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Rutgers Men’s Lacrosse Announces Newcomers

Happy to see South Jersey starting to produce some D1 Lax talent. The game is growing in South Jersey at the youth and HS level, so it's only a matter of time before more D1 talent is ready to be harvested.
 
Actually Moorestown, Shawnee and St. Auggies have all produced significant talent over the past decade, this is the first time we have been able to land any of them.
 
Actually Moorestown, Shawnee and St. Auggies have all produced significant talent over the past decade, this is the first time we have been able to land any of them.
Wonder if schools like Lenape or Haddonfield are producing D1 talent. Lenape has been a top tier South Jersey public team for a few years now.
 
Wonder if schools like Lenape or Haddonfield are producing D1 talent. Lenape has been a top tier South Jersey public team for a few years now.
Lenape has a very good Fogo going to Monmouth and Haddonfield has a couple of studs in the 2022 and 2023 classes
 
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With the transfers and potential of the freshman class, it would be hard pressed to say we've ever brought in more talent.
 
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With the transfers and potential of the freshman class, it would be hard pressed to say we've ever brought in more talent.
Do you expect RU to hold its own in face-offs next year?
 
Do you expect RU to hold its own in face-offs next year?

Yes. I believe we will see significant improvement here. The transfer from St. John's looked very good in his limited season before it as cut short due to Covid, and Burratta the incoming freshmen looks very good on tape. Never know how it will translate but he's got the body and quickness and did very well against competition going to peer level schools while in high school. I expect them both to play. Throw in the transfers, specifically the long pole from Yale and Connor Kirst who is an absolute beast on the wings, and I can't see how we aren't very improved here. I would call it the biggest area of improvement maybe, which was obviously sorely needed.

Our midfield dodging will significantly improve as well, with the addition of Kirst alone.

Some of these other incoming freshman look like they could see some time early. This Covid thing has really hurt these incoming freshmen's development specifically more than anyone I believe, but I wouldn't be shocked if one of the long poles made a quick contribution somewhere, and Russo at midfield looks like he could play early to me.

I also think we will get even better goalie play. I would think Kirst has upper hand coming in.

Throw in some the other transfers and guys coming back, there is going to be a lot of competition for playing time. Practices are going to be intense. I don't expect to see any new faces at attack. With everyone coming back, there isn't much space there for newbies. But kids always flash and surprise. All of these kids can play. I am not seeing much reaches.
 
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Yes. I believe we will see significant improvement here. The transfer from St. John's looked very good in his limited season before it as cut short due to Covid, and Burratta the incoming freshmen looks very good on tape. Never know how it will translate but he's got the body and quickness and did very well against competition going to peer level schools while in high school. I expect them both to play. Throw in the transfers, specifically the long pole from Yale and Connor Kirst who is an absolute beast on the wings, and I can't see how we aren't very improved here. I would call it the biggest area of improvement maybe, which was obviously sorely needed.

Our midfield dodging will significantly improve as well, with the addition of Kirst alone.

Some of these other incoming freshman look like they could see some time early. This Covid thing has really hurt these incoming freshmen's development specifically more than anyone I believe, but I wouldn't be shocked if one of the long poles made a quick contribution somewhere, and Russo at midfield looks like he could play early to me.

I also think we will get even better goalie play. I would think Kirst has upper hand coming in.

Throw in some the other transfers and guys coming back, there is going to be a lot of competition for playing time. Practices are going to be intense. I don't expect to see any new faces at attack. With everyone coming back, there isn't much space there for newbies. But kids always flash and surprise. All of these kids can play. I am not seeing much reaches.
Just a couple of follow-ups if I may. By mentioning the wings in response to the face off question, may I assume that it is expected that fewer face-offs will be recovered directly by the face-off man under the new rules? Do you expect that more face-offs will be taken by non-fogo personnel? I wonder if there will be some fogo athletes who were well-suited to the old rules who will be neutralized now.
 
Good looking new class...a couple really nice transfer pieces that are fitting in perfectly as I understand from my source...

The hard reality though is I do not see fall ball getting off the ground in any real form or fashion...the climate will not allow for teams to practice...so no fall ball will severely limit any spring production from freshman...freshman need fall ball...I don't care what their high school film looked like...no fall ball is a disaster for 90% of freshman on any roster...I would not count on freshman making an impact this year...so it's good we got high impact transfers (Kirst, FOGO, LSM)...those three coupled with what we have returning had me very bullish on the year in 2021...BUT

Sad reality number 2...unless the universities are going to understand they have to live with positive tests of kids that have NO symptoms and feel fine...we will not have a season this year...sad but true...the current protocols are not going to work...kids and athletes will get this, have no effects...universities need to get beyond this...I feel bad for the student athlete

Sorry to be negative, but from where I sit, I see no season
 
Just a couple of follow-ups if I may. By mentioning the wings in response to the face off question, may I assume that it is expected that fewer face-offs will be recovered directly by the face-off man under the new rules? Do you expect that more face-offs will be taken by non-fogo personnel? I wonder if there will be some fogo athletes who were well-suited to the old rules who will be neutralized now.
A
Yes. I believe we will see significant improvement here. The transfer from St. John's looked very good in his limited season before it as cut short due to Covid, and Burratta the incoming freshmen looks very good on tape. Never know how it will translate but he's got the body and quickness and did very well against competition going to peer level schools while in high school. I expect them both to play. Throw in the transfers, specifically the long pole from Yale and Connor Kirst who is an absolute beast on the wings, and I can't see how we aren't very improved here. I would call it the biggest area of improvement maybe, which was obviously sorely needed.

Our midfield dodging will significantly improve as well, with the addition of Kirst alone.

Some of these other incoming freshman look like they could see some time early. This Covid thing has really hurt these incoming freshmen's development specifically more than anyone I believe, but I wouldn't be shocked if one of the long poles made a quick contribution somewhere, and Russo at midfield looks like he could play early to me.

I also think we will get even better goalie play. I would think Kirst has upper hand coming in.

Throw in some the other transfers and guys coming back, there is going to be a lot of competition for playing time. Practices are going to be intense. I don't expect to see any new faces at attack. With everyone coming back, there isn't much space there for newbies. But kids always flash and surprise. All of these kids can play. I am not seeing much reaches.
The standing neutral grip (SNG) faceoff change was meant to make the face-offs more of a 3v3 fight but, I have watched high-level Fogo's get tied up for a long time in the SNG model. SNG was meant to balance the playing field for teams without a dominant fogo, but most teams just focused on better wing play and trying to muck it up. I am a big believer that you catch teach wing play and have a real strategy when it comes to that part of the game. @Caliknight is on point with the issue of wing play and the strategy of wing play. You watch other teams and they have a plan for wing play and they have savages in the field. This is one of the only ways to get the ball. I will say that we should be completely revamped at the faceoff X. We should also be reworked on the wings as Kirst and Ward could be game-changers on the wings.

I would caution people not to expect too much from the freshman as none of them had the spring and few played this summer so they have not played a competitive lacrosse game in over a year but, I think a couple of the kids could help including Almand who was redshirted last year. But, of the freshman that I have seen play I would say the Russo is the most ready to play and maybe Aimone
 
A

The standing neutral grip (SNG) faceoff change was meant to make the face-offs more of a 3v3 fight but, I have watched high-level Fogo's get tied up for a long time in the SNG model. SNG was meant to balance the playing field for teams without a dominant fogo, but most teams just focused on better wing play and trying to muck it up. I am a big believer that you catch teach wing play and have a real strategy when it comes to that part of the game. @Caliknight is on point with the issue of wing play and the strategy of wing play. You watch other teams and they have a plan for wing play and they have savages in the field. This is one of the only ways to get the ball. I will say that we should be completely revamped at the faceoff X. We should also be reworked on the wings as Kirst and Ward could be game-changers on the wings.

I would caution people not to expect too much from the freshman as none of them had the spring and few played this summer so they have not played a competitive lacrosse game in over a year but, I think a couple of the kids could help including Almand who was redshirted last year. But, of the freshman that I have seen play I would say the Russo is the most ready to play and maybe Aimone
Very good insights as always from @rufamily

Thanks and hope the family is well

I'd just add that people really don't understand how hard it is to play as a freshman at any level of division one lacrosse under normal circumstances...you now throw in no spring season for these 2020 guys, maybe a sprinkle of a game or two in the summer...and really no fall ball...it will be very hard for any freshman to play. Zero or even limited fall ball is a killer...it just is and when you talk to any player...to a man, they will tell you they needed the entire first fall to just get up to speed and figure some things out.

Having a full stable of veteran players all around the field, getting #4 back, and the addition of the key transfers noted above position us much better than last year IMO...even without freshman getting up to speed...the positives of the transfers far outweigh what I will see as limitations that will be dealt to the freshman (not their fault by the way and not an indicator of talent...you have to get tons of reps in the fall...and that's not gonna happen in this environment)

Lots of challenges ahead though for all college sports...
 
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Never too early to start looking at the next next. Our 21 class looks like it has some big, rangy kids who can play. A couple of middies and D pole specifically. Love seeing long rangy kids at the longstick position. They can create havoc with their length, especially if they can run. We've had a few recently. Looks like that will continue.
 
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A

The standing neutral grip (SNG) faceoff change was meant to make the face-offs more of a 3v3 fight but, I have watched high-level Fogo's get tied up for a long time in the SNG model. SNG was meant to balance the playing field for teams without a dominant fogo, but most teams just focused on better wing play and trying to muck it up. I am a big believer that you catch teach wing play and have a real strategy when it comes to that part of the game. @Caliknight is on point with the issue of wing play and the strategy of wing play. You watch other teams and they have a plan for wing play and they have savages in the field. This is one of the only ways to get the ball. I will say that we should be completely revamped at the faceoff X. We should also be reworked on the wings as Kirst and Ward could be game-changers on the wings.

I would caution people not to expect too much from the freshman as none of them had the spring and few played this summer so they have not played a competitive lacrosse game in over a year but, I think a couple of the kids could help including Almand who was redshirted last year. But, of the freshman that I have seen play I would say the Russo is the most ready to play and maybe Aimone

Russo definitely looks the part, on film anyway. I am sure you've seen more of him than that though.
 
I coach a rec level team of middle school kids. Anyone care to expound on the SNG FO and the wing play in more detail? I'd love to start scheming the wing play for next spring. A few posters mentioned more of a 3v3 battle and I'm assuming that will be the result of more balls being swept laterally? Outside of putting speed racing in from the wings or adjusting their angle of approach is there anything else?
 
I coach a rec level team of middle school kids. Anyone care to expound on the SNG FO and the wing play in more detail? I'd love to start scheming the wing play for next spring. A few posters mentioned more of a 3v3 battle and I'm assuming that will be the result of more balls being swept laterally? Outside of putting speed racing in from the wings or adjusting their angle of approach is there anything else?
Standing neutral grip or SNG is a counter to the one knee moto grip. They can still Pinch and pop which is the go to move but it will force fogo’s to develop more counter moves.
wing play is about working together with your faceoff kid. If he is winning you want to leave him alone and let him direct you. We used a number system to discuss going forward or back and depending on what our Fogo would do we would position our wings. I liked my defensive wing to be on the opposite played left shoulder or right at the midfield line with his inside foot back.
the offensive wing is generally on the opponent wing players right shoulder which allows him to keep the opposition wing off the face off guy.

basic rules- first step is ito your opponent to get him off his line.
If your Fogo is winning let him win.
Let your Fogo direct the wings to where he wants them
have your wi Hs stay on the butt ends of the fogos and rotate with them
That is just a little of what we do
 
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Standing neutral grip or SNG is a counter to the one knee moto grip. They can still Pinch and pop which is the go to move but it will force fogo’s to develop more counter moves.
wing play is about working together with your faceoff kid. If he is winning you want to leave him alone and let him direct you. We used a number system to discuss going forward or back and depending on what our Fogo would do we would position our wings. I liked my defensive wing to be on the opposite played left shoulder or right at the midfield line with his inside foot back.
the offensive wing is generally on the opponent wing players right shoulder which allows him to keep the opposition wing off the face off guy.

basic rules- first step is ito your opponent to get him off his line.
If your Fogo is winning let him win.
Let your Fogo direct the wings to where he wants them
have your wi Hs stay on the butt ends of the fogos and rotate with them
That is just a little of what we do
I can't believe I didn't see something as simple as having the FOGO direct and communicate his intentions to his wings. Love the numbers system. So simple. And here I am coaching constant communication on my Pop Warner teams and other areas of my lax team. Thank you.
 
I can't believe I didn't see something as simple as having the FOGO direct and communicate his intentions to his wings. Love the numbers system. So simple. And here I am coaching constant communication on my Pop Warner teams and other areas of my lax team. Thank you.
that numbers system came from coaching football and we would use colors for audibles. This allows communication for late position changes. Say to have a call that has the fogo going back to his wing but, late in the setup the opposing team's wing shift all the way right well you can change the call and a good fogo will change what he does. it allows you to play a lot of games with the fogo and it also allows the coach to change things if he sees something that he wants to take advantage of. We also use a lock call if we think we can win the ball 1v1.
 
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