No. 15 Rutgers Men's Lacrosse Has Saturday Matchup at No. 13 Syracuse

[Caliknight]

Positives- midfield shooting is better. The offense looked much more active and movement was better, creating good looks. D played well for as much as the ball was on their end. Max was Max. 57 shots that he faced is a huge, huge amount. That might be the most in college all season.

Negatives- glaring faceoff ineptitude. 27-9. This led to groundball disparity. We win that game if we win even half. Not sure where we go. Harryman is out, and Ott got hurt in the first Q. It’s a huge problem especially in our conference where the best guys in the country reside.

 

[Fabrizi]

I turn on the game and we're up 13-10. Then as I watch I noticed we can't win a damn faceoff. I don't care how good one's offense is. If you can't get them the ball, it's obvious what the outcome will be in these games. I don't care if we have the best goalie out there. When your defense is porous and you're giving the other team multiple chances, it doesn't take a lifelong watcher of lacrosse to figure out why this steam is now 4-4 and not 6-2 or even better.

So, I have to ask the experts here; why is it so hard for Brecht to recruit decent faceoff guys?

Are faceoff guys only recruited? Is it impossible to develop one?

 

[Caliknight]

I turn on the game and we're up 13-10. Then as I watch I noticed we can't win a damn faceoff. I don't care how good one's offense is. If you can't get them the ball, it's obvious what the outcome will be in these games. I don't care if we have the best goalie out there. When your defense is porous and you're giving the other team multiple chances, it doesn't take a lifelong watcher of lacrosse to figure out why this team is now 4-4 and not 6-2 or even better.

So, I have to ask the experts here; why is it so hard for Brecht to recruit decent faceoff guys?

It’s a very hard position to recruit for. High school studs simply are a crapshoot more often than not. But we have to figure it out. Having our top two guys injured doesn’t help.

 

[Caliknight]

Are faceoff guys only recruited? Is it impossible to develop one?

They are like a kicker in football. A very specialized skill set.

 

[Caliknight]

No conference game? I disagree.

Yea I’d take that bet.

 

[RU MAN]

It’s a very hard position to recruit for. High school studs simply are a crapshoot more often than not. But we have to figure it out. Having our top two guys injured doesn’t help.

Then Cali is it a coach who can bring a recruit in and turn them into a big time faceoff guy? If so then Brecht has failed this team miserably if he can't develop decent faceoff guys. I realize that the first two guys were injured, but even when they were in they weren't giving our team a real advantage.

The 27-9 faceoff disparity is beyond glaring. If as you said we win 50% we win this game going away. I think if we had won even 40% of the faceoffs we win this game by 3 or 4 goals.

 

[Zak57]

Another Rutgers team that comes close to getting over the hump but then falls flat on it's face and rolls down the hill to mediocrity.

 

[RU MAN]

Another Rutgers team that comes close to getting over the hump but then falls flat on it's face and rolls down the hill to mediocrity.

Sadly, I agree with you. This was supposed to be our year, by all indications. But it's obvious the 2 new coordinators are not quite there with getting the players to gel to the new system, and our lack of decent faceoff specialists, because that's what I'm learning through Cali is what they are, are killing us. I think because of the latter, we have lost at least 3 games so far that we could have easily won.

 

[MS-RU]

Once again outcoached at the half and outplayed During the second half. This is a very bad habit this team has which has cost them how many games already this season? Again - we’ve discussed it before - two new coordinators in the same off-season may not have been beneficial for, at the very least, this season.

It's not the coordinators or the game plan. There is obviously an adjustment period, but it's not the reason for how this season is going.

When you don't have the ball, you can't score. Can't score, you can't win. When you only win 25% of the faceoffs you are forced to be extremely more efficient on offense and defense than your opponent. That's not sustainable for a game, let alone over a season..hence the reason we blow so many late leads.

Add in turnovers and sloppy mid play, we literally have no chance to be successful unfortunately.

 

[MS-RU]

No conference game? I disagree.

Only chance is Michigan but I have zero confidence in that happening

 

[Zak57]

Sadly, I agree with you. This was supposed to be our year, by all indications. But it's obvious the 2 new coordinators are not quite there with getting the players to gel to the new system, and our lack of decent faceoff specialists, because that's what I'm learning through Cali is what they are, are killing us. I think because of the latter, we have lost at least 3 games so far that we could have easily won.

Yup it sucks.

 

[Caliknight]

Then Cali is it a coach who can bring a recruit in and turn them into a big time faceoff guy? If so then Brecht has failed this team miserably if he can't develop decent faceoff guys. I realize that the first two guys were injured, but even when they were in they weren't giving our team a real advantage.

The 27-9 faceoff disparity is beyond glaring. If as you said we win 50% we win this game going away. I think if we had won even 40% of the faceoffs we win this game by 3 or 4 goals.

I don’t think you can do much with faceoff guys. They have it or they don’t. We were playing our 4th and 5th guys, actually our 6th I’d you consider Pless. It’s obviously an area we aren’t doing well in.

 

[Caliknight]

Sadly, I agree with you. This was supposed to be our year, by all indications. But it's obvious the 2 new coordinators are not quite there with getting the players to gel to the new system, and our lack of decent faceoff specialists, because that's what I'm learning through Cali is what they are, are killing us. I think because of the latter, we have lost at least 3 games so far that we could have easily won.

I’d disagree with the new systems comment. Today, outside of a few instances, was very solid on both offense and defense. We held them to 16 goals (2 were pressing at the end with max out. That’s with 13 more possessions. The D played as well as can be expected. That’s a very good offensive team we just played.

We scored 14 goals with 13 fewer possessions. Both O and D looked very good. This game was lost in one specific and very obvious area.

We are where we are. Harryman is out, Ott looked severly injured and we are at the end of our bench.

 

[RU MAN]

I’d disagree with the new systems comment. Today, outside of a few instances, was very solid on both offense and defense. We held them to 16 goals (2 were pressing at the end with max out. That’s with 13 more possessions. The D played as well as can be expected. That’s a very good offensive team we just played.

We scored 14 goals with 13 fewer possessions. Both O and D looked very good. This game was lost in one specific and very obvious area.

We are where we are. Harryman is out, Ott looked severly injured and we are at the end of our bench.

Thanks for the explanation. So based on what you just stated with our top faceoff guys out, this year will turn out to be a bust unless we can somehow overcome this glaring deficiency. That's really a shame.

 

[mdk01]

It’s a very hard position to recruit for. High school studs simply are a crapshoot more often than not. But we have to figure it out. Having our top two guys injured doesn’t help.

It's possible to develop one, but he had to have "had it" in HS but wasn't used. It can happen with an attackman or defenseman in HS who gets shifted to midfield. Less likely now than years back, but still possible.

 

[Caliknight]

I haven’t really seen it. Usually these dominant face off guys come in dominating right away. Certainly that was the case with the many we’ve had in the past.

 

[RUonBrain]

I haven’t really seen it. Usually these dominant face off guys come in dominating right away. Certainly that was the case with the many we’ve had in the past.

If RU is really one 1 face off guy away from being (very?) good, why has it been so difficult to recruit one?
Especially when everyone we face obviously doesn’t have a problem getting at least 1 good one?

 

[Caliknight]

We have one. He’s hurt. Sucks. Ott has potential but it’s an area we need to continue recruiting in. We missed on a couple. We have one coming in this next class who looks good.

 

[Golfer2019]

Just got home from the game...long drive. Tough loss...I'll stay away from the glaring negative as it's a team game and we should stick hard with all these young men...they're battling....With that said, I saw some things today to build on...Cali nailed most of it...

This teams gonna win some games you don't expect them to win...

I'm tired...going to bed

 

[Caliknight]

That’s a long drive!

Lotta good things happened today. I watched the game again. Sucks Christiano is still out. He would have helped a lot today. Even so, the offense took a very nice step today. Let’s build off of it.

 

[motorb54]

Lacrosse reminds me of basketball origins when after a basket there would be another center court jump ball. A rule that thankfully was changed so that the team scored upon would get a chance on O. With that rule in lacrosse we easily win this game.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

#RegressTo2015

It's not the coordinators or the game plan. There is obviously an adjustment period, but it's not the reason for how this season is going.

When you don't have the ball, you can't score. Can't score, you can't win. When you only win 25% of the faceoffs you are forced to be extremely more efficient on offense and defense than your opponent. That's not sustainable for a game, let alone over a season..hence the reason we blow so many late leads.

Add in turnovers and sloppy mid play, we literally have no chance to be successful unfortunately.

Agree and disagree. Game after game we are getting outplayed, PERIOD, in the 2nd half. That starts at the top my friend.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Just got home from the game...long drive. Tough loss...I'll stay away from the glaring negative as it's a team game and we should stick hard with all these young men...they're battling....With that said, I saw some things today to build on...Cali nailed most of it...

This teams gonna win some games you don't expect them to win...

Unfortunately I’d bet against that if I were still gambling.

 

[Caliknight]

Lacrosse reminds me of basketball origins when after a basket there would be another center court jump ball. A rule that thankfully was changed so that the team scored upon would get a chance on O. With that rule in lacrosse we easily win this game.

Many people are saying the game should be changed where after goals the other team just gets it like hoops.

Syracuse a few years ago was in the position we are in now and we’re big proponents of it.

Bottom line is the fogo has a huge impact on a game. Back in the day they played the field more. Now they are a specialized commodity that probably has a disproportionate impact on the game.

 

[RUonBrain]

Many people are saying the game should be changed where after goals the other team just gets it like hoops.

Syracuse a few years ago was in the position we are in now and we’re big proponents of it.

Bottom line is the fogo has a huge impact on a game. Back in the day they played the field more. Now they are a specialized commodity that probably has a disproportionate impact on the game.

IMO, having a faceoff after every goal is a really stupid rule.

I totally agree that is has a disproportionate impact on the game.

It should be like soccer.
Or football.

Hockey doesn’t matter after goals because there are so few goals, and the puck is constantly changing possession.