Syracuse Lacrosse: Despite Loss to Johns Hopkins, Orange Fans Shouldn't Worry
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Syracuse's lacrosse season undoubtedly ended a little earlier than expected this year.
Despite being heavily favored to win the national championship, the Orange were sent packing by Johns Hopkins in the national quarterfinals last weekend. It marked the fifth time in six years that Syracuse—arguably the NCAA's greatest lacrosse program—has missed the Final Four.
But to say that Syracuse is losing its "national power" title is ridiculous. The Orange still have more championships in the modern era than any other team, are still among the elite year in, year out and the future looks just as bright for the program.
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“In the short term, it's obviously a missed opportunity,” Patrick Stevens of Syracuse.com told Bleacher Report. “Syracuse wasn't perfectly constructed (this year), but it was clearly one of the top two to four teams over the course of the season. It would have had a chance to claim a title next weekend.
“The offense probably won't be quite as polished next season, particularly in February and early March. That is understandable given the exodus of starters at that end of the field. But Syracuse is unlikely to disappear altogether and could very easily find itself right back in the same spot at this time a year from now.”
Despite the success the Orange have had under head coach John Desko, a small group of Syracuse “fans” have gone as far as to call for his job following Sunday’s loss.
With all due respect to the fans, supporters and naysayers of ‘Cuse lacrosse, let me say this: Getting rid of Desko would be one of the biggest mistakes in the history of college lacrosse. Not the worst in the past year or decade—but one of the worst decisions ever in college lax.
I’m not alone, either. Nearly any levelheaded lacrosse analyst would feel the same, considering the amazing success Desko has enjoyed at Syracuse. His accomplishments should warrant nothing but gratitude from the Orange faithful.
“I’ve been talking about this issue nonstop for the past 24 hours because our fanbase has a contingent that spouts that nonsense constantly every time SU loses,” said James Simmons, who covers SU lax for SB Nation. “Desko has five national championships under his belt, I think he has earned his keep here. I mean, the guy went to a national championship game a few years ago.
“One thing that never gets brought up in these types of conversations is what if hiring a new coach doesn’t go well? The potential harm in getting rid of Desko far exceeds the potential benefits of any new coach.”
Syracuse’s recruiting efforts would take a hit, also. Desko is one of the nation’s best recruiters, and the ability he has to turn low-level players into stars is unparalleled at the college level.
“There are a few people that thought (he should be fired) last year,” added Matt Schneidman of The Daily Orange. “Desko has done so much with this group. You look at guys like Henry Schoonmaker, Hakeem Lecky, Dylan Donahue and Kevin Rice, who weren’t highly recruited (out of high school). To look at what he’s done with those guys over the past four years, to make them one of the top teams in the country, is incredible.
“(Desko) and the rest of the coaching staff have done a great job at developing the talent they get. For a guy that’s been here for 17 years, those claims (of firing him) are fairly ridiculous after losing by one goal to a really hot team in the tournament.”
If anything can be taken from Syracuse's recent postseason "struggles," it's that the nation as a whole is becoming increasingly stronger. More teams are becoming national contenders, which in turn makes it tough for any team to retain consistent success.
"From where I sit, I am excited (for the future of college lacrosse)," said Simmons. "You can’t tell me that making the Final Four once in six years is a good thing for a program that was the dominant force in college lacrosse for decades. That being said, is it better to make the Final Four once in six years against staunch competition or make that Final Four every year after playing against weak, under-talented teams in the first two rounds?
"I firmly believe what we are seeing is the early repercussions reverberating from the explosion of the sport in the early 2000s. Personally, I love it."
“Two teams in the final four—Notre Dame and Denver—don’t really have storied lacrosse programs,” added Schneidman. “They’re two midwestern lacrosse programs, and that goes to show the expansion of the game. It shouldn’t be a bad thing that Syracuse isn’t constantly in the Final Four, because the landscape of college lacrosse is changing.
“More and more teams—think Duke, Ohio State, et cetera—are becoming nationally respected. So it’s definitely not a bad thing that ‘Cuse isn’t dominating. It’s becoming tougher and tougher for traditional powers, like Syracuse and North Carolina, to retain dominance over the national landscape like they used to.”
Obviously, Sunday’s outcome wasn’t what Syracuse fans wanted. But for college lacrosse as a whole, it showed a lot more than just Hopkins’ strength, and shouldn’t have ‘Cuse fans too worried.
Samuel Benson is a Featured Columnist covering college lacrosse. Contact him at bensonsamb@gmail.com.
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