Gary Gait talks No. 17 BU’s 10-man ride, defensive formula before season opener
Before Syracuse’s opener, Gary Gait discussed No. 17 Boston University’s 10-man ride proficiency and SU’s defensive formula. Leonardo Eriman | Senior Staff Photographer
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In less than 48 hours, Syracuse will be back in action for the first time since its Final Four defeat to Maryland, when it takes on No. 17 Boston University at the JMA Wireless Dome. The Orange are hungry. Why wouldn’t they be? Their roster is loaded with talent, and they believe they have enough to win SU’s first national championship since 2009.
But sometimes the best team on paper doesn’t win. That’s why head coach Gary Gait is laser-focused on making sure Syracuse executes at a high level. If the Orange play to their potential, there aren’t many teams in the country that can beat them. But if sloppiness arises, they could be punished, especially against a tricky opponent like BU.
“It’s really staying focused throughout the entire season, not taking a team lightly, and making sure that we’re energized every game,” Gait said Friday. “This team’s on a mission, and they’re looking forward to the cliche of taking it one game at a time, but we truly do work on one day at a time. They focus on planning out their days, so make sure that they are ready come game day.”
Here are some takeaways from Gait’s press conference ahead of No. 3 Syracuse’s (0-0, Atlantic Coast) matchup with No. 17 BU (0-0, Patriot League):
Dealing with BU’s 10-man ride
There’s no film on BU from 2026 for Gait to dissect. However, the first thing on his mind from previous Terrier teams is their 10-man ride. The tactic involves every player on the field — including the goalie — pressuring opponents to try to prevent them from clearing the ball in the first 30 seconds of the shot clock.
A 10-man ride can cause chaos for opponents due to its intensity. BU head coach Ryan Polley has been at the helm for 14 years, and he knows how to give opponents headaches on the ride. Gait described it as Polley’s “bread and butter.”
BU will intend to limit SU’s possessions by not clearing, per Gait. So all week, Syracuse has worked on executing its clearing and making sure it’s buttoned up. If SU has a clean game getting the ball over midfield, it’s confident it can pick apart BU in six-on-six situations.
“It’s just making sure that we know where the looks are and being organized,” Gait said of dealing with BU’s 10-man ride. “They kind of drop back or they have in the past that could change it up, but they’ve done that, and they just called the middle of the field. So as long as we can keep our heads up and see the open players downfield, we should be in good shape.”
Figuring out a defensive formula
Syracuse has a couple of defensive holes to address heading into this season. Longpole defender Michael Grace and short stick defensive midfielder Carter Rice both graduated, along with Sam English, who played both ways for SU. Who will start as Syracuse’s third long-pole position and what its SSDM line will look like is a mystery.
When asked about the third long pole spot, Gait didn’t specify who will get the nod against BU.
“We got a couple guys. We’re probably using that position and giving them opportunities to solidify their roles,” Gait said. “We’re going to experiment and see what happens. And it should be exciting.”
Defensive coordinator John Odierna discussed Grace’s replacement with The Daily Orange. Odierna noted Cam Ryan was in the mix before suffering a lower-body injury. Gait didn’t reveal a timeline for Ryan’s recovery during his press conference last week.
Odierna mentioned Chuck Kuczynski, who was primarily used as a long-stick midfielder last season, but is a natural defender. Out of all possible options, he has the most experience.
There’s also Jordan Beck, a man-up specialist for the Orange in 2025, as well as Louis D’Agostino, a freshman defender and Dillon Stephens, who Odierna said “had a good fall.”
Replacing Rice is tough. He was SU’s most underrated player the past few seasons and went about his work quietly. Dante Bowen could be a direct replacement. Bowen was SU’s lone transfer portal addition after spending the last four years at Ohio State.
“That’s probably, to be honest, the biggest question mark right now is how solid are we going to be in the rope unit,” Gait said. “I think we feel pretty good about our LSMs and we’re waiting to see how our short sticks come together and how they execute on the defensive end.”
Even if SU’s defense needs time to adjust, it has a safety blanket in Jimmy McCool. During his first season as a starter, McCool earned All-ACC honors and recorded a 53.5% save percentage. Gait said McCool’s “playing with a lot of confidence right now,” which is good news for Syracuse, considering some of the questions around parts of its defense.
Additional notes
Gait had kind words for SU women’s head coach Regy Thorpe, who was an assistant under Gait for 10 years when he helmed the women’s team. Thorpe — who spent the past four years as an assistant at Florida — was hired in June, after Kayla Treanor left for Penn State. Now Thorpe looks to guide the Orange back to success after a second-round NCAA Tournament exit in 2025.
“It’s awesome to have him back,” Gait said of Thorpe. “I think it’s a perfect spot for him. He’s back in Cuse, he’s back home, and I’m excited to see what their team can do this year with him leading it.”
It seems that Joe Filardi will receive playing time in the future. Filardi spent the fall with SU’s football team, despite initially committing to the Orange as a long pole defender. He earned a walk-on spot on the football team and didn’t play lacrosse in his senior season at Half Hollow Hills High School West (New York). Instead, he came to SU early for spring football.
After Syracuse had quarterback troubles, Filardi started three games, all of which were losses. Now he’ll turn his focus to lacrosse. Filardi is a former four-star recruit, according to Inside Lacrosse and could carve out a role with the Orange.
“I’m hoping he becomes an impact player,” Gait said. “He’s been just getting his feet under him and getting back to playing at high level. I’ve definitely seen the flashes of the potential that he has and when he gets up to speed. I’m excited to see what he can do.”
