The Daily Orange

Media Credit: Stephen Dockery

The exercise began every off-season workout. Shoulder-to-shoulder, the entire Syracuse lacrosse team collectively dropped down into a squat with its thighs parallel to the ground and back completely straight. Striking pain started in the pelvis and progressively crawled outward. Knees wobbled and faces cringed - accompanied by aching yelps. Bodies wanted to drop, but a three-word command by its strength and conditioning coach Hal Luther helped keep it upright.

Hold the rope! Everyone hold the rope!

"If your mother, your father, your brother, your best friend, your wife, whomever, is hanging over a cliff and they're holding onto a rope and you're holding onto the other end, no matter what happens, you cannot let go," Luther said. "You can't let go."

The Orange's strength and conditioning program has taken on a life of its own this season. Out is the individual-based off-season work of the past. In is the fiery Luther and a grueling, accountability-based workout regimen.

It's paying off. No. 2 Syracuse has endured difficult stretches of games and become fourth-quarter-oriented, all while remaining injury-free. After its most recent three-games-in-seven-days whirlwind, the Orange has had six days to prepare for Albany (5-6). They'll meet tonight in the Carrier Dome at 7 p.m.

At the first workout in September, Syracuse (10-1) stayed in the "squat hold" for 30 seconds. The next week, 45 seconds. The next week, one minute. One week later, 1:15. Another week, 1:30. And on the final "squat hold" in December? Five minutes.

Luther, who has worked primarily with the football team since coming to SU in 2000, brought a new culture to the team's off-season. Twice this season - against Georgetown and Johns Hopkins - Syracuse trailed by three goals in the fourth quarter and came back to win in overtime. It's not a coincidence.

"I think it's hard to say there isn't a correlation," SU junior midfielder Matt Abbott said. "We worked hard in the offseason last year but not nearly as hard as we did for this season. Without it, we definitely wouldn't be where we are today."

Added head coach John Desko, "(Luther) helps keep the guys motivated. He's very upbeat and has a great feel for how to push them."

The re-haul began last July when Desko and Luther discussed a new workout plan for this season. Desko offered Luther full reign, and he obliged. Under one condition. The usual six-week gap in training created by fall ball from September to mid-October was unacceptable. Luther wanted continuous training.

Continued...

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