Brandon Mullins is the big, physical defender known for bullying attacks using his body. Nick Mellen is the small, shifty defender known for keeping up with attacks using his feet.

Fellow starting defender Jay McDermott doesn’t fit a prototype. He has enough strength to push players out and enough quickness to not get burned. But none of McDermott’s skills stand out so much to give him a defined role on the defense the way Mullins and Mellen do.

That makes McDermott the right complement on No. 3 Syracuse’s (4-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) defense, which has allowed just 8.25 goals per game this season, 15th best in the country.

“It’s very comforting going into every game with matches against opponents’ attackmen that we’ve got one person that can cover anyone,” Orange head coach John Desko said.

Entering this season, Mellen slid into the lineup as a freshman with a specific skill set. McDermott, who is sufficient at nearly every aspect but not great in any one thing, switched from defending opponents’ shifty dodgers to defending opponents’ attacks that set up in front of the crease. Through four games, McDermott, who prides himself on his smarts and versatility, is the only starting defender without a penalty.

After starter Sean Young graduated in the spring, Mellen impressed McDermott as soon as he got on campus. McDermott knew immediately that Mellen would fit best in the role he had himself in 2015. That meant McDermott would have to fill a different spot.

To compensate for his new tasks, McDermott continued adding more weight. The 6-foot-2, 207-pound senior defender has added 26 pounds since his freshman year. He’s now as equipped to handle the varying types of players he has to defend.

“It’s a little different … You have to be ready for anything,” McDermott said of shifting from a cover defender to a crease defender. “I wouldn’t say it’s really an adjustment, maybe it’s a different mindset.”

 

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Instead of prioritizing opposing attacks’ go-to dodges while scouting before games, McDermott is now prioritizing which hand they prefer to shoot with and how they tend to get open without the ball.

McDermott started all but one game last season and his versatility has kept him in the starting lineup. While Mullins (nine) and Mellen (seven) lead the Orange in caused turnovers, their aggressive styles have meant McDermott needs to play more conservative. He needs to make sure the defense communicates so its rotations are timed correctly and opponents don’t get clean looks at the net.

“He’s kind of that quiet defenseman out there that no one really talks about too much,” Desko said.

One of McDermott’s only noticeable plays of the season came on Feb. 28 against Army. After the Black Knights cut SU’s lead to just one midway though the third quarter, a Warren Hill save allowed McDermott to carry the ball up the field and start the offensive possession. The Orange slowed the game down, though, and didn’t attempt a shot for over a minute.

McDermott didn’t record a stat in the box score. The clear didn’t lead to a goal. But it was another solid play by a player whose built his reputation that way.

From second grade until sixth, McDermott played midfield, but always played more defensive-minded. When he moved to defense full time in seventh grade, he put together the skills that have come to define him.

“I was never the fastest guy, I was never the strongest guy, I was never the smartest guy. But I was relatively fast, relatively strong and relatively smart,” McDermott said. “I just figured if I could put it all together and try and grow with each one, I may not have a certain strength but I can always be relevant.”

McDermott’s versatility is what makes him a strong fit alongside Mullins and Mellen. It’s what eases Desko’s concerns amid the gauntlet of SU’s schedule, which features six ranked opponents. And it’s what’s helped Mullins and Mellen play the roles that suit them best.

“Jay’s an all-around player. He can guard any type of player,” Mellen said. “He can cover strong guys, he can cover fast guys. He really does everything well.”

Published on March 8, 2016 at 11:57 pm

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