Johns Hopkins 2023

[MDlaxfan76]

this site crawls in the offseason. the hopkins thread is one of the few that pulls its weight. block people if you don't want to hear all they have to say.

there are guys with agendas right or wrong on here (not referencing these 2 just making an overall point and it's not unique to the hopkins thread... but maybe to all of us) and maybe they get called out.

if blocking isn't your thing... click, start to read and ignore, back click. just imo.

+1

[Hoponboard]

Cordish, Cowan, Harrison, and Schwartzman are coaching the alumni next weekend vs. the varsity:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjOxnwNryNm/?hl=en

Word is that participation is pretty high this year. Anyone going?

I plan to be there.

[jrn19]

ESPN+ would be my guess for the JU-Hop game. Maybe CBS Sports Network picks it up as it’s a night game but first week of February is p early for them to start their lax coverage

[jhu06]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjRFambvST4/

midfield list. which is an interesting group of names. Whatever is going on behind the scenes w/PM and certain players right now it's notable concannon, baskin, lilly, my man mabett are coming back and to play among others. Would like to see Tinney on there and to see him run the hidden ball trick just for old times.

[LeeRoggy]

Without looking through the entire thread . . .

I noticed JHU is traveling to Jacksonville this season. Is this JHU's first game in Florida? If not, how long has it been since?

[51percentcorn]

Hey gang - my last post was May 11th and I am somewhat happy about that. Rest assured that no matter what responses are filed this will be my last for hopefully as long if not longer. I have not posted because the vitriol, abuse and lack of kindness became disturbing frankly. And it served absolutely no purpose in my opinion. David has been gone for probably over 800 days - close to 2.5 years. Who cares who was interviewed who wasn't interviewed - why he was dismissed etc. etc.? If ever the overused phrase of "It is what it is" can be applied it is to this situation. Milliman is the coach of the team - I do not believe he orchestrated anything - he was offered the job - it was probably more money and he took it - just like hundreds of thousands of other people. If you disagree with something he does with the team - goalie decisions - playing 2 sets of games within 48 hours of each other - even calling out Epstein - fine - state your thoughts - maybe try to keep them civil and leave the personal stuff out of it. I think all of that is reasonable. I think it is also a reaonable position to think the following three things - let me be clear - these are my opinions and not necessarily facts - if you disagree with them - fine - but I believe "reasonable" is accurate - 1. The 2020 Johns Hopkins lacrosse team was not very good 2. Milliman inherited a team likely at the very height of pandemic fears and that provided difficult circumstances 3. Recruiting was likely quite a challenge in April 2020 for a new coach with the decommits that ravaged the incoming class and preparing for the next class that could start committing in something like 4.5 months. Therefore, I think patience and time is warranted - and no matter what you think of Milliman the players deserve some support. Collison and Marquis are not going to fix everything right away but hopefully there will be improvements - and there could be reason for some optimism - health being a key component of virtually everything:
- Face-off crew would appear to be above average with depth - need better wing play
- Defense - in front of the goalie - appears to have more talent in the first 4-6 than in a long time - Smith is a true budding star -Mazzone is a HM AA - Martin/Szuluk are experienced at least capable players - Lots of 4 star assessed talent with 6 ft poles that are either freshmen or someone like Todaro who was injured last year
- You are returning a 40 goal scorer
- You are returning basically a 20/20 player with a shot percentage of 40%
- The midfields - IMO - were really affected by injuries - Grimes breaking his hand or wrist - Peshko scored something like 14 of his 16 goals in the second half of the season - McDermott running around with a leg brace/wrap
- Collison/Marquis and English hopefully have the potential attributed to them - maybe there will be a jump from someone like Phillips/Evans or another Freshmen/Sophomore

So again - I ask - as I did many months ago - if the team was successful to any degree (let's say 9-5 and making the tournament just for fun) would you be happy? Would it bring you any joy? I will editorialize here that there are several posters where it doesn't seem to be that way.

Here's a story for you - 2 twenty somethings from Tampa Florida - decided because IAN for a great part spared Tampa from its ultimate wrath - to go to Costco and buy a gazillion hot dogs and condiments and they took a grill to the base of the bridge going over to Ft. Myers beach and served a hot meal to people walking over one helluva bridge that had just lost everything - everything. Those two kids have demonstrated alot more empathy and class than I have observed here over the past several months. Who gives a $#!+ who's coaching a lacrosse team?

[nyjay]

Another 2024 commit - Matthew Surin, D, 6'3", 195, Taft School.

[HopFan16]

Great post as usual 51.

I can't remember a season when the offense looked so wide open. The way I see it these are the guys who will likely see the field in some capacity:
Degnon
Angelus
Grimes
Peshko
McDermott
Evans
Melendez
Collison
Marquis
English
Raposo
Bauer
Phillips
Maher (if he's back?)

That's 13-14 guys, only about 11-12 are actually going to see meaningful playing time (3-4 attackmen, 7-8 middies, maybe an EMO specialist) but it never hurts to have depth. Of those guys, your guess is as good as mine about where the pieces will fit. That said, there are a few fair assumptions:

- Degnon and Angelus are going to be out there a lot
- A healthy Grimes and Peshko will contribute
- They didn't bring in Melendez to sit on the bench
- Collison/Marquis/English, being among PM's first and most highly regarded offensive recruits, are going to get every chance to prove themselves

You are stacked with lefty shooters between Degnon, Grimes, and Collison. One of those guys is going to be the left-handed attackman, the other two will presumably rotate in through the box. It's tough to have 2 or 3 on the field at the same time but that's where Crawley will have to get creative. Another one of those good problems to have. Worth mentioning: Grimes looked good (and healthy) running as a middie for team USA this summer.

Righty attackman and behind the cage is where there are even more questions. Does Angelus resume as a permanent attackman or does he head back to "midfield" now, with the arrival of guys like Marquis and Melendez? Bauer got some run and had flashes last year, does he factor in again? Would they entertain McDermott at attack, which is where he played (and thrived) in high school?

On defense, you can pencil Smith and Szuluk in at close, Martin and Jaronski at SSDM, Mazzone at LSM. That leaves the following spots open for competition: third close D, third and fourth SSDM, second LSM. And, of course, goalie, though you figure Caracciolo will be the favorite there barring a charge from Webb. Lot of candidates for each, not a lot of clear-cut answers at this point but that's what the fall and preseason are for.

[HopFan16]

Another 2024 commit - Matthew Surin, D, 6'3", 195, Taft School.

Getting an opening at Taft would be a welcome development — a lot of talent coming out of there lately and not a place we've historically recruited from

[nyjay]

Another 2024 commit - Matthew Surin, D, 6'3", 195, Taft School.

Getting an opening at Taft would be a welcome development — a lot of talent coming out of there lately and not a place we've historically recruited from

Totally loaded roster. Look at their commits from the last couple of years. The volume is enormous. Very competitive internal dynamics at Taft too - lots of kids come and go based on playing time, new PGs, etc.

[nyjay]

Degnon, Hawley, Szuluk are the captains. Interesting.

https://hopkinssports.com/news/2022/10/ ... tains.aspx

[HopFan16]

Degnon, Hawley, Szuluk are the captains. Interesting.

https://hopkinssports.com/news/2022/10/ ... tains.aspx

Anyone who's been to a game recently knows that Degnon is usually one of the loudest and most animated guys on the field. That combined with his role in the offense/grad student status and he is something of a no-brainer.

Also perhaps this bodes (beauds?) well for Szuluk returning in 2024 for a 5th year.

[nyjay]

Anyone who's been to a game recently knows that Degnon is usually one of the loudest and most animated guys on the field. That combined with his role in the offense/grad student status and he is something of a no-brainer.

Also perhaps this bodes (beauds?) well for Szuluk returning in 2024 for a 5th year.

Degnon, yes. The other two were the interesting parts to me.

[AreaLax]

Utah put out it’s schedule. Looks like 2/25

https://twitter.com/utahlacrosse/status ... CaSKWeUoyA

[molo]

Glad to see Hawley get the respect of his teammates and coach. I assume team elects the captains.

[jhu06]

foy on campus this morning

https://twitter.com/TerenceFoy/status/1 ... 4331632640

all but 2 2023 opponents make his 2023 early top 20+lookahead
https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/ ... time/60291

On paper, it’s hard to make a case that the Blue Jays will be better than they were last year. My opinion is that, if they are, it’ll be thanks to the intangibles more than the talent. Still, it seems fans underrated Hopkins’ season last year — they finished No. 21 in RPI, No. 23 in adjusted offensive efficiency and No. 21 in adjusted defensive efficiency. By pretty much any metric, they were worthy of consideration for inclusion in a Way Ahead Top 20.

[HopFan16]

foy on campus this morning

https://twitter.com/TerenceFoy/status/1 ... 4331632640

all but 2 2023 opponents make his 2023 early top 20+lookahead
https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/ ... time/60291

On paper, it’s hard to make a case that the Blue Jays will be better than they were last year. My opinion is that, if they are, it’ll be thanks to the intangibles more than the talent. Still, it seems fans underrated Hopkins’ season last year — they finished No. 21 in RPI, No. 23 in adjusted offensive efficiency and No. 21 in adjusted defensive efficiency. By pretty much any metric, they were worthy of consideration for inclusion in a Way Ahead Top 20.

I mean, fair. Though it's interesting he had his alma mater, Loyola, in the top 20 — a team that had a similarly middling season last year, who also lost to the Jays, and loses a lot more IMO.

Michigan is also a tough sell for me after losing 8 straight to end the year.

If Grimes stays healthy, he's going to be a big help.

[nyjay]

Honestly, all I really want from the 23 season are some signs of real and definite progress toward being a legit top 10-ish team. And stability. I didn't really see that last year, whether because of injuries (Grimes, Peshko), composition of the team, issues between HC/OC, whatever. It's year 3, we should be able to see PM's plan start developing and be confident that we have a stable foundation.

[DocBarrister]

Honestly, all I really want from the 23 season are some signs of real and definite progress toward being a legit top 10-ish team. And stability. I didn't really see that last year, whether because of injuries (Grimes, Peshko), composition of the team, issues between HC/OC, whatever. It's year 3, we should be able to see PM's plan start developing and be confident that we have a stable foundation.

For 2023, really just need to see a winning record. Making the NCAA tournament would be a plus.

DocBarrister

[Big Dog]

Honestly, all I really want from the 23 season are some signs of real and definite progress toward being a legit top 10-ish team. And stability. I didn't really see that last year, whether because of injuries (Grimes, Peshko), composition of the team, issues between HC/OC, whatever. It's year 3, we should be able to see PM's plan start developing and be confident that we have a stable foundation.

For 2023, really just need to see a winning record. Making the NCAA tournament would be a plus.

DocBarrister

+1