you want. Certainly fitness is a huge factor as is skill, but in terms of the term Nascar, yes, we invented that as it relates to lacrosse. It's a cool thing that is ours.

Brian mentioned it many x in interviews. Players make plays. Our style is very much a players game. We are fortunate to have a coach that goes all in on it, because that is what it takes. You have to live with the turnovers, which we are more often than not very good keeping low, given our high risk high reward go for broke style.

You have to have the guys that can make it work...and you have to trust them, give them the green light, and let them make decisions on the fly...with the right guys it's gonna work more than it won't...

 

[AreYouNUTS]

@Caliknight Would you consider anything short of a multi-game run in the NCAA tournament disappointing with this crew? Barring, God forbid, a boatload of injuries?

 

[Caliknight]

@Caliknight Would you consider anything short of a multi-game run in the NCAA tournament disappointing with this crew? Barring, God forbid, a boatload of injuries?

Honestly I am not a great person to ask these questions. I love these kids. They are a all going on to do great things in life, be great fathers, husbands, work hard, and give back. It's hard for me to ever say I would be disappointed. I know how hard they work and what they give to this school and program. No one is ever more disappointed then they are in a losing effort.

Do we have the desire and skill to have another year where we have an opportunity to play for the final four? Yes, I believe that. Is the team motivated after getting a good taste? 100%. But as you said, anything can happen. Injuries, off the field things, who knows. It's November and the team is grinding. I will say this, there isn't a team on our schedule who is looking at our game and thinking, "yea, that's a good match up for us".

We have some new faces at attack but our middies both O and D and our close defense including the best goalie in the country are all set. The attack will most certainly have talent. How fast are the gelling is the question. As I mentioned earlier, I can tell you that Coach Brecht is very happy with what he has seen so far this fall. In my experience, that's much more often than not a great sign. He's not one to sugarcoat things.

 

[Golfer2019]

Honestly I am not a great person to ask these questions. I love these kids. They are a all going on to do great things in life, be great fathers, husbands, work hard, and give back. It's hard for me to ever say I would be disappointed. I know how hard they work and what they give to this school and program. No one is ever more disappointed then they are in a losing effort.

Do we have the desire and skill to have another year where we have an opportunity to play for the final four? Yes, I believe that. Is the team motivated after getting a good taste? 100%. But as you said, anything can happen. Injuries, off the field things, who knows. It's November and the team is grinding. I will say this, there isn't a team on our schedule who is looking at our game and thinking, "yea, that's a good match up for us".

We have some new faces at attack but our middies both O and D and our close defense including the best goalie in the country are all set. The attack will most certainly have talent. How fast are the gelling is the question. As I mentioned earlier, I can tell you that Coach Brecht is very happy with what he has seen so far this fall. In my experience, that's much more often than not a great sign. He's not one to sugarcoat things.

Good response @Caliknight

If you were with the kids (yes kids) in the moments after the OT loss to UNC...you knew how much it hurt and how much they spent last year in human capital...we all have moments in life we never forget...that's one for me...

Last year was special...getting to the NCAA tourney is very very hard...lots has to fall your way...and you need to be elite

It's too soon to make any predictions...as Cali said, it's been a very productive fall...the team practices very hard in the fall...actually BB runs a much harder fall than many teams...it's no picnic

We return a lot of talent and experience...but we have some major holes to fill

Time will tell

 

[RUonBrain]

Thoughts from you two about other teams in the conference?
Based on transfers/graduations/recruits:
Who will be the top teams?
Bottom teams?
Or who the heck knows?

 

[Caliknight]

It’s going to be a dog fight. Maryland brought in a couple of impact transfers but they lose the most dynamic player in the game.

Penn St recruits well and Hopkins is on the come up again. They will be better. Same with Ohio St who go their goalie in a transfer from Unc and another xfer who is escaping me but expected to start. Recruiting for them has gone well too.

Michigan has been recruiting well for a few years now and has a team of guys with experience now. They could be dangerous.

You can say we reloaded. The other teams in the conference weren’t standing around watching though. Every program in this league is big time now. Absolute dog fight to win this thing.

 

[Golfer2019]

Thoughts from you two about other teams in the conference?
Based on transfers/graduations/recruits:
Who will be the top teams?
Bottom teams?
Or who the heck knows?

I'll break it down into a couple groupings based on what I know, what I've read, etc...

Maryland is still the class of the league

The next grouping in my mind is Rutgers and Hopkins...Hop was coming on late, and has nice young talent...I would expect RU and Hop to be right there battling just behind MD

I honestly would put Michigan next...they have lots of young talent and a mix of experience...I think they'll be better than OSU and PSU...

Finally, I think PSU and OSU might be battling for those last couple spots...

The conference will be a bitch....it's very very good top to bottom...lots of talent in all places...

With all that said, this is just an educated assessment right now...lots can happen, but that's how I see it today 100~ days before we play game 1

PS...loved watching the Spartans come back and run over Michigan on Saturday...that's all 😆😏

 

[RUonBrain]

Thanks guys.
Can’t get any more lacrosse insights than from you both.

Oh, and we need a woman’s lacrosse expert on this board!

 

[Caliknight]

I am definitely not a women's lacrosse expert.

I'll break it down into a couple groupings based on what I know, what I've read, etc...

Maryland is still the class of the league

The next grouping in my mind is Rutgers and Hopkins...Hop was coming on late, and has nice young talent...I would expect RU and Hop to be right there battling just behind MD

I honestly would put Michigan next...they have lots of young talent and a mix of experience...I think they'll be better than OSU and PSU...

Finally, I think PSU and OSU might be battling for those last couple spots...

The conference will be a bitch....it's very very good top to bottom...lots of talent in all places...

With all that said, this is just an educated assessment right now...lots can happen, but that's how I see it today 100~ days before we play game 1

PS...loved watching the Spartans come back and run over Michigan on Saturday...that's all 😆😏

I'd agree with that grouping as well. OSU and PSU while recruiting well seem to be just a step behind. That could all change when the games start but from where we sit now, you'd have to put them in the bottom half. I too think Michigan is poised to make some noise. They have been recruiting very well, have a solid staff, and are now experienced. They lost a lot of close games last season.

Hopkins is definitely going to be better and I think Maryland a a little worse. Taking away the most transcendent player in the game is going to have an effect. While they brought in some exceptional transfers, none are Bernhardt. They have been one of if not the best recruiting school in the country so you know they have talent, but do they have THAT guy? I noticed they gave Logan Wisnauskas the number 1 jersey which means they consider him to be that guy. While a great player, is he the player that opposing teams focus on and can still deliver? I need to see that before I believe it. Bernhardt can get to the cage any time he wants. I don't think Wisnaskaus is that dynamic. Even so, their D will be great and they have athletes at every spot. Hard to argue against them as the top pick but I do think that gap has gotten smaller.

 

[Golfer2019]

Loyola opens up at Maryland...then plays at Hopkins...then plays Rutgers...

Those will be telling early season games...

They actually could give us a feel for both Maryland and Hop

 

[mdk01]

Sounds great. Question from a Lacrosse noob…is the NASCAR offense a general lacrosse thing or a Rutgers invention?

I'll take a shot at that. A lot of teams have played that style over the years, but it was overwhelmingly called "run and gun". I think RU is the 1st to call it NASCAR. And I'll differ a little with Cali on the pre-shot clock style. Princeton (once Tierney got there) and Hopkins (forever) played a slow game. But there were a lot of teams that played up tempo. UMass when Garber Sr. (kind of a legend) was coach was famous for it. Some the good Cornell and Syracuse teams as well. Even UVA and Albany not to many years ago. And of course there was the recent Brown "Rutgers on steroids" team.

 

[Caliknight]

I would agree with Syracuse. Definitely run and gun. Cornell was never a run and gun team. Quite the opposite actually. Brown was and still tries to be. Uva almost always was and most certainly is today. Umass, I guess you might say that under Garber. Honestly though outside of Princeton, most everyone played fast back in the day. I can't remember playing any team every outside of Princeton that actively tried to slow it down.