February 5, 2010

Lacrosse Magazine has put the finishing touches on its 2010 college preview issue, which mailed US Lacrosse members the first week of February. LM canvassed rival coaches to give us their anonymous take on the top 10 preseason ranked teams for Division I men's and women's lacrosse.

WD1: 10 Princeton | 9 UND | 8 UVA | 7 SU | 6 Georgetown | 5 Duke | 4 Penn | 3 UNC | 2 UMD | 1 Northwestern

Scouting Report: No. 2 Syracuse (Men)

Syracuse head coach John Desko says long-stick midfielder Joel White is "right up there, if not the best one [I've coached]."

HEAD COACH: John Desko
CONFERENCE: Big East
2009 RECORDS: 16-2 (as independent)
2010 SCHEDULE: Click Here

WHO'S BACK

A Cody Jamieson (Sr.)
Jamieson provided glimpses of the wizardry he's capable of with the wand last year -- namely with the game-winning goal in overtime of the NCAA final -- as he overcame academic eligibility issues to contribute. He had nine goals and 12 assists in six games. Imagine what he can do with a full season.
A Stephen Keogh (Jr.)
A great finisher in tight spaces, Keogh scored 49 goals in 2009. “That’s probably our strength at attack this year, our finishing ability,” Desko said. But with Kenny Nims gone, who sets the table?
LSM Joel White (Jr.)
A freak athlete who, in two seasons, has established himself as one of the best at his position. “Right up there, if not the best one [I’ve coached],” Desko said
G John Galloway (Jr.)
All Galloway has done in his first two seasons is backstop two national championship teams. Last season’s 7.38 goals against average was the lowest mark for an SU team since 1970.
D John Lade (Jr.)
Led all close defenders with 53 ground balls and is a preseason All-American, along with Matt Tierney, spearheading the Orange's most experienced unit.

WHO'S NOT

A Kenny Nims
Team's leading scorer (32g, 42a) from a year ago leaves a gaping hole not only in terms of points (74), but intangibles. You might remember the Foxboro Flip -- you know, when Nims went all Superman on Cornell, stripped the ball at midfield and recovered to the crease in time to send the national championship game into overtime?
M Matt Abbott
Speaking of intangibles, you might also recall who flipped the pass over his shoulder while falling backward to find Nims on the doorstep for that goal -- you know, the best two-way middie in the country? Abbott headlines a significant exodus of midfielders for 'Cuse.
M Dan Hardy
Big, athletic midfielder caused matchup nightmares in the midfield, netting 25 goals and 18 assists.
M Pat Perritt
Up-and-down Syracuse career ended triumphantly (18g, 14a). Perritt's departure, along with Abbott's and Hardy's, ensures the Orange must replace their entire first midfield line.
D Sid Smith
SU's top one-on-one defender was the No. 1 draft pick in the NLL. He was the one who had the timely strip in overtime that set up Jamieson's game-winning goal in the NCAA final.

WHO'S NEW

M Jeremy Thompson
A prized recruit coming out of Lafayette High School in 2006, Thompson played the 2007 and 2009 seasons at Onondaga Community College (OCC) in Syracuse where he helped lead the Lazers to two NJCAA national titles. He's the most dynamic player out of the junior college ranks, with the ability to score, play defense and face off. His integration into SU's depleted midfield will be crucial.
D Brian Megill
One of the nation's most-recruited defensemen is the younger brother of former Maryland standout Ray Megill. There's plenty of big, experienced bodies in front of him on the Orange depth chart, but that doesn't mean he can't play his way into significant action.
A/M JoJo Marasco
Recruited as one of the nation's top attack prospects, Marasco will help fortify Syracuse's midfield immediately. His athletic ability, the team's depth on attack and lack thereof on midfield paved the way for the move.

X FACTOR

Midfielders Josh Amidon, Jovan Miller and Kevin Drew all contributed in significant ways to Syracuse's second straight national championship. Now they'll be asked to contribute as go-to guys in replacing the Orange's midfield ranks. Amidon, a 6-foot-1 left-hander, is the team's hardest shooter who'll be asked to initiate more with the ball in his stick. Miller has played primarily short-stick defensive middie, a role in which he was arguably the nation's best. It remains to be seen what he can do with the rock on the offensive side on a consistent basis. Drew ditched hoops to focus fulltime on lacrosse.

RIVAL COACHES' TAKES

"They always reload. Some key losses, but they also return a good nucleus from past teams."

"Defense has been decent the last few years, as has the goalie."

"X-factors include integrating transfers, jucos and mid-semester additions and combating the loss of All-Americans at midfield and attack."

"How will Cody Jamieson play for a whole season? They return a lot and have the ability to reload easily."

"How much will graduation of top offensive players hurt?"

"They’re going to have to replace a lot more of those high-profile kids, quote unquote big names. I would only imagine with their roster and ability to attract a high level high school lacrosse student athlete that it’s not going to take them long."

"They’re just so athletic defensively. That’s probably the one position they are scariest. They are so athletic with their short-stick middies, between Juvan Miller and Joel White and Lade, they are just so athletic. They can stretch and put a lot of pressure on you to make good decisions.

"Syracuse is Syracuse. They really don’t rebuild, they reload. They’ve got talent all over the field. With their style of play, they’re good. They might lock down a little more defensively. Their goalie is good."

"Until someone proves differently, they are the favorites. They have a culture over there where guys expect success."