2012 Detroit Preview: The Big Picture

Before getting into the thematic elements of Detroit’s 2012 season, let’s review all of the preview materials so far:

• Opponents first look part 1
• Opponents first look part 2
• Offensive preview
• Defensive preview
• Special teams preview

Now that we have that out of the way…

Season Storylines

The most obvious storyline for the 2012 season is Detroit’s opportunity, in the program’s fourth year, to make their first-ever NCAA Tournament. The team was one game away last year, and although that particular game (a 12-3 loss to Siena) wasn’t close, the team had already shown during the course of the year that they could knock off the Saints. The Titans also played the MAAC Championship game without the conference rookie of the year, and their only first-team all-conference selection in Shayne Adams. Winning the MAAC Championship is an attainable goal.

Now Adams is healthy, the team has a year more experience, and only two players who made any real contribution last year – LSM Tim Shoemaker and Midfielder Matt Gregson – depart, and both of them had diminished roles (up to and including “no longer on the team”) by the season’s end. Add in the return of 2010 team MVP Joel Matthews and some fresh young talent, and you have a recipe for an improved team that should challenge for the conference crown.

The team has a few areas to improve – most notably on faceoffs, clears, and offense – but pieces in place to make the necessary gains.

Key Games

2/12 v. Michigan (Pontiac)
Although the Titans play better opponents, and in games with more tangible stakes throughout the course of the year, this is an important contest. Detroit needs to show that this state – for the time being, at least – belongs to the Titans, and that the upstart Wolverines are years away from competing.

3/3 @ Georgetown
This game provides a great opportunity to knock of an opponent with some name recognition. The Hoyas weren’t great last year, despite their No. 17 finish to LaxPower. Even if they aren’t an excellent team, Georgetown certainly is more of a traditional lacrosse school than Detroit – beating a team like this is one of the next steps in the program’s growth.

3/24 Marist
The home opener is bound to be a big game no matter what, and the opponent – the Titans split with Marist last year, and the Red Foxes finished tied for second in the conference regular season – makes it all the more important. Knocking off another contender for the conference crown makes the road to the NCAA Tournament a bit easier.

4/7 Siena
This is the Titans’ regular season game of the year. Siena has been the MAAC overlord for the entirety of Detroit’s existence as a Division-1 program. As the saying goes, “to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best.” UDM pulled it off once last season, but couldn’t get it done in the conference championship game.

5/4-6 MAAC Championship
The path to the NCAA Tournament, for any team in the MAAC, goes through the conference’s automatic bid. Win the league, and you’re in. Otherwise, the offseason starts just a little bit earlier. THe importance of the conference championship cannot be overstated.

Predictions

Although he wasn’t a pre-season selection to the all-conference team, Shayne Adams will be a first-team performer during the year.

The performance on faceoffs will be much better than last season, but still not finish above .500. On a similar note, the clearing game will perform much better, but still not among the nation’s best.

At least two defensive players will earn All-Conference honors, including Jordan Houtby.

The Titans finish the year with a 9-5 (5-1) record. Once again, they fall one game short of making the NCAA Tournament, with Siena (again) earning revenge for a regular-season loss to UDM in the MAAC Championship.