Chaos faceoff specialist Justin Inacio is officially sidelined with a right knee sprain, ruled out for the squad’s big doubleheader in Columbus, and general manager Spencer Ford just dropped a bombshell: he’s not signing a new faceoff specialist to replace him. This isn’t just a minor roster tweak; we’re talking about a move right before they face the California Redwoods and their absolute monster at the stripe, TD Ierlan, one of the PLL’s top faceoff men. Ford is seriously rolling the dice here, and the league is watching.
Ford’s Bold Move: Going In-House Against the Best
Why no outside help, especially with the Redwoods on deck? Ford laid it out, saying, “There could be guys who could come in and possibly win, but there is not one person who can come and be the whole package for us.” He’s looking for way more than just a guy who can win a few draws. Ford wants someone who can hit that 40% win rate, be a beast in the pick game when Ierlan tries to switch for Chris Kavanagh, and crucially, stop Ierlan from just bulldozing forward and scoring those huge goals that always hurt. Plus, they need someone who can spark the offense and keep things flying with that quick 32-second shot clock. It’s a tall order, and Ford clearly thinks the free agent market just isn’t cutting it. So, the Chaos are leaning on their existing offensive and short-stick defensive midfielders, with Ty English, Christian Scarpello, and Ray Dearth picking up the slack. Dearth already stepped up big after Inacio went down against the Boston Cannons, taking 23 faceoffs in that crazy 13-12 overtime win. Can they carry that load against Ierlan and the Philadelphia Waterdogs this weekend?
The Extra SSDM Play and Why Ford Won’t Trade
The decision to skip a faceoff specialist isn’t just about who *isn’t* there; it’s about who *is* joining the squad. By not dressing a dedicated faceoff guy, Carolina found room to add a fourth short-stick defensive midfielder to the roster for the first time all season. That means we’re about to see second-year Ohio State grad Greg Langermeier make his season debut in Columbus. Langermeier brings some serious hustle, racking up four caused turnovers, eight groundballs, and two assists in nine games during his rookie 2025 season. Ford sees this as a personnel advantage, stating, “We decided on an extra SSDM so that we could be ready with personnel on the field to play 32.” He’s betting this strategic shift pays off, adding, “If it works, then that means our guys did their jobs.” There’s been plenty of chatter on social media about this decision, but Ford isn’t backing down. He’d rather trust someone who’s already deep in the Chaos system than bring in an unknown. An external option like Waterdogs backup Connor Farrell was on Philadelphia’s protected roster, meaning a trade would be necessary. Ford bluntly put it: “Not able to make a trade with a team that we are playing tomorrow, and not confident a player can come in and be what we need them to be after not playing for a long period.”
This is a high-stakes weekend for the Chaos. They hit the field against the Redwoods on Friday at 6 p.m. ET, then turn around to face the Waterdogs on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. Both games are on ESPN+. Can this in-house rotation prove Ford’s gamble right, or will Ierlan make them pay for not having a specialist? It’s going to be wild, folks.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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