AlbanyFan2018

I agree with Coach Marr's comment in the short press release. For years now, people have been waiting for Albany to return to mediocrity, and they got it. This is a big year for the coaching staff. I am cautiously optimistic about the season, and the coaches will have to coach with a much more even keel this year than they did last year. We have a core of high quality juniors and seniors, but the future of the team is with a core group of juniors, several in the senior class, but it is with the younger guys. I will be watching how they manage the roster more closely this year, because last year, primarily with the face off guys it wasn't well done.

thanks for posting!

Afrim's on Shaker Road

The St John's scrimmage is supposed to be at noon at the bubble by the airport. If I hear anything different I will let you know.

Disappointing to see so little local media coverage of the scrimmage with two, hometown teams playing. Nice coverage from Times-Union and Mark! I realize that some of this is form over substance, but if you want to be a big time program you have to act like a big time program and that unfortunately includes how you promote it through the media, social media, etc.

I agree those were some names that stood out to me as well. There is some really solid defensive depth with 5-6 who can step in play right now, but I think the starters are Kunz, Hay and Filipowski, but Kozar is right there as is Weathersby who gives them the flexibility to play LSM which he played yesterday and down low. A lot of young depth, and. I hope the coaches give a few of those guys more opportunities than were given to young guys last year. I don't recall seeing Chase Noah doing too much yesterday. He like Skidders was out of the fall game and he looked like a guy who could push some guys as a freshmen and it was great to see.Hogg pick up where he left off from the fall games. Gleason is doing a nice job turning around $iena, and to see the offense without Ron John, Burgmasgter, and Patterson, put up seven goals in the first quarter was a sight for sore eyes. We were talking more about the face offs, and with no inside info I think what will ultimately happen is that they go with the best 1-2 athletes who can win a few and if not turn it into a scrum and unfortunately I think that will wind up being two of the poles. I think they will go with either Altamari our Jones out of the gate, but I bet it is with a very short leash.

Can't disagree with anything you said. We substituted liberally and early. When you think that three first line starters did not play that was really good offensive production. At least 3-4 of their goals were walk ins as you mentioned. I don't know what the deal is with Altamari. He was the starter last year and for whatever reason fell out of favor. Whatever the coaches decide, I just hope they stick with one of them. The team is much stronger, and more physical this year, and if everyone can get healthy could be surprise some people.

https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Siena-UAlbany-lacrosse-open-to-reviving-rivalry-15004338.php?utm_campaign=CMS Sharing Tools (Premium)&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

Skidder’s has been hurt forever and didn’t play in the fall either.

Face offs are still a big problem. no idea why Jakob didn’t play but knee isn’t 100% if they held him out. Loved the intensity coming out and thumped Siena in the first and then lots of subbing it was cold and for nine days of practice this team would have clobbered last years team. still need to clean up some things for sure but in a much better place than this time last year.

One of the freshmen who could step up, and needs too if the Danes surprise to the upside this year. Had a really good fall.

We heard 10am at Casey, but don't know if there is a plan B at the indoor facility out by the airport.

So much went wrong that has been alluded to in some of the various news articles and clips. As I have said before this fall was very different from the previous year, and more like the one's before.

Looks great. I hope they also were able to add and fund the nutrition station. Too many of the guys dig a hole for themselves because they can't keep weight on.

such a logjam at attack - Marr has always had a lot of confidence in Casey and hopefully he adds a much needed scoring threat from the midfield. Last year's fall rotation didn't necessarly translate into who had the lead position going into the spring, but have to think the third attack spot is between Yunker and Hogg, but have to think it will be Yunker.

My guess it is just IL being swamped and not having enough manpower to enter all the data.

St John's on the 30th.

Not a word other than both games are in Albany. In previous years there had been three scrimmages.

Tehoka looked like a different player in the fall. The interesting thing will be who carries the ball and is the QB from X. Marr seems to think Jacob can do that, but that just doesn't seem to be his game IMO. Of the three main guys Yunker seems like the more natural heads up feeder/dodger.

I haven't seen some of them play so can't add too much on some of those guys. A lot of the freshmen attack guys were not dressed for the fall game so no first hand knowledge of Skidders and Noah. Hogg will probably see the field, but assuming Patterson is good to go you have Tehoka, Patterson, Yunker, Laffin, and Casey as proven incumbents. Sands and Swingruber were hurt and I don't know if they opted to take a red shirt year or not. I was excited to see Hixon-Mills play in the fall, but he wasn't there. I did hear he may be taking a red shirt year, but I don't have any idea if it is an injury or what so I don't expect we will see him this year. I didn't know anything about Pepe, but he is a really big kid. As far as him and the other freshmen poles (unless they are worked into the man up ) I don't think any of them will see the field except for mop up time. They all looked good, but there is just too much upper class depth. I don't see any of them in the top 5-6 at this point. The face off situation still seems to be helter skelter. Jones did a good job against Army, but he had his usual couple of plays where he would win the draw and lose it one way or another. as far as I know Altamari is still on the team, but he didn't get many chances in the fall games. The freshmen won a couple against Army, but at least in October he did not look like a better option right now than either Altamari or Jones. Against Penn who has a really good FOGO, our normal guys got smoked and we went straight to the long poles for most of the game. The best two options there are Weathersby and Piseno. My guess they would lean towards Piseno if he is going to stay on the field to play LSM rather than subbing Weathersby off since I don't believe he will start at close. This is how I see the starters if everyone is healthy. Attack - Tehoka, Patterson, Yunker Middie - John, Burgmaster, Casey Dmiddie - Schwab, Goldsmith LSM - Piseno, Barrow Defense - Filipowski, Hay, Kunz Goalie - Siekierski FOGO - Jones The attack rotation will be interesting. Laffin seems to have settled into a man up up, but has a great handle on the crease and is one of the best shooters. Casey has size, but doesn't alway play big. I'm not sure how they get the best guys on the field, but there is more depth at attack, and I think Ron John plays that 4th attachment out of the box. Then you have guys like Davis Diamond who has had some great moments, and Hogg who played and played well in the fall game. McComber is still a bit of a mystery and seems like the odd man out. At middle you also have Ashton Bradley, and the two freshmen I mentioned LaPietro and Fingar. I feel pretty confident in my defensive starters and then Kozar and Weathersby in some order are probably the 4th/5th guys. They both played well in the fall games. Out of the five guys I mentioned I am not sure what is the best combination, because it isn't always the best three on ball guys you want on the field since you spend most of your time playing off ball. IMO the glaring defensive weakness has been team defense and sliding. While I think I have the starters right, I am not sure that is the best team defensive combination.

He isn't a big guy, but plays big, and to be a disruptive LSM you don't necessarily need size, but just someone who can mark a teams most athletic midfielder and shut him down. I think he and Barrow will be a nice combination, and depending on what they do with Hay and Filipowski (I think they will be two of the starting close defenders) there are a lot more options this year on defense. I think the starters will be Kunz, Hay, and Filipowski. I didn't like the man down unit last year. We had some of our most physically limited guys playing on it. Penn has a guy who was a freshmen last year who is the same size as Piseno who the recruiters were crazy about and who did have a solid freshmen year. Piseno out played him during the fall game.

That is a mistake. Unless there is something I don't know about he is a true, incoming freshmen. Of the freshmen, he is definitely the most ready to make an impact on day one. I probably should have said a more physical version of Troy Reh than more athletic, but probably a bit more athletic as well. It definitely improves the physical nature in the middle of the field. However, the two guys who could move the needle the most for the team if they mature will be LaPietro and Fingar. We have had some tough as nail defensive middies, but most of them were undersized. They both have nice size and athleticism which will improve the middle of the field as well. Hogg started in the fall when Paterson didn't play and shows quite a bit of promise as well.

Piseno - got some love from the pundits very late in the recruiting cycles. Kid has an unbelievable motor and a big time stick. He will remind you of an even more athletic Troy Reh. Time will tell if he becomes an offensive threat at Troy was his last two years.

Oh and I agree the athletic department and lacrosse program are awful on social media.

I think last year was the type of season that most "pundits" think the typical mid-major, American East team is going to put up more often than not, especially after the graduation of probably the best Albany class ever. I said it before that last season, IMO was a perfect storm of losing that sort of class, bigger coaching changes than anyone was willing to admit, less than stellar upperclass leadership last year, a couple of key guys banged up more than advertised, and oh year major Tehoka drama. After an amazing run, I am not sure Marr knew how to deal with the sudden adversity and most of the season seemed like a panic, and as I said after fall ball if you saw the games last fall they were a great prediction of what would happen, and if you saw the games against Penn and Army it was already a much different team starting with Tehoka. He was very fit, more of a leader.I am expecting a much different and great season from him. The only disappoint was Patterson's injury and him being off the field most of the fall. I have no update on how he is doing, but I was led to believe that he will be ready when the boys get back on campus this week. We alway hear about the incoming freshmen class, but this one is a good one and could rival the 2018 graduating class. If and it will be a big IF, the coaches are willing to take a few possible early lumps, there are 4-6 freshmen who could be impact players. There will be obvious freshmen ups and downs, but I hope the coaches play the long game and start working them in for a late season run. Face off situation has to improve. If not better, there at least has to be some sort of developmental plan. I think the defense could be much smarter. I am not saying the best guys were not playing last year, but how they played as a unit was not very good. I saw big strides from Tanner Hay in the fall, Kunz will be the #1 pole, and the 3rd starting spot will probably go to Filiposwki, but I need to see more out of him for a team defensive standpoint. His physical skills are very good. The biggest improvement will be at LSM. This new freshmen will blow you away. He should be the starter, but will probably split time with Barrow or Filipowski depending on what they do. Kozar and Weathersby are nipping at the heals at close. Regardless how it plays out this will be the biggest and strongest close D unit Albany has probably ever fielded. The recent weakness has been smaller d mids getting beat on alley dodges. We have several big freshmen who played a lot in the fall who look like Adam Osika sort of bodies. That is a big transition for freshmen, but there are a lot of options. Assuming Patterson shows up 100% or close to it, and rejuvenated Tehoka, the offense will be much better which really was the big disappointment last year. The big question will be middie offensive production. That is the wild card to me on the offensive side of the ball. This fall was much better than last fall. I think there is a lot more hunger than last year, and no drama coming into the season. I think if the team grows over the course of the season that they can regain the AE automatic bid and make it to the tournament, but it isn't a team that can get an at large bid. I think the big jump is over the next 2-3 seasons.