Wheels wrote: ↑Sun Feb 04, 2024 7:19 pmAgree about most of this but have a different perspective for Makar. Zappitello took almost every team's top dodging threat unless it was a hulking, back-you-down, run-you-over kind of attackman. Look at the UVA match-ups in particular. Makar played a lot off ball that season and sprung doubles all over the place. Having Zappitello allowed Makar to be disruptive all over the place. Almost like a strong safety in football who could roam all over the field. They did the same thing last year. Really played to Makar's total strengths.Finster wrote: ↑Sun Feb 04, 2024 5:28 pmkeno in reno wrote: ↑Sun Feb 04, 2024 2:34 pm Erksa had 3 goals and Malever 4 points in his first game back from a devastating injury. There's top talent on the team who can beat anyone anytime. I think one game and about 18 practices with the new coordinator is a little early to call this offense a dud,
Maryland may never have an "alpha" like Jared again. He is not a reasonable benchmark. Tillman's offense made Wisnauskus into the country's top "alpha', and he was nowhere near that level for the 4 years prior. The offense got plenty of great looks, many of which they missed and many of which couldn't be followed up because they were taken with 7 seconds on the shot clock. There's a lot to build on, including infusing some great young talent.
I’d actually argue that Maryland’s ‘22 championship squad had a surplus of alphas. Wisnauskas, Donville, DeMaio, Khan, then Makar on defense. All of those guys looked like they wanted the ball, or in Makars case, the opponents top dog.
I hear you. My read on the subject of ‘alpha’ often has more to do with mental energy and accountability; I’m looking for the kid who doesn’t shy from accountability, who wants to lead, and whose teammates give him that role because he’s earned it. I just saw in Makar those qualities.
I don’t know who has that today on the Terps. First games are always tough to extrapolate an entire season, but one thing that comes back to me is when Maryland came out in ‘22 scoring 21 then 20 goals against two good teams in HPU and Loyola. I think if you were a Maryland fan, you had a good sense that the ‘22 season was going to be special.
Not to be a downer already here for the Terps, but being at that game, the team didn’t look anything like the ‘22 team. John has built a powerhouse where the expectations are such. Let’s see how the year goes; maybe they’ll find a groove. I just think it’ll be difficult given his scheduling: Loyola, Syracuse, Princeton, notre dame, and so forth. I wish Cuse would schedule like that, but for whatever reasons we don’t.
Anyway, hoping to make the Hopkins game on 4-20 (no pun).