Maryland 2024

[masondixonlax]

The Hopkins offense didn't get a chance to use the toilet at halftime. Shat on the field instead

Wrong forum. And think they just met a pretty good defense

[rolldodge]

Worst Maryland offense in 20+ years

Adjustment to new O coordinator? I was heartbroken when Gtown lost Phipps but pretty happy to have Hogan this year.

[10stone5]

Man,

were those offenses horrific.

[keno in reno]

Worst Maryland offense in 20+ years

Adjustment to new O coordinator? I was heartbroken when Gtown lost Phipps but pretty happy to have Hogan this year.

Even if it was a bad scheme, at least a few of the top line attackers should be able to dodge or create some kind of threat on goal. These guys can't. It's too bad because #4 had a devastating injury, but he can't even get a shot off now. Teams have figured out how to defend Erksa and Spanos. And the guys who do get open shots (usually with 1 second left on the clock) just aren't very accurate. The futile interior pass attempts are instant turnovers.

Maybe it's time to give some younger guys like Dubick a chance. It's hard to be more ineffective at several offensive spots.

[coda]

It’s hard to argue. 11 shots in the second half. 19 turnovers vs 16 shots on goal. Hopkins has one of the best defenses I the country, but this was a case of bad offense meeting a good defense

[jrn19]

The second midfield getting the run it has all year with the production it’s put up is inexcusable. Just wasting minutes every time that group is on the field each game unfortunately. Give other guys a shot.

Something is not working with what they’re doing. The coaching staff doesn’t have solutions to the problems posed by how defenses shut them down. The same problems resurface, and the players seem paralyzed out there. Malever passed up like a 5 yard shot on an EMO. There’s just no confidence. That’s gotta come from coaching putting them in better spots.

But on the flip side….yeah, it’s about players. They don’t have shooters. They have 1 passer, and he can’t do much else. Their best dodger just doesn’t have the lacrosse IQ required. They don’t have a rope unit that can push transition.

They’re just stuck right now. It should be better. Staff needs to do better. Also, the players are what they are. There are some young guys on the roster who should get more run rest of the way and can hopefully make an impact next year. And there’s still real talent coming in the next few classes.

For now, hope the defense keeps giving em a chance

[nyjay]

It’s hard to argue. 11 shots in the second half. 19 turnovers vs 16 shots on goal. Hopkins has one of the best defenses I the country, but this was a case of bad offense meeting a good defense

I think both defenses played very well. Hop's offense was slightly better in terms of limiting TO's and bad passing and catching (even if not resulting in a TO) and Hop probably created a few extra possessions as a result. So they got the win. But I do think this was primarily a game about great defense, with Hop's defense being the more aggressive of the two and putting more pressure on your offense. You guys just need a little more dynamism on offense, whether a great dodge or a great stretch shooter. I'll enjoy the win, but it doesn't make up for the 22-7 in '22. Hope to see you again in a couple of weeks. A win against UMd means so much more than one against the other B1G teams.

[keno in reno]

It’s hard to argue. 11 shots in the second half. 19 turnovers vs 16 shots on goal. Hopkins has one of the best defenses I the country, but this was a case of bad offense meeting a good defense

I think both defenses played very well. Hop's offense was slightly better in terms of limiting TO's and bad passing and catching (even if not resulting in a TO) and Hop probably created a few extra possessions as a result. So they got the win. But I do think this was primarily a game about great defense, with Hop's defense being the more aggressive of the two and putting more pressure on your offense. You guys just need a little more dynamism on offense, whether a great dodge or a great stretch shooter. I'll enjoy the win, but it doesn't make up for the 22-7 in '22. Hope to see you again in a couple of weeks. A win against UMd means so much more than one against the other B1G teams.

Hop's defense was "great", I put that in quotes because Terps' offense is impotent. But they easily shut down the few threats MD has. Terps D did an amazing job on Hop's big boys. Hop was really stupid on the penalties, otherwise MD would have scored one or 2 goals the whole game.

Maryland probably could/should have limited the jays to 4 goals but McNaney struggled with those poor angle dodges from x early. The difference between these teams is Hop has Collison and Degnon, and Maryland is great at whippin' it around the horn for 78 seconds.

[JerrysWorld]

Thank god we have reinforcements coming with Ford, Gardiner, Draley, Higgins, Alexis, etc in the next two years. Terp fans have been spoiled with talent and it’s a lot more fun that way, lol

Different question and topic - how do we do with the NIL game? Seems like as soon as NIL was introduced, that’s when the talent dipped and began going elsewhere.

[jrn19]

NIL was introduced in summer of 2022. The guys on the field now committed in 2019, 2020, and 2021. To the degree that it has any impact on recruiting - and so far I've yet to really see any evidence it does - it has nothing to do with the guys on the field now. Recruiting dropped off after Bernhardt/Fairman. Some guys transferred out. Coaching staff hasn't quite maximized them, but overall this is the least talented offense Tillman has fielded in over a decade, if not at any point in his tenure.

[JerrysWorld]

NIL was introduced in summer of 2022. The guys on the field now committed in 2019, 2020, and 2021. To the degree that it has any impact on recruiting - and so far I've yet to really see any evidence it does - it has nothing to do with the guys on the field now. Recruiting dropped off after Bernhardt/Fairman. Some guys transferred out. Coaching staff hasn't quite maximized them, but overall this is the least talented offense Tillman has fielded in over a decade, if not at any point in his tenure.

I agree with all of that. But not sure it’s all about those recruiting classes. It’s the transfer portal and 5th years that have been hopping and getting money after the summer when NIL was introduced. I’d imagine that comes into play with some of these big ten teams to keep their older studs for 5-6 years. I know MD didn’t have any studs who they could keep, but maybe they could have taken others. I’m sure Vardaro, Stevens, English, Zawada, etc could have helped. Even Rhonda and Tiernan at Michigan. McLane at ND. These guys were post NIL.

Those all happened after NIL was a thing. I don’t know if we recruited them or what, but it’s a thought.

[keno in reno]

Thank god we have reinforcements coming with Ford, Gardiner, Draley, Higgins, Alexis, etc in the next two years. Terp fans have been spoiled with talent and it’s a lot more fun that way, lol

Different question and topic - how do we do with the NIL game? Seems like as soon as NIL was introduced, that’s when the talent dipped and began going elsewhere.

We have plenty of recruiting stars on the roster...Malever, Spanos, Kelly, Koras were all top 20 guys. That should be enough to field a good offense.

Stobaugh and Gravino are top (rated) freshmen and Dubick was a local phenom. The loaded teams from 2020-2022 may have scared some recruits away. For whatever reason, we lost a transfer to Stony Brook who has 43 goals now who couldn't crack the roster 4 years ago (same year as Brennan).

I don't think NIL has affected this team. I'm sure it's possible, if not inevitable, for a wealthy alumnus for any of these wealthy colleges to buy an all-star roster. But I don't think it's affected the game yet. 6th year players influence the competitive balance right now, and I'm not complaining because our '22 team benefitted with a couple of them.

[JerrysWorld]

Just because they are ranked high doesn’t mean it’s right. Those guys are nowhere near top 20 guys. Sure they were ranked there at the time

[AreaLax]

Post game presser

https://youtu.be/jFEIvH_Gutw?si=yeR3wVHitwsVDY-b

[jrn19]

NIL was introduced in summer of 2022. The guys on the field now committed in 2019, 2020, and 2021. To the degree that it has any impact on recruiting - and so far I've yet to really see any evidence it does - it has nothing to do with the guys on the field now. Recruiting dropped off after Bernhardt/Fairman. Some guys transferred out. Coaching staff hasn't quite maximized them, but overall this is the least talented offense Tillman has fielded in over a decade, if not at any point in his tenure.

I agree with all of that. But not sure it’s all about those recruiting classes. It’s the transfer portal and 5th years that have been hopping and getting money after the summer when NIL was introduced. I’d imagine that comes into play with some of these big ten teams to keep their older studs for 5-6 years. I know MD didn’t have any studs who they could keep, but maybe they could have taken others. I’m sure Vardaro, Stevens, English, Zawada, etc could have helped. Even Rhonda and Tiernan at Michigan. McLane at ND. These guys were post NIL.

Those all happened after NIL was a thing. I don’t know if we recruited them or what, but it’s a thought.

Guys are taking 5th years cause they have an extra year to get a master's and can still play lax. I don't think Vardaro going to Georgetown - a haven for 5th years - or Zawada to Duke - he had a specific major that Michigan didn't offer and he's from NC - had anything to do with NIL. Meanwhile it was known for months the Cuse guys were going to Princeton. There hasn't been any indication NIL has anything to do with that

As for the talent on the roster, I think there's enough there for it to be better yes. But Malever was the highest ranked recruit on the roster and he obliterated his knee 18 months ago. Joey Epstein looked like a future Tewaaraton winner and had a very similar injury and he was never the same. The Malever they recruited and had in 21-22 isn't there anymore. Hopefully he can find it again but maybe he doesn't.

Spanos has been p good, not quite what hoped yet, but he does feel like the one guy on the roster who has shown growth. He's hitting a bit of a wall right now, but he did out of the gates as well and broke through that. Hopefully he can this.

Koras and Kelly have largely been what they were advertised as. Koras does a million things for this team; he scored 20 goals last year and likely will again, plus plays the wing, defense, etc. Kelly scored 30 goals last year.

But there's no shooters like a Kelly or DeMaio or even going way back, a Joe LoCascio. Just totally starved of outside shooting. Malever is the lone real passer and again, that's stunted when he has no burst. Erksa is the dodger and lacks all the high IQ stuff Malever has.

Just a lot of decent parts that aren't going to make a good whole. They need shooting next year badly. Badly badly badly. Gardiner comes highly touted potentially. They need an X guy. Maybe it can be Ford immediately, I think the best case is to just give him the keys and live with the growing pains. He's got the skillset for it in a way no one on the roster does. And a guy like Stobaugh or Gravino popping from the midfield as a dodger would be great. They may need to see if there's portal options for some of these. But I'd be inclined to let the incoming guys get the shot the way Fairman, Wisnauskas, DeMaio did in 2018. Reap the benefits down the line

[keno in reno]

Just because they are ranked high doesn’t mean it’s right. Those guys are nowhere near top 20 guys. Sure they were ranked there at the time

I agree on the ranking randomness. I wouldnt say they are nowhere near top 20 guys as a blanket statement. Malever was a key player on one of the best offenses ever and a national finalist before a horrible knee injury. Spanos sure looked like a top 20 guy in high school. Koras is a valuable all around player. Kelly chose Maryland after a lot of family history at UNC (and originally committing there), so I appreciate his decision to go against the family inertia and go his own way at UMD...all good with DK.

[Wheels]

It shouldn't have been surprising to see Smith take Erksa instead of Kilrain, who'd been taking the opponents' top dodger for a few weeks now. Erksa struggles with physical defensemen who can run well enough to at least keep a stick in his gloves. Usually, when you get a physical defender, you either want to use sharp change of direction dodges or get into the defender's body to then bounce out. Right now Erksa is a speed dodger and doesn't have much change of direction or even stop-gp kind of moves. He's a one-cut-and-go guy. Guys like Smith and Hudgens give Erksa problems. I thought they'd start running Erksa through the box just to force Hop to change their slides. Also, to give him more runway. Like those Kyle Long dodges coming out of the box and down the alley.

I was hoping Malever would be more assertive on Kilrain, who's got great feet but is like 180 lbs. I don't recall seeing many hard dodges to goal.

Then there's Spanos, who's gone pretty quiet the last 2 weeks. I think he has to be the guy on offense. He didn't dodge hard to the goal today, either. I don't know why.

The guys defer so much on offense.

[JerrysWorld]

Just because they are ranked high doesn’t mean it’s right. Those guys are nowhere near top 20 guys. Sure they were ranked there at the time

I agree on the ranking randomness. I wouldnt say they are nowhere near top 20 guys as a blanket statement. Malever was a key player on one of the best offenses ever and a national finalist before a horrible knee injury. Spanos sure looked like a top 20 guy in high school. Koras is a valuable all around player. Kelly chose Maryland after a lot of family history at UNC (and originally committing there), so I appreciate his decision to go against the family inertia and go his own way at UMD...all good with DK.

I’m all good with all of them. Was not trying to be disrespectful, but more so just realistic about all of them.

Spanos is the one who has the highest upside, IMO.

[jrn19]

It shouldn't have been surprising to see Smith take Erksa instead of Kilrain, who'd been taking the opponents' top dodger for a few weeks now. Erksa struggles with physical defensemen who can run well enough to at least keep a stick in his gloves. Usually, when you get a physical defender, you either want to use sharp change of direction dodges or get into the defender's body to then bounce out. Right now Erksa is a speed dodger and doesn't have much change of direction or even stop-gp kind of moves. He's a one-cut-and-go guy. Guys like Smith and Hudgens give Erksa problems. I thought they'd start running Erksa through the box just to force Hop to change their slides. Also, to give him more runway. Like those Kyle Long dodges coming out of the box and down the alley.

I was hoping Malever would be more assertive on Kilrain, who's got great feet but is like 180 lbs. I don't recall seeing many hard dodges to goal.

Then there's Spanos, who's gone pretty quiet the last 2 weeks. I think he has to be the guy on offense. He didn't dodge hard to the goal today, either. I don't know why.

The guys defer so much on offense.

Every type of defender gives Erksa problems. He just isn’t good enough to win matchups against #1 poles. He beat Smith 1v1 multiple times last year in this matchup. It was probably the best game he’s played in a Maryland uniform. If he struggles with guys like Smith and Hudgins, and also struggles with guys like Cole Kastner, then he just struggles period. It’s fine, there are a lot of guys who aren’t good enough to win their matchup or make things happen against elite defenseman. It’s hard. But we don’t need to qualify it based on the type of defender. He’s scored 7 goals the last 6 games and has more than 2 goals in exactly three games this year; one of which being against Brown.

Kilrain is maybe the best freshmen in the country and frankly might be their best pole already. Malever doesn’t even dodge shorties at this point. That was never going to be a winning matchup.

Being there in person does give you a strong idea for how unconfident the offense is. On the first man up Malever had the ball 5 yards from goal and needed to take one step to curl up field and shoot. He passed it to X. When they finally got some stuff going in the 3Q, there was virtually always an extra pass made when an open shot was available. There is just no confidence with anyone. I don’t believe that the team is “handcuffed” or anything like that, the talent is just limited and this is what you get. But that is one thing the coaching staff does bear some responsibility for. The players are so, so, *so* paralyzed by over decision making. Things have to be simplified and I don’t feel at any point this year that they have been.

[keno in reno]

Emo may seem reasonable in the box score but it was pathetic considering the minutes they had and possessions that Luke gets them. And that was the bright point of the offense!