The Carolina Chaos had the worst offense in the Premier Lacrosse League in 2024, averaging 10 scores a game. And that wasn’t a new theme for the Chaos, who also had the third-worst offense in 2023 (12 scores per game) and the worst offense in 2022 (10.1 scores per game).

After scoring one goal in the 2024 semifinals against the Utah Archers, the bookend of a terrible offensive season was finally placed. 

Now, Carolina’s new coaching staff plans on introducing a new offensive scheme that will allow its players to play freely and instinctively. 

Over the past two seasons, the offense moved from a pairs scheme that catered to two-man games to a two-handed dodging, American-style offense. Under new head coach Roy Colsey, the focus will shift to balance. 

“We want to have the field completely balanced,” Colsey explained. “So if you drew a line from goal to goal, an invisible line from the middle of one goal to the middle of the other, all my lefties will be on one side, all my righties will be on the other.”

Colsey referenced that approach in his opening press conference, where he spoke about wanting his players to “put their best hand forward, not their best foot forward.”  

Colsey believes that all players can be more successful using one hand, rather than trying to overcomplicate the game by switching hands. It’s a philosophy that’s traditionally more prevalent in box lacrosse, which he noted. 

“Ninety-something percent of the time, every lacrosse player, besides maybe crease attackmen, is playing with the stick in their strong hand,” Colsey said. “So for me, and what you'll see with our offense, is we'll play to that. We'll probably almost always send out three lefties and three righties.”

Equal balance on both sides of the field allows for more defined roles, as players will tend to stick to one side, based on the philosophy. 

“I have three positions," Colsey explained. "So, not attack and midfield, but three specific skill sets that I'm looking to fill, and one lefty and one righty with each of those." 

On each side of the field, the former Hall of Famer wants his offense to have a crease guy, a flex player and a stretch guy. The extent of each role is larger than its name, but the premise aligns with those monikers. 

The “crease guy” will operate close to the goal but is expected to be able to do more than finish for the offense. He will also need to be a viable distributor and understand how to manipulate defenses while off-ball. 

The biggest change is the introduction of the “flex” player in the Chaos offense. Colsey envisions this role as the offensive player on either side who will draw the short-stick matchup from the defense. 

Since the flex player is stationed between the stretch and crease guys on either side of the field, they’ll be paramount in creating space for the other two roles to get their looks. This role is designed for solid decision-makers who can distinguish when to attack a defender one-on-one or when to exploit an out-of-position defense to free the stretch shooter or crease player. 

The “stretch” shooter role is more advanced than a Klay Thompson-esque catch-and-shoot player that lets it rain from the outside. The stretch player is expected to have a good IQ and understand when to fire away and when to work a dodge or with a teammate to create offense.

With full balance on both sides of the field, the players will be able to work together to create a free-flowing offense with strong hands. There is a significant emphasis on being comfortable with the strong hand and learning to make good decisions. 

Strong decision-making and cooperation are qualities that Colsey wants his players to have in his unscripted scheme. 

“We're not going to be a scripted offense,” Colsey said. “It's based on decision-making and cooperation. That's really what the offense will be built on. And I think that these guys will naturally fall into it.” 

The offensive players aren't going to be running around on the field like chickens with their heads cut off, but they will have the freedom to play based on instinct and not X’s and O’s. 

It’s a system that Colsey thinks his players will appreciate and enjoy. 

“I think they'll love having the freedom to play loosely and without too many constraints," he said, "but also within a framework that allows them to be successful and to know what to expect when they don't have the ball."