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Seems appropriate to start a new discussion.

1) Obviously FOGO development. We have two on the current roster with little to no college experience. I have never seen Anthony face off, but he was very good in high school and it seems as if Austin was the the #2. I am sure both got better working behind our former FOGO. Owen Hill is listed as a FOGO/middie. Jones did take the bulk of the face offs in the summer tournament last year, but Weatherby spelled him with the long pole and won more than Jones against Ohio State which was the only game where Jones struggled. I don't know if he took any face offs for Avon or not.

2) Attack rotation - Tehoka, Patterson, Diamond, Casey, Laffin, and incoming freshmen McComber - I don't know who the quarterback is. I still like Patterson playing up top because he is such a mismatch against a shorty, and if he plays down low he will always draw a long pole. How Merrick develops this rotation will be interesting, especially without a proven X attackmen.

3) Middies - S. Eccles, Alex and Jack Burgmaster, proven three with Noah Taylor, Ron John and Chris Ryan seeing minutes. Have to think guys like Schwab and Ramirez step up along with opportunities for incoming freshmen Swingruber and Palandjian . This is a big concern if we stick with the two way middie approach. We will be very small at the midfield position.

LSM - lost everybody who saw time I think Spahr may have seen some time at one point, but not positive

Close Defense - Dluhy, Perla, Filipowski, Gleason probably battle it out for the starting three pole spots, but based upon how the entire defensive unit played I think as a coach you reevaluate everybody, but you have to think that the first three guys have the edge. The three freshmen poles coming in will be in the mix somewhere. I would think at LSM.

Goalie - Nate clearly has the edge ending the season, but I expect a tight competition in the fall with Ramos and Yoquinto as well.

 

Going to need a lot of young guys on the current roster to really step up and work hard over the summer and fall as well and several of the freshmen stepping in right away and playing big time minutes. It is going to have to very productive fall to develop new roles, in the weight room to get stronger, and maybe more importantly who steps up as leaders in a very small rising senior class.

Edited by AlbanyFan2018
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48 minutes ago, cwdickens said:

Eight months to put the pieces together...today is day 1....Marr and staff will need to keep everyone focus on skills & leadership development

Absolutely. Leadership is going to be key and will be an incredible coaching challenge to keep the Dane Train on the tracks.

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15 hours ago, AlbanyFan2018 said:

No idea. I really haven't seen him play much, but what I little I have he could step into a similar role as Sean. He too, has a big hockey background and a nasty shot that is hard to pick up.

BUT they both get beat by a step all the time by decent dodgers and bigger stronger guys.  We need a couple of bigger stronger guys who have some foot speed and agility.  

Edited by HOF2013
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17 hours ago, AlbanyFan2018 said:

Seems appropriate to start a new discussion.

1) Obviously FOGO development. We have two on the current roster with little to no college experience. I have never seen Anthony face off, but he was very good in high school and it seems as if Austin was the the #2. I am sure both got better working behind our former FOGO. Owen Hill is listed as a FOGO/middie. Jones did take the bulk of the face offs in the summer tournament last year, but Weatherby spelled him with the long pole and won more than Jones against Ohio State which was the only game where Jones struggled. I don't know if he took any face offs for Avon or not.

2) Attack rotation - Tehoka, Patterson, Diamond, Casey, Laffin, and incoming freshmen McComber - I don't know who the quarterback is. I still like Patterson playing up top because he is such a mismatch against a shorty, and if he plays down low he will always draw a long pole. How Merrick develops this rotation will be interesting, especially without a proven X attackmen.

3) Middies - S. Eccles, Alex and Jack Burgmaster, proven three with Noah Taylor, Ron John and Chris Ryan seeing minutes. Have to think guys like Schwab and Ramirez step up along with opportunities for incoming freshmen Swingruber and Palandjian . This is a big concern if we stick with the two way middie approach. We will be very small at the midfield position.

LSM - lost everybody who saw time I think Spahr may have seen some time at one point, but not positive

Close Defense - Dluhy, Perla, Filipowski, Gleason probably battle it out for the starting three pole spots, but based upon how the entire defensive unit played I think as a coach you reevaluate everybody, but you have to think that the first three guys have the edge. The three freshmen poles coming in will be in the mix somewhere. I would think at LSM.

Goalie - Nate clearly has the edge ending the season, but I expect a tight competition in the fall with Ramos and Yoquinto as well.

 

Going to need a lot of young guys on the current roster to really step up and work hard over the summer and fall as well and several of the freshmen stepping in right away and playing big time minutes. It is going to have to very productive fall to develop new roles, in the weight room to get stronger, and maybe more importantly who steps up as leaders in a very small rising senior class.

We HAVE to have better defensive players and really good wing play, we MUST have a couple of better middies.  The two way thing hurts us I think - just my 2 cents.  Still having trouble thinking clearly about all of this.  The TD news is just so disruptive - it is difficult for me to get past the non-loyalty and think about the future, especially since HE said he wasn't highly recruited and UA wanted him.

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I have swung to agree with you that the two way middie system has its advantages at times, but against top tier team with great athletes all over the field you are almost asking the impossible for a guy to play big time offense, the wing on face-off's, and then cover guys all over the field. 

Tiffany caught lightning in a bottle one year at Brown with a Tewaarton attackmen, two amazing LSM's, a great FOGO, and a great goalie. He is recruiting guys to UVA who wouldn't look at anything other than an ACC or Big 10 and UVA is struggling to make it work.

I really think overall we will not see a drop off in goalie play. When JD was hot he was as good as it got, but in some key games like this year's NCAA run his save percentage was in the 30% range. The two rising sophomore's are both very good and will push Nate for the starting position. 

We have several guys who were freshmen this year who can definitely get up and down the field. I absolutely agree that our SSDM play has to improve, but to be fair I don't know how much of that was fatigue related, as well as preparation. We essentially had 4-6 guys playing both ways; Eagan, Wolfe, both Burgmasters, and McClancy. That is one area where I think Coach Marr really needs to think about. The other issue is the shot clock. It sounds as if it is a done deal, and the only questions are how long, and will the clock start upon possession or once the ball is in the offensive box.

If the shot clock is a reality the value of two way LSM's goes through the roof, and the same is true with guys like McClancy, and the Burgmaster's. 

The pieces are still in place for an NCAA tournament team, but how they are put together will be challenging. There is going to have to be a lot of growth over the summer and the fall, especially form this year's freshmen class.

 

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4 hours ago, AlbanyFan2018 said:

I have swung to agree with you that the two way middie system has its advantages at times, but against top tier team with great athletes all over the field you are almost asking the impossible for a guy to play big time offense, the wing on face-off's, and then cover guys all over the field. 

Tiffany caught lightning in a bottle one year at Brown with a Tewaarton attackmen, two amazing LSM's, a great FOGO, and a great goalie. He is recruiting guys to UVA who wouldn't look at anything other than an ACC or Big 10 and UVA is struggling to make it work.

I really think overall we will not see a drop off in goalie play. When JD was hot he was as good as it got, but in some key games like this year's NCAA run his save percentage was in the 30% range. The two rising sophomore's are both very good and will push Nate for the starting position. 

We have several guys who were freshmen this year who can definitely get up and down the field. I absolutely agree that our SSDM play has to improve, but to be fair I don't know how much of that was fatigue related, as well as preparation. We essentially had 4-6 guys playing both ways; Eagan, Wolfe, both Burgmasters, and McClancy. That is one area where I think Coach Marr really needs to think about. The other issue is the shot clock. It sounds as if it is a done deal, and the only questions are how long, and will the clock start upon possession or once the ball is in the offensive box.

If the shot clock is a reality the value of two way LSM's goes through the roof, and the same is true with guys like McClancy, and the Burgmaster's. 

The pieces are still in place for an NCAA tournament team, but how they are put together will be challenging. There is going to have to be a lot of growth over the summer and the fall, especially form this year's freshmen class.

 

Absolutely agree - nothing to disagree with.

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I imagine not a lot. Arguably the best or one of the best players ever , Lyle Thompson didn't transfer, Connor Fields didn't transfer.  My impression is that UA still has a very solid reputation as far as lacrosse goes, and a lot of misinformation regarding the quality of the academics which is what I think will hold back the potential inflow of transfers. This to me is one of the biggest priorities of things to clean up.

The question I have thrown out before is what is next in terms of the development of the program? My best guess is that the program will continue to mine the NY state area for Albany kind of guys, the Native American community for a player or two each year, and then a guy or two from emerging areas which we have been doing for the last several years. I am still surprised we are not seeing more out of Canada. 

I can't recall Albany ever being a big spot for transfers other than a guy or two from a JUCO.

 

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