2012 Detroit Preview: Offense

Shayne Adams (being hugged) led the team in 2011. Can he repeat that performance in 2012?

Detroit’s offense made a serious transition in 2011. The team’s leading scorer from 2010, Joel Matthews, sat the bench and focused on his academics, and the second-leading scorer, Matt Gregson, was no longer on the team by season’s end. Freshman Shayne Adams burst onto the scene, however, and earned MAAC Rookie of the Year honors, potting 35 goals and adding six assists.

Overall, the offense was not Detroit’s strongest unit. As you can see from the raw numbers at left, The Titans scored on just over a quarter of their offensive possessions. Adjusted for schedule strength, the number drops to .251, good for the No. 46 offense of 61 teams in Division-1. That… it is not good.

Given the improvement in talent and experience, the big question is chemistry. The Titans assisted only .436 of their goals last year, whereas every offense in the national top ten (except Mount St. Mary’s) assisted over half of their team goals, and most were upwards of .550 or even .600. To become more efficient, it seems likely that the Titans are going to have to do a better job sharing the ball.

For the reasons listed above, however, you can see why this was a tough year for Detroit to be good offensively. Expected contributors were not on the field, and the squad was led by a true freshman (whether Adams is talented or not – and he is – that’s a tough spot). With another year of experience and no substantial losses from the roster, expect improvement in 2012.

Personnel

Nearly everyone of note returns this season. Compound that with the fact that there are a couple new additions – including an important one who has proven he can get it done at the Division-1 level, the the experience should add up to a better offense this season.

Attack Shayne Adams was the biggest story on the team last fall. He burst onto the scene with more goals than any freshman in the nation (35), and though he added only six assists, he was named the MAAC Rookie of the Year and a first-team all-conference selection. He missed only the last game of the year, and the Titans were demoralized in a 3-12 loss to Siena in the MAAC Tournament Final, in part because their offensive leader was out. He’s expected to be back to full strength this spring.

Last year’s second-leading scorer, Scott Harris, is also back. He was a more balanced player than Adams last year – with 19 goals and 20 assists – and is a good complement to Adams’s “all finishing, all the time” style. He’s listed as an Attack/Midfielder by the official roster, but improved depth at attack could see him play more in the midfield.

Attackman Alex Maini and midfielder Tim Lehto were finishing-types, and both return this season. Lehto is a senior, but Maini was another productive freshman for the Titans last year. The improvement from year one to year two of a player’s career should be more substantial than year three to year four.

Senior midfielder Ty Maruyama has been selected as a team captain, and although he has a modest boxscore output (8 points in 16 games), he provides a bit of a punch from a transition perspective, and obviously makes a big difference in leadership.

Sophomore midfielder Tom Masterson played in only nine games and notched six points in that time, but perhaps Junior A success over the summer can propel him to a more productive second year on the field for the Titans.

A big boost to the Titans offense will come in the form of Joel Matthews’ return. He led the team in scoring (and was named team offensive MVP) as a freshman in 2010, but sat out 2011 to focus on academics. He’s now a redshirt sophomore, and could form a potent attack combo with Adams. He was a good performer in the Ontario Junior A League over the summer, so his skills probably won’t be too rusty. He’s not technically a newcomer, but is listed as such on the chart, because he didn’t contibute on the field last year.

Freshman midfielder Mike Birney has college-ready size and the athleticism to run the midfield, and could see time immediately on the offense.

The only loss from the midfield is Matt Gregson. He was dismissed from the roster mid-season last year, so his loss won’t be felt much, if at all. The Titans played some of their finest lacrosse of the year following the departure of Gregson, who was already seeing a diminished role from 2010, when he was second on the team in scoring.

Overview

With only one substantial loss (and the degree to which that loss is substantial can certainly be debated) and a few key additions, the team’s overall personnel looks improved going into 2012. Add in another year of experience for what has been a very young team for pretty much its entire existence, and improvement is expected.

The offense, despite having a star player in Adams, was not very good last year. There’s basically nowhere to go but up, and the Titans’ roster looks like it’s primed to do just that. A climb into the middle ranges of the national rankings (adjusted for schedule) seems likely. If that comes through individual play or improved team play remains to be seen.