UNC Men’s Lacrosse 2025-26
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Interesting Notre Dame is favored. I hope our guys are feeling disrespected.
I would definitely used this as bulletin board material to our players. Go Heels!
Jules Heningberg with a Harshbarger appreciation post:
Thanks for posting this podcast. It is a great observation about the use of picks in the Heel's offense. Picks were always a big part of lacrosse, but then defensive coordinators got smart and threw double teams at the ball carrier in on ball picks and they worked on switching in off ball picks. What makes picks so successful in Thompson's offense is that they will go three or four possessions without throwing a pick and the defenses get complacent. Then you see a pick like Merrill set for Duffy and the defense forgets to communicate. It's a nice way to enhance the offense without becoming a predictable feature. It's also a credit to the players that they don't lose discipline and start over using it.
The game is in South Bend so I don't think this should be surprising. ND is really good and we've only played two games on the road.
We would be favored at home, imo.
Breschi is a good man. As long as he can keep Petro and Thompson on the staff, he is earning his money. They are the biggest difference between this team and the teams of the immediate post-Covid era. With Petro/Thompson as coaches, UNC might have won a natty in 2021...
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ND will be strongest test yet. Mainly because they have the D to lock down Duffy (Lyght) and Petro (Donovan). Will be up to the mids and Marcus to bring this one home. They also have a decent 2 man FO group and they always have good wings. I think the first team to 11 goals wins.
ND-UNC reaction article
ND solves Wambach and stifles UNC’s settled 6v6 offense as the Heels fall 10-5
open.substack.com
ND solves Wambach and stifles UNC’s settled 6v6 offense as the Heels fall 10-5
ND-UNC reaction
ND solves Wambach and stifles UNC’s settled 6v6 offense as the Heels fall 10-5
open.substack.com
ND kicked our butts. That is what happened. We did not play horrible. ND has a guy that is the best defender in men's lacrosse. He is a football player, he is strong, fast, agile, athletic, and taller than Wambach. I watched the game and that dude shut Wamback down. He is the Wamback buster. Wamback could not get around this dude. He just as quick, just as strong, just as agile as Wamback. I do not think Wamback has ever played against a guy that just has your number and that dude does. He is the one that ND will put on the other teams best player. We do have some football players on our team. Jim Brown was one the greatest players to play five sports in college. He was excellent in all five sports. That being football, basketball, track, lacrosse, and I think baseball. Some football players make excellent lacrosse players. I would play them just to see if they can help out. You never know until you play them. One thing that I learned from watching the game today was that ND HC plays his football players maybe our staff can learn to try that as well. I know I would just to see what I got.
That was probably the most impressive defensive effort I have ever seen.
ND looked half a step faster at every position. UNC had no one who could draw a slide. D did a pretty good job holding them to 10 goals, because they were faster. Marcus was good. They were looking to beat him weak side high. and did a few times. Must have seen something on film.
I love UNCs team, but their overall team speed on offense is not great. Greta athletes, but not real speed. I think they will struggle on turf, which always favors the faster athlete in every sport. UNC’s only true road games prior to this game were the Penn and Princeton games. Both on turf. And the Princeton game looked a lot like this one.
I love UNCs team, but their overall team speed on offense is not great. Greta athletes, but not real speed. I think they will struggle on turf, which always favors the faster athlete in every sport. UNC’s only true road games prior to this game were the Penn and Princeton games. Both on turf. And the Princeton game looked a lot like this one.
We do have some football players coming in that are going to play lacrosse as well and that is one on the time now. He is probably fast. He is an athlete. His name is Jermaine Anderson. Here is the information on him. He is clearly an athlete. He is a freshman. I would play him some just to see what he can do. I bet if this young man was at ND their HC would play him.
Fall 2025 (with Carolina Football): Joined the Carolina Football roster as a defensive back
Prep: Rated a four-star recruit and the No. 86 overall prospect in the Class of 2025 by Inside Lacrosse
Fall 2025 (with Carolina Football): Joined the Carolina Football roster as a defensive back
Prep: Rated a four-star recruit and the No. 86 overall prospect in the Class of 2025 by Inside Lacrosse
gotta believe if he was good enough he would see the field. I dont think I have seen him in a game yet.
Johnnymac128, did you not read what I posted about this football player. He is a defensive back in football. He was rated as a four-star recruit and the NO. 86 overall prospect in the class of 2025 by Inside Lacrosse. I do not think you understand what I am saying so I will say it here. This dude was a part time lacrosse player. He was a full-time football player which means he spent more time developing his craft in football than in lacrosse because high school football is pretty much year-round. This should tell you the following things about this dude. 1) he is an exceptional athlete. 2) You have to be agile, fast, etc to play defensive back because you will have to cover the speedy receivers on the offensive side of the ball. These players are some of the most athletic and instinctive players on the football field. 3) If this dude was ranked number 86 in the nation and he is playing lacrosse part-time, can you imagine what his ranking would have been if he devoted more time in lacrosse and less time in football. His skill in football is an asset for Lacrosse. They guy who was guarding Wamback yesterday was a former football player in high school. His name is Sean Lyntch. This dude is 6'3", he weighs 200lbs, He was fast, agile, etc. He had Wamback frustrated all game long. Wamback could not overpower him, he could not get around him, he could not out flank him, etc. I have not seen someone do that to Wamback in lacrosse until yesterday. I could not believe what I was seeing. My point is this, I know I am not at the practices, but what I do know is the coach for ND has always played his football players that are on his team. I have been in situations when a coach just would not play a person for their own personal reasons and that player was good enough to play. Who knows, but as a coach when you are getting drill like that you have to try something different. That is why you have players on the bench to replace the starters when they are not getting the job done. To be honest to play two sports in college does mean that you are good enough. How many lacrosse players can play major D1 football at UNC IMO.
Jermaine Anderson has played this year, so the staff hasn’t forgot about him.
Playing football means he missed all of fall ball, so he’s behind the rest of the defenders in development.
UNC has a top ten opponent adjusted defense this year and held Notre Dame to their lowest point total of the season before the empty net goal in the final minutes of the game.
The defense isn’t the reason they lost the game - only 5 goals on offense and 2 in settled 6v6 was the reason they lost.
Playing football means he missed all of fall ball, so he’s behind the rest of the defenders in development.
UNC has a top ten opponent adjusted defense this year and held Notre Dame to their lowest point total of the season before the empty net goal in the final minutes of the game.
The defense isn’t the reason they lost the game - only 5 goals on offense and 2 in settled 6v6 was the reason they lost.
If kind of rather the lacrosse players ficus on lacrosse, especially if buried in the football depth chart. Gary Merrill figured that out in 2-3 days.
We lost the game because Sean L shut Wamback down. Wamback could not get his shout off. Our best offensive player was held in check all game long. The other guys did not step up when he needed them to. I have to give ND credit they just kicked our butts and the wanted it more.
Not sure whether to dignify this blather with comment. But I cannot resist.
1. UNC defense played well. Not the reason UNC lost. So focusing on the football/lacrosse player is misguided. (Are you his mother?)
2. ND has no player by name of Sean Lynch on its roster.
3. ND fogo def whipped Wambach most of day. His name is Tyler Spano.
4. Tyler Spano is 5’9, not 6’3.
5. Size, Speed and agility alone do not make one a great lacrosse player. Not even a great LSM or SSDM. They are great attributes to start with, for sure. But if you think that kid is a better option than Thomann, McDonald, Prohaska, Koopman, etc, take it up with Petro. He evidently disagrees.
I’m assuming you’re referencing Shawn Lyght defending Owen Duffy and not the UNC FOGO Brady Wambach.
Duffy ended the game with 1G and 1A, plus he drew a holding call on Lyght which contributed to a man up goal. Duffy was basically responsible for 3 pts yesterday and he was going against the 2025 Schmeisser winner and a future 1st round PLL pick. I would say he gave as good as he got on Sunday.
What is more alarming is how often ND was content to switch an SSDM on Duffy off a pick. UNC generated 0 pts off a shorty guarding Duffy - ND sent help early and UNC’s off ball offense wasn’t able to create good looks. Duffy could have had 4-5 assists on Saturday.
Impact Freshman rankings - Marcus, Raio, McDonald, and Merrill all make the list.
Man. Another good win, pulled it out. We survived UVa’s 15 goals on 18 shots on goal. Seems almost impossible to have that percentage.
That was a really great ACC road win against a team that is much better than its record would indicate. There are no weak teams in the League this season
The UVa team can score. They have some pretty good offensive players. Six on six, UVa are probably a few goals better than UNC. But with the faceoff advantage and the man-up goals, UNC pulled it out.
I thoroughly enjoy beating UVA in anything.
Rough day for Marcus - glad we got that out of his system and time to lock in for dook..
Anyone else find it weird how often we initiate the offense out of the midfield vs letting Duffy initiate from x?
Wambach = stud
Anyone else find it weird how often we initiate the offense out of the midfield vs letting Duffy initiate from x?
Wambach = stud
We need to give the defense a lot of credit - Marcus was off, but they frustrated a really good defense into a lot of tough shots. VA only put 18 of 40 shots on cage.
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I understand your point about starting the offense from X (assume you want the ball in Duffy's stick). But the advantage to mixing up the attack points is that it gives the middies a chance to dodge and draw help. Eventually you're going to free up Petro or Duffy , or at least get them matched up with a short stick.It also makes it tougher for the defense to shut off those two attackers.
With regard to the defense, you're absolutely right. Considering two of the UVa goals were fluke plays, they did a really good job yesterday.
Wish list for this weekend:
1) Beat dook
2) ND beats Cuse
We match up much better against Cuse than UVa and I think the Hoos have an upset still in them. I'd rather see the Orange in the first round.
1) Beat dook
2) ND beats Cuse
We match up much better against Cuse than UVa and I think the Hoos have an upset still in them. I'd rather see the Orange in the first round.
fair enough on mixing up the attack points. Duffy was having a helluva game and it fell like they left some food on the table - there were a few times where they would run a whole offensive possession where Duffy was just a swing pass.