Coaches often build teams in their own image and Towson men's lacrosse plays a style that's very similar to the way coach Shawn Nadelen played the game.
There are few frills when watching the Tigers (9-3 overall, 3-0 Colonial Athletic Association) play, especially on the offensive side of the ball. But they play exactly like Nadelen when he was a four-year starting long-stick midfielder and close defenseman for Johns Hopkins.
Nadelen was never the prototype at 6-foot and 200 pounds. But he was versatile, relentless and relied on positioning. Besides being a fierce competitor, he was always the kid that arrived 10 to 15 minutes before meetings started, and often stayed late.
He has the same formula working at Towson. Few expected the Tigers to be successful this season after two straight winning seasons. Yet their defense has carried the team, led by junior goalie Tyler White, who should earn All-America honors this season.
"Before you begin a season, you look at what a team has lost in terms of personnel and production, but what I think what we're seeing is it's been [Shawn Nadelen's] imprint on the program and it's been incremental each year. I think what we're seeing is an identity being built and everybody in the program has been somebody that he's brought in for a specific reason," said CBS Sports Network's Evan Washburn, of Nadelen, now in his fourth season. "So while I do think it is surprising that they've done what they have done considering what they lost, we're really seeing what Shawn has been able to do as a coach, and it's impressive.
"I don't think it surprises anyone, but you start to see that in the fourth or fifth year, good coaches — if they're going to start turning things around — have their teams playing games consistently and winning the conference," said Washburn. "We're starting to see that he's building a consistent winner at Towson, which is good for the game."
Towson, which hosts Hofstra on Saturday, has the nation's No. 3 scoring defense, allowing only 6.81 goals per game. On extra-man defense, the Tigers have killed 23 of 33 extra-man opportunities, which ranks 20th in the country.
Of course, none of this would be happening without goalie Tyler White, who has a 6.74 goals-against average and a .605 save percentage.
At 6-4, 230, he doesn't leave a lot of cage to shoot on.
"The first piece or reason why we are playing so well defensively is Tyler," said Nadelen. "He continues to make progress. Except for the Loyola game, he has been exceptional."
It's not just White, but also the scheme installed by coordinator Dan Cocchi. At schools like Johns Hopkins, Syracuse or North Carolina, you see those tall, lean, long-armed defensemen that are about 6-3 or 6-4, and weigh around 220 pounds.
That's only on occasion at Towson, but the Tigers have close defensemen like Mike Lowe, Nick Gorman and JoJo Ostrander who have quick feet and very active sticks. Ostrander is probably the best of the bunch, but Cocchi doesn't ask any of them to be in-your-face, shutdown defenders.
It's about the scheme.
"We want guys to come in and want to work as a team," said Nadelen. "We're not putting anyone on an island, but we give support, always working, sliding. We have different rules at different times, and the kids have been able to embrace the things we've asked of them.
"We're not always looking for the prototype, but guys who are athletic, have competitive drive and want to contribute and make a difference."
You have to have players like that to build a good defense. In junior league or high school most of these players were probably good, all-around midfielders. But, now, Towson's Tyler Mayes and Patrick Conroy are good long-stick middies, and Jack Adams and Dan Livingston thrive on winning ground balls as Towson's short-stick defensive middies.
The Tigers need these efforts because their offense has struggled in 2015. Attackmen Joe Seider (26 goals, five assists) and Ryan Drenner (13, 11), have played well, but middies Justin Mabus (seven, four) and Greg Cuccinello (two, three) have struggled.
Last year, Mabus had 10 goals and 17 assists while Cuccinello had 20 goals and nine assists. Towson also lost perhaps its best offensive player, midfielder Andrew Hodgson, to a season-ending foot injury against Ohio State on March 17.
"Putting goals on the board has not been easy for us, we're still working on it," said Nadelen. "But we've moved some people around and Justin appears to be finding his rhythm. So, I think we'll be OK."
Before Nadelen became head coach, the Tigers didn't have much depth. The recruiting is better under Nadelen, who is starting to get his share of Maryland Inerscholastic Athletic Association players again. Now, when Towson has gaps, it's becoming easier to plug them.
That's what 2015 has been all about.
Twitter.com/MikePrestonSun