When John Desko popped in the game tape from last year’s 17-6 win against Army, he thought he knew what he was going to get. He knew the final score. He knew his team got the easy win.

But instead, Syracuse head coach saw a much less comforting sight.

‘Last year, I remember the final score, but I didn’t realize they were up 2-0 in the game,’ Desko said. ‘It is a scary group.’

Desko saw a team that is capable of controlling the tempo. A team that changes up defensive schemes. A team that gets good play from its goalkeeper. And a team that the No. 1 Orange cannot afford to underestimate.

‘They have been very strong in the Carrier Dome,’ Desko said. ‘Army has beaten us in the Carrier Dome before, so we have to be ready for anything.’

Syracuse (1-0) takes the field on Sunday at 3 p.m. in a rematch against Army (1-1) at the Carrier Dome. The game will be followed by Cornell against Hobart, part of a double-header scheduled at the Dome due to impending inclement weather.

And in preparation for that game, Desko was sure to spread the word at practice all week about the team he saw on tape.

‘All week we have been focusing on just executing the offense against a zone,’ attack Stephen Keogh said. ‘They have a good defense and a good goalie, so we are just going to work on our shooing.’

After an impressive performance in the season-opener, Syracuse will face an Army squad that poses a different challenge.

Against Denver, the Orange had success in transition. They won 19-of-27 faceoffs and turned those possessions into quick, unsettled goals. Defenders picked off errant Denver passes and raced upfield, turning defensive stops into offensive scores. The Orange bombarded two different Denver goalies with 21 shots through the first 30 minutes. Syracuse converted on most, heading into the half up 10-3.

But the Orange players know that was just one game. And with a long season ahead and the bull’s-eye on their backs that comes from being No. 1, they must be ready for a different Army team on Sunday.

Syracuse expects a much bigger challenge from Army defenders. Denver simply seemed overmatched against Syracuse’s high-powered, well-balanced offensive attack. The Pioneers were a young team with a new coaching regime playing in their first game together. And it looked that way. But Army has been to the Dome before and has a defense that is its strength.

‘Defensively, Army is going to be better than Denver,’ attack Chris Daniello said. ‘In terms of athletes and overall defensive package, they are going to be better.’

It will not just be the Army defense that Syracuse must focus on. The Black Knights like to play a slow, deliberate offense in hopes of limiting the other team’s possessions. As a result, the Orange will have to be sure to value each offensive possession it gets.

‘Their strategy is to slow it down against us all the time,’ Daniello said. ‘If they have the ball for eight minutes we can’t really rush or take a bad shot. We just need to execute and keep getting better.’

In addition to a different style, Army will come bearing familiar faces.

When freshman JoJo Marasco trots onto the field for pregame warm-ups, he will look into the stands and see his entire family. Some members will be sporting Army gear, while others will be in orange and blue.

‘After playing with my brother in high school, it will be very special to get back on the same field as him,’ said Marasco, whose brother Matt is a junior defenseman for Army. ‘We have definitely been trash talking for a couple weeks.’

In addition to Marasco’s older brother, the Black Knights have a handful of upstate New Yorkers on their roster. Baldwinsville, Tully, Skaneateles, Christian Brothers Academy and Corcoran High are all represented on the Army roster.

But all Desko will focus on come Sunday is the team he saw on tape, not the team he remembered.

‘They are a strong group if they win faceoffs and control the tempo,’ Desko said. ‘Their goalies have always played well in the Carrier Dome and their defenses are good. I feel good, but there is still some unknown.’

restern@syr.edu