Johns Hopkins 2020

[DocBarrister]

cattoni entered the portal but he has not changed his current school so I'm guessing he's back.

I heard the opposite. Don't think he's coming back. I would expect an announcement soon.

Lot of talk about the defense lately, and for good reason, but not much about the midfield. Obviously Cattoni's loss is not as impactful as Foley's but he was still a guy who looked like he might be some kind of contributor, even with the two large caveats that his early goals were generally of the garbage variety and that you never know how someone will come back from a knee injury (see: Supinski, Drew).

That said, I have it on good authority that Concannon is coming back for a 5th year. To my eye he's looked incrementally better each year removed from the ACL in 2016. From 3 to 10 to 18 goals, I think it's fair to pencil him in for 20+ this season assuming good health. Someone floated the idea of moving him back to his natural attack, and while I wouldn't completely rule that out, I think it's far more likely he stays at midfield where they can run him through the box and get him on a shortie. If there's a candidate to move to attack from midfield, Forry Smith is my pick.

The 6'3'', lightning fast elephant in the room is one Evan Zinn, whose development I think is going to be pretty crucial to any hope of success for this team in 2020. The Jays simply need an alpha dodging midfield threat to take some pressure off Epstein behind the cage and Williams on the wing. If Zinn is given more opportunity on offense (and yes, shoots better than he did as a freshman), it could go a long, long way. DeSimone figures to round out the 1st unit. I assume the second unit will be comprised of some unpredictable mishmash of Keogh, Baskin, Stagnitta, Lilly, Degnon, and perhaps a freshman: Brunner, Schreiber, or a converted attackman (Angelus, Murphy, Krampf).

Don’t see why Hopkins couldn’t have at least a half-dozen 20-goal scorers next season. Offense won’t be an issue.

Faceoffs look to be in good shape.

Defense and goalie play remain the big question marks. That is shocking when defense should be, on paper, a strength of this team.

There will be a lot on the line this Spring. At this point, Hopkins is a solid top-ten team. Get that GAA to around 10 goals per game and I think the Blue Jays can make the Final Four.

DocBarrister

[wgdsr]

There will be a lot on the line this Spring. At this point, Hopkins is a solid top-ten team. Get that GAA to around 10 goals per game and I think the Blue Jays can make the Final Four.
DocBarrister

i agree. final four, here we come. let's gooooooooo!!!!!!!!

[WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus]

The whole thing is broken. Don’t hold your breath.

[51percentcorn]

Don’t see why Hopkins couldn’t have at least a half-dozen 20-goal scorers next season. Offense won’t be an issue.

Boy the medications on the west coast must be awesome. At least 6 20 goal scorers - Given that they return 3 pray tell WHOOOO exactly might those other 3 or 4 be? Concannon could certainly be one - he basically only needs to increase production 10%. And then? Baskin - production needs to increase 50+ %. Keogh - 150%. Zinn - 300% DeSimone - 400%. I would submit its rare for a 2nd line midfielder to score 20 goals. Therefore, your "at least" is almost out the window and every 1st liner would have to net 20. It would be terrific and stunning if your prediction came true but for all the concern about goalie, replacing Foley and who is going to play SSDM - the other major issue - as I pointed out in a post a while back - Hopkins midfield scoring is beyond anemic. 26-26-17 in POINTS could be close to dead dog (see what I did there Wombat?) last for 1st mid-fields. And you are going to say there is no reason the same players won't achieve 86% of the point total in Goals? Math doesn't work. Help could be on the way next recruiting class - status of head coach?

[51percentcorn]

I assume the second unit will be comprised of some unpredictable mishmash of Keogh, Baskin, Stagnitta, Lilly, Degnon, and perhaps a freshman: Brunner, Schreiber, or a converted attackman (Angelus, Murphy, Krampf).

Given your recitation of the roster is usually pretty specific and pretty thorough - did I miss a memo on Mabbett? I would have thought of the three lost 6'3"+ 200 lb midfielders he might hold the most hope - and again i quote the sage Wall St. trader that once said "Hope is a $H!++y Hedge"

[HopFan16]

I assume the second unit will be comprised of some unpredictable mishmash of Keogh, Baskin, Stagnitta, Lilly, Degnon, and perhaps a freshman: Brunner, Schreiber, or a converted attackman (Angelus, Murphy, Krampf).

Given your recitation of the roster is usually pretty specific and pretty thorough - did I miss a memo on Mabbett? I would have thought of the three lost 6'3"+ 200 lb midfielders he might hold the most hope - and again i quote the sage Wall St. trader that once said "Hope is a $H!++y Hedge"

Nope, no memo missed, I just forgot him. Throw him in there with everyone else.

[Drcthru]

What concerns me is that over the last 10+ years, with the exception of 2015, Petro, one of the finest Ds of all time, doesn't seem to be able to teach/coach D. It reminds me of Ted Williams trying to coach hitting by hitting a ball and saying "that's how you do it". We've had outstanding defensemen who seem to play passively when it is obvious that, at least at times, aggressive play can win games. I am just one of many who wonder why, given the quality of our players, we are no better than 8/8.

[WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus]

I hope Coach doesn’t wind up like Ted Williams.

[HopFan16]

Team is back on campus today helping the new guys move in.

Perhaps the biggest news of the offseason: Cole Williams cut his hair

Concannon is in a few of the pics on Instagram, making his return official

[DALaxDad]

I hope Coach doesn’t wind up like Ted Williams.

Thanks for bring that up - now I can't get it out of my mind.

[houndace1]

Team is back on campus today helping the new guys move in.

Perhaps the biggest news of the offseason: Cole Williams cut his hair

Concannon is in a few of the pics on Instagram, making his return official

Curious question, but their IG page shows Coach handing out playbooks. My question is: how much of lacrosse is set plays vs. free form instinct? To my very novice eye, Lacrosse looks a lot more instinct and free flow than set plays consisting of: screen here, roll off this pick, guy flashes from the back side to the wing after coming off a down screen, guy with ball throws skip pass to wing guy for him to shoot.

In the PLL, imo, you see a lot more of iso dodges and quick ball movement rather than a set play of pick and rolls/fades, cuts from GLE etc

[thatsmell]

It's rule-based.

There aren't as many scripted "plays" per-se any more. You may occasionally see one or two quick hitters on EMO or inbounds or in restart situations, but most of it is concept-based these days.

Players will get in a set formation...When a player dodges from a certain area, the midfielders or attackmen have a set of guidelines to follow that tells them to cut through, fade, pop off the back side, etc. etc. They usually cover when and where to move. The are "rules" to follow. i.e.: make sure you are always as high as the highest teammate on offense...for an outlet. If someone dodges at you, GTF out of the way. if you dodge and its not there you can roll back, and pass it twice to attack the back side. Those are just a couple very common, old ones. There are a million more that have to do with what sdet you are in, and the spacing. And much of it is dependent upon where you are on the field and what the defense is giving you.

And none of it is really a science. Much of lacrosse is still about being bigger, faster, stronger and being able to beat your opponent to a gb or 1v1.

The key nowadays is that the way the game is spreading there are a ton of athletes. The fundamentals have been studied and analyzed a million times over and there are now known techniques, like in all things, that allows some players (who might not be as big, fast or strong) to be more efficient and win those 1v1 matchups too.

[10stone5]

Team is back on campus today helping the new guys move in.

Perhaps the biggest news of the offseason: Cole Williams cut his hair

Concannon is in a few of the pics on Instagram, making his return official

Curious question, but their IG page shows Coach handing out playbooks. My question is: how much of lacrosse is set plays vs. free form instinct? To my very novice eye, Lacrosse looks a lot more instinct and free flow than set plays consisting of: screen here, roll off this pick, guy flashes from the back side to the wing after coming off a down screen, guy with ball throws skip pass to wing guy for him to shoot.

I don’t really recall much in the way of set plays at all.
Maybe, at the occasional critical moment.
I recall one set play, against Penn State, right in the shadow of Beaver Stadium.
6 seconds left, down one, coach calls a set play, no face off, middie fires it to attackman almost standing out of bounds, attackman immediately fires it to the top of the circle, our attackman outleaps defense, catches it, spins, bounces between goalie’s legs, tie game with zeroes showing on the clock.

[jhu06]

https://www.barstoolsports.com/video/13 ... paul-rabil

Rabil pushing the Hopkins lacrosse brand on the hottest sports website in the country and most popular podcast. excellent.

[seacoaster]

Perhaps the biggest news of the offseason: Cole Williams cut his hair

Thank god.

[WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus]

There goes his strength.

[DMac]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRP8d7hhpoQ

[WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRP8d7hhpoQ

They are in concert at Merriweather on Monday night.

[DMac]

Worth the price admission, incredibly talented group.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lExW80s ... OA&index=8

[Drcthru]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRP8d7hhpoQ

They are in concert at Merriweather on Monday night.

I see your pentatonix and raise you one k d lang.
https://youtu.be/--FrDSx-21k

Leonard Cohen himself said after hearing KD Lang perform "Hallelujah" for him as he received a songwriting award "Well, I think we can lay that song to rest now!