Syracuse Fans: A
Orange Nation showed out and took over Gillette Stadium. It’s been a long wait for this fan base, and they definitely made the most of SU’s return to Championship Weekend. Just walking around the concourse, I noticed moments when it felt like an SU home game. Orange fans outnumbered any other team by about double. The fans also deserve a high grade just for having to sit through that horrific game
Offensive Inconsistencies: D
The biggest issue that plagued SU throughout the season was especially prevalent today. They just can’t seem to play a full 60 minutes on offense. The Orange scored in the first minute of the game, then went almost the entire rest of the first half without scoring again. They couldn’t even get a shot on net in that stretch. When that happens, the defense has more pressure, and things just start to fall apart. Maryland is known for its defense, and it was proven today.
Jimmy McCool: C-
There are some players that have a special energy around them. Jimmy McCool is one of those guys. Whether it’s diving to try and win possession or making great saves, he’s just a fun guy to watch. Unfortunately, consistency is his biggest issue. Sometimes McCool can struggle with simple shots, which was the case in this game. He will be a very fun player to watch develop over the next few years. McCool has a chance to be one of the best goalies in the country.
Coaching: D
Gary Gait has had a lot of doubters in the four years he’s been in charge of Syracuse. Today’s game is exactly why. There was just a simple lack of adjustments from the first game to now. When these teams met in February, Maryland shut down Syracuse’s offense. The Orange got shut down again, yet had no answer.
