Re: Yes, verbal commit....
No surprise people are looking past Maryland after all the guys that have left: first Ethan White, then MacMath, Cortes, Herrick, and Rodkey as expected; then Matt Kassel, which was always a possibility but we didn't know for sure when he would go; then Will Swaim and Greg Young also graduating. It is just a lot of good people. Yes, the Terps will still have the usual ton of talent, but it will overall be a much younger squad next near, and as you say, goalie is a question mark.
Yes, a lot of talent but a whole lotta people gotta step up: Forbes has to become The Man he has always been expected to be; If he doesn't then Shinsky may have to be the playmaker; and if it is Shinsky, is he really the next Kassel? Fernandez has to contribute but exactly where?
Agreed that the backline with Kemp, Woodberry, and Lee looks potentially very strong, plus you have Jake Pace, maybe Jordan Cyrus can go at marking back. Hmmm....I have always seen Sunny Jane as the most likely to go with Townsend up front, but you have to figure Stertzer and Oduaran will factor somehow.
Too many question marks for anyone to say Maryland will make a run in the tournament. I would love to see it happen, but realistically what can you expect? I say it will be easy to go over the top with expectation for the 2011 squad; This isn't like last year when it was a veteran squad, the expectations were very realistic, and the disappointment was valid.