MLAX on BTN2GO on the Fox Sports App Saturday @ 2:00 vs #1 Ranked Loyola
- Thread starter Caliknight
- Start date
Win or lose want to see us finish strong. Want to see more out of our middies and attack. We are out shooting them, but not as much quality shots.
This team needs to get healthy and in a hurry. No shame in losing to #1 but at 2-2 and now likely out of the top 20, NCAA's are looking like a pipe dream. If we're not back on track come March 9th kiss this season goodbye.
Played hard. Would have liked to see our role players step up. Concerned about our midfielders. We aren’t getting nearly enough from them. Overall shot selection needs to be better. They didnt pull the trigger when they had open looks, then take bad shots. As Dixon noted on the telecast, it looks like they are running plays and not taking what’s in front of them. I noticed the same thing too. That’s not Rutgers lacrosse.
Our attack needs to be more aggressive. There were numerous x when Coyne or Schacte had room to go at their men but pull it out and spin. At some point you have to make a play. Both look tentative. Coyne isn’t a freshman anymore. He needs to be much more aggressive
On the plus side, we cleared better, rode harder, and played solid in a zone. Max was great.
The next player we play as dynamic as Spencer will be Sowers at Princeton. That’s a better match up for Pless.
Hopefully they learned a few things today. Lots of lessons out there on film.
Not sure what’s up with Mullins or Harryman, but if they are questionable, hold them out against Fairfield.
Our attack needs to be more aggressive. There were numerous x when Coyne or Schacte had room to go at their men but pull it out and spin. At some point you have to make a play. Both look tentative. Coyne isn’t a freshman anymore. He needs to be much more aggressive
On the plus side, we cleared better, rode harder, and played solid in a zone. Max was great.
The next player we play as dynamic as Spencer will be Sowers at Princeton. That’s a better match up for Pless.
Hopefully they learned a few things today. Lots of lessons out there on film.
Not sure what’s up with Mullins or Harryman, but if they are questionable, hold them out against Fairfield.
I gave up at 6-2 with 5 to go in the 1st (on the replay). Glad to see we played a better 2nd half BUT ONCE AGAIN we play like crap coming out of the box AND ZERO goals after the first few minutes of the 1st half?? Yikes...that’s bad.
I will ask again @Caliknight:
Do you think, possibly, overhauling in
both the offense and defense with new coordinators, in the same off-season, is having an effect on the team this year?
I will ask again @Caliknight:
Do you think, possibly, overhauling in
both the offense and defense with new coordinators, in the same off-season, is having an effect on the team this year?
Seeing the replay, wow did that game have pace early. The riding looked improved. I believe that all the goals from midfield came on plays where they were charging the goal. Goose egg when they were running full speed lateral to the goal and shooting from 8-10 yards out. Too many of those.
Will anyone stop Spencer?
Will anyone stop Spencer?
Our win over St. John's looks better after defeating this year's Cinderella, High Point on the road.
So very disappointing not having two of our best players on field. Maybe would not have made a difference but if had been closer you never know if team would have rallied for a win. On bright side the way the BS ranking system works, as I recall, just playing them helps us and it doesnt matter if we lose 20-1 or in 3OT. Meanwhile ACC suffered some losses today. Still hoping for Army to knock off Sadexcuse tomorrow. Last year was so ridiculous putting 4 ACC teams in tournament and 3 lose in first round.
Gotta roll through the rest of the OOC schedule. Can’t lose another if we want any shot of an at-large.
Depends on what the B1G record looks like though it’s hard to be confident without a legit face off guy at the moment m. If Mullins is out any length of time it’s probably curtains as far as the NCAAs.
Took in the game yesterday and while we looked better than we did against Army (which isn't saying a lot) my observation of our lack of offense comes not from attack, but from the midfield.
What I think is our first team midfield is just too small (besides Rose). They can't do anything down the middle because simple stick checks keep them off balance. Both my son (3 year Varsity on a perennial top 20 team here in NJ) and I were saying that we need the bigger bodies of 39, 14 and (can't remember the 3rd) as they went towards the goal and had enough strength to either get a clean shot or draw the hard slide. Our small guys just aren't creating enough havoc in the zone like the bigger guys.
Also, if we don't have confirmation on Mullin's injury I think he was concussed during the Army game (took a stick in the back of the head). Absolutely no proof, just my observation from the game.
What I think is our first team midfield is just too small (besides Rose). They can't do anything down the middle because simple stick checks keep them off balance. Both my son (3 year Varsity on a perennial top 20 team here in NJ) and I were saying that we need the bigger bodies of 39, 14 and (can't remember the 3rd) as they went towards the goal and had enough strength to either get a clean shot or draw the hard slide. Our small guys just aren't creating enough havoc in the zone like the bigger guys.
Also, if we don't have confirmation on Mullin's injury I think he was concussed during the Army game (took a stick in the back of the head). Absolutely no proof, just my observation from the game.
Four games in and already a lot of scoreboard watching to see if we can find a path rather than just taking care of our own business. Hey look a loss to #1 is not going to kill you but it seems to me we have already dug ourselves into about a knee deep hole in the quest to finally break through to the post season. Can't let it get waist high.
Whether we are in the top 25 or just outside really doesn't matter given the number of schools who sponsor the sport and the number of post season bids. Just need to do better no excuses.
Whether we are in the top 25 or just outside really doesn't matter given the number of schools who sponsor the sport and the number of post season bids. Just need to do better no excuses.
I would disagree with this assessment. Our fist line isn’t small outside of one guy. Gallagher. And he is very quick. Our second line is bigger than most. Out of all the middies, Gallagher got more separation than anyone. Speed kills. And that kid is thick. You’d like to have speed and size, and some of our middies have it. We just need them to shoot better and dodge with more purpose. It looks like we are running plays instead of playing instinctively. As little separation as our middies got, our attack wasn’t getting any either. We need them to be more aggressive. As Family noted in a text, we need to look to play more early offense too. We are becoming a half field team, which isn’t RU lax.
We created more turnovers and got off as many shots. Probably less quality, but it wasn’t our best shooting day. Their goalie is good, but we did him a lot of favors. Shooting low to low often is an example.
rufeel- I hear what you are saying. We do need to handle our own business. Make no mistake though, every program in America is scoreboard watching constantly. It’s rhe state of the game today.
There is no question St Johns beating the team on their own field who beat 2 Acc teams on their own fields is a huge scalp. Us beating them is now a nice scalp too. Onward.
I noticed a number of kids out. Hope they are back soon. We need em all.
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Well then we agree to disagree. That line the last couple of games has disappeared. They get swallowed up on anything down the middle.
Jules is a great example. He was a nice recruit but he wasn’t the all American he was when he graduated. He became and developed into that. Exactly what most kids do who get that successful and what we need to see kids on this team do.
Your answer I think is the American answer to a talent/skills/scheme/pace problem.. I think ours is a scheme/pace problem. It appears to me that individuals are more hesitant to make aggressive moves to toward the goal. I expected a lot more from Gallagher, who is not a huge guy but he is the quickest guy I see on our side. I expected a blitzing tempo on offense and haven't seen it. That's always been our strength. Maybe they're being coached to reduce turnovers and this has led to the hesitancy?
Cali said the way we are playing on offense is not Rutgers lax.
Do either of you think (fear?) the new coaches have implemented a style that fundamentally changed who RU lax is?
I was watching yesterday and we got nothing in transition. I don’t know if it’s because Loyola was playing good D or if it had to do with the loss of Mullens. The other thing is we didn’t get many transition type opportunities. Mostly deadball turnovers
Stepped away from the board for a couple days...usually do that after games to let emotions settle...
If we were 3-1, had beaten Army, and lost to arguably the best team in the country (Loyola is playing well right now), this would be a different place...attitude wise
Of course we didn't beat Army, and we all wanted that win, but when you turn it over 20 times, you DO NOT win games....in ANY sport...and by the way, I do think Army is a very solid team...
So here's some things to think about....facts:
Lots of "new-ness" on this team...
It starts with the coordinators and that's not a negative comment to those guys at all...but the kids and the staff are working through lots of things together and they're in this thing together...new schemes, new thoughts, new learnings...I believe it will get better...soon
Lots of new faces at the midfield...I think both lines will get better and frankly I think line 2 had a very solid game v Loyola....39, 14, and 44 moved well, played with more confidence and seemed a bit more fluid...all three had moments where they dodged actively and got open looks...and they also created opportunity on the backside...again, do we need more...yes, and I feel it's coming...I liked those three together on Saturday...they are not small guys and keep in mind...44 is a Soph, and 14 is a RSFrosh...
Mid line 1 will also get it going...they've been a bit inconsistent but I also trust 20, 34, and 0 to produce...again, keep in mind 0 is a frosh and is getting better...he's gonna be fine and 34 is just a Soph...
Having Mullins out hurts...I posted a week or two ago that AC and KM would have to carry this team a bit early on...well you take one of those guys out of the equation, and it gets tougher...
We've got some guys banged up, our starting FOGO has missed the last 2.5 games...it matters
Oh, and look around...lots of crazy upsets and scores...it's a bit unsettled right now...but let it play out
Let's see what happens at Fairfield...the team needs a win, has to win to get some mojo going...then we hit a very key 2 game set (Princeton and Lehigh)
This thing could go multiple ways, and maybe what I've posted all becomes BS...but I'm gonna wait and see how these next three games go...I think that will give us a very good feel as we then look to head to Syracuse...
Need KM back, need Harryman back...need more progress out of the young guys on both sides of the ball...2-2 feels a lot worse than 3-1...I get it...but the margin is razor thin...
Let's just prepare for and hopefully beat Fairfield
I think RUFamily posted a while back...this team is young
If we were 3-1, had beaten Army, and lost to arguably the best team in the country (Loyola is playing well right now), this would be a different place...attitude wise
Of course we didn't beat Army, and we all wanted that win, but when you turn it over 20 times, you DO NOT win games....in ANY sport...and by the way, I do think Army is a very solid team...
So here's some things to think about....facts:
Lots of "new-ness" on this team...
It starts with the coordinators and that's not a negative comment to those guys at all...but the kids and the staff are working through lots of things together and they're in this thing together...new schemes, new thoughts, new learnings...I believe it will get better...soon
Lots of new faces at the midfield...I think both lines will get better and frankly I think line 2 had a very solid game v Loyola....39, 14, and 44 moved well, played with more confidence and seemed a bit more fluid...all three had moments where they dodged actively and got open looks...and they also created opportunity on the backside...again, do we need more...yes, and I feel it's coming...I liked those three together on Saturday...they are not small guys and keep in mind...44 is a Soph, and 14 is a RSFrosh...
Mid line 1 will also get it going...they've been a bit inconsistent but I also trust 20, 34, and 0 to produce...again, keep in mind 0 is a frosh and is getting better...he's gonna be fine and 34 is just a Soph...
Having Mullins out hurts...I posted a week or two ago that AC and KM would have to carry this team a bit early on...well you take one of those guys out of the equation, and it gets tougher...
We've got some guys banged up, our starting FOGO has missed the last 2.5 games...it matters
Oh, and look around...lots of crazy upsets and scores...it's a bit unsettled right now...but let it play out
Let's see what happens at Fairfield...the team needs a win, has to win to get some mojo going...then we hit a very key 2 game set (Princeton and Lehigh)
This thing could go multiple ways, and maybe what I've posted all becomes BS...but I'm gonna wait and see how these next three games go...I think that will give us a very good feel as we then look to head to Syracuse...
Need KM back, need Harryman back...need more progress out of the young guys on both sides of the ball...2-2 feels a lot worse than 3-1...I get it...but the margin is razor thin...
Let's just prepare for and hopefully beat Fairfield
I think RUFamily posted a while back...this team is young
Good post.
Was looking at the Top 20 this week and saw Maryland at #2 with a 5-0 mark. Sounds impressive. They have beaten five decent programs, but not great ones (Bucknell, Colgate, Navy, Penn, and Richmond). Two of those were 1 goal wins, rest were five goal wins...so the #2 team in the country ekes out two wins vs. teams that they 'should' be much better than...shows how thin the margin is in college lacrosse these days.
So a loss to a solid Army team by a goal isn't a disgrace or a reason for panic...although programs like Rutgers have less room for margin than some of the traditional powers when it comes to the perception of the program at NCAA time. So I get angst and it isn't totally misplaced.
At this point, Loyola has been basically the only team to have dominated their schedule thus far, with Towson also looking very strong. Should be a good matchup on Wednesday between these two York Road Rivals.
Good post. After watching the game again, I am encouraged. We got better even though the scoreboard doesn’t say it. We play like that against Army, sans Mullins, we win that game by a handful.
Let’s take another step this week.
I
RU has been on the wrong side of some ncaa selections and we don’t get the benefit of the doubt...which is political and is BS
But the last three teams that came up just short have nothing to do with this team and it’s makeup. Let’s see how it progresses...
As fans, we can have angst, get pissed and all that referencing the last few years and tough losses ad snubs...it’s hard to seperate it
If we get healthy and get some of the youth on this team playing better, this team can compete for the Big Ten
Only PSU looks unbeatable at this point...and things can shift on a dime
I get the angst. People want to win and win now. I agree with everything you said...
RU has been on the wrong side of some ncaa selections and we don’t get the benefit of the doubt...which is political and is BS
But the last three teams that came up just short have nothing to do with this team and it’s makeup. Let’s see how it progresses...
As fans, we can have angst, get pissed and all that referencing the last few years and tough losses ad snubs...it’s hard to seperate it
If we get healthy and get some of the youth on this team playing better, this team can compete for the Big Ten
Only PSU looks unbeatable at this point...and things can shift on a dime
Poor choice of words. I know they lost...to Yale who is a preseason fav to win it all
What I should have said was they’re playing the best out of any big ten team right now.
My bad ;)
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