Penn State will win it again

[wrestlingnerd 2,600]

Given the choice and talent I would go to Oklahoma State to wrestle for John Smith.

I l almost agree with you but Smith cuts his guys too much. He is such an exceptional technician and master motivator, but man, he is also brutal with weight.

[Jim46 5]

OSU academics are right up there with Harvard.

Food is good too, and coaching is excellent according to Chance.

[TBar1977 3,871]

Post on Penn State claims Bo Nickal was at a camp and said he is moving up this year. If true, say hello to Mark Hall at 174. 

[wrestlingnerd 2,600]

If it's really Hall at 174 and Nickal at 184, it's hard to see anyone beating the Lions. That's an insane amount of firepower reminiscent of the dominant Iowa teams.

 

I realize Hall has yet to wrestle an NCAA match and freestyle is not folkstyle, but there is no denying his ability to AA right out of the gate, and quite high, especially at 174. If BoJo goes 174, I cant wait to see the two meet up.

[aknipp 116]

If it's really Hall at 174 and Nickal at 184, it's hard to see anyone beating the Lions. That's an insane amount of firepower reminiscent of the dominant Iowa teams.

 

I realize Hall has yet to wrestle an NCAA match and freestyle is not folkstyle, but there is no denying his ability to AA right out of the gate, and quite high, especially at 174. If BoJo goes 174, I cant wait to see the two meet up.

 

 

Yea but where does Nickal fall ?  Does anyone expect he beats Dean ?  No.  Dudley?  Doubt it (Dudley wrestled both Dean and David Taylor extremely close last year) 

 

How many other 84# AAs return ? 

[TBar1977 3,871]

Nickal would not be favored at 184, but he could finish pretty high, like 3 to 4. Hall's ceiling is 1rst and his floor is probably 3rd. 

[wrestlingnerd 2,600]

I think Nickal could be in the finals. I'm not predicting it, but he has that kind of talent. An important factor is Zahid Valencia. Does he go 174, as CP/Flo thought might happen, or does he go 184? If Hall goes 174, does that influence Valencia's decision?

 

I see Dean winning 184 as a solid favorite but his opponent in the finals could include several guys of which Nickal is one. We had a little freestyle preview of Dean vs. Nickal a couple of summers ago and the match was by no means a blowout. It was actually quite close. I am not suggesting we should draw too many conclusions from that match, but in my opinion Nickal has gotten better as a wrestler than Dean has since that match, albeit in folkstyle.

 

174 and 184 are turning out to be the most intriguing weights, with Hall, two Valencias, potentially Bojo, and two returning NCAA champs as well as two returning NCAA runners-up all mixing it up at the two weights.

Edited July 21, 2016 by wrestlingnerd

[WillieBoy 713]

I'll go so far as to say Oklahoma will suffer more than 500 earthquakes before OSU wins another Title. That is 2.5 or higher quakes, not just the small stuff.

 

Penn State is the new Iowa, you guys have that right. Shirttail fans and major haters all the way around. Biggest difference is in attitude. Penn State doesn't seem to have the rudeness that characterizes Iowa - yet. With some luck they will not develop it.

[TBar1977 3,871]

Word from ohiowrestling.net is that Isiaih White will not be coming to Ohio State. OTC or Notre Dame College likely landing spots. 

[Creek chub 175]

No doubt that dean is the prohibitive favorite at 184. I'd add zavatsky's name as a possible finalist candidate regardless of who else slots in at 184.

 

He progressed really well during the regular season and ACC championships but under performed his first shot on the big stage. He has the talent, work ethic and athletic ability to beat anyone including dean. I'm biased but the young man may end up being vt's first national champ.

[TBar1977 3,871]

Zac is a great rider. 

[WillieBoy 713]

Zac is a great rider. 

If Frank the Tank wrestles him - will Frank choose Down?

[Creek chub 175]

From what I'm hearing is ZZ is pounding the weights this off season. Bedsides the typical freshmen mistakes, strength was his only real struggle at times against the top tiered guys. Even then, he beat most of them. He's fun to watch.

[wrestlingnerd 2,600]

Fully agree Zavatsky is in the mix with all the top guys.

[KTG119 819]

another one from a Va school who could be a factor is Dechow ODU. 

[Creek chub 175]

Agreed about dechow. He's tough.

[Chrissn2001 80]

Agreed about dechow. He's tough.

 

In Colorado, they put THC in the water...In VA, the put inconsistency in the water.  Hopefully, he can overcome that!

[Creek chub 175]

the inconsistencies in va are from 'shine.

[smcfee 76]

I'll go so far as to say Oklahoma will suffer more than 500 earthquakes before OSU wins another Title. That is 2.5 or higher quakes, not just the small stuff.

 

Penn State is the new Iowa, you guys have that right. Shirttail fans and major haters all the way around. Biggest difference is in attitude. Penn State doesn't seem to have the rudeness that characterizes Iowa - yet. With some luck they will not develop it.

WillieBoy, if you look, that is only another year!  Considering we had over 900 3.0 or bigger last year.

 

That being said, I think PSU has the next two years as the favorite now, and depending on what comes in the next class, maybe more.  But, the top 4 can knock each other around and all it takes is one of their favorites being knocked off and out, or an untimely injury, to change the whole thing.  That is what makes it fun.

Edited July 25, 2016 by smcfee

[TBar1977 3,871]

WillieBoy, if you look, that is only another year!

 

That being said, I think PSU has the next two years as the favorite now, and depending on what comes in the next class, maybe more.  But, the top 4 can knock each other around and all it takes is one of their favorites being knocked off and out, or an untimely injury, to change the whole thing.  That is what makes it fun.

 

 

 

If not Penn State, who do you favor three years out? 

[PSUMike 442]

If Bo does go up, why is it Hall that has to slide into 174? Rasheed could easily do the same and give Hall another year to develop. 

[smcfee 76]

If not Penn State, who do you favor three years out? 

TBar, too early for me to commit to anyone.  Too many things can happen between now and then.

[BadgerMon 180]

If Bo does go up, why is it Hall that has to slide into 174? Rasheed could easily do the same and give Hall another year to develop. 

Doesn't seem like Hall needs another year, from what I've seen.

[WillieBoy 713]

WillieBoy, if you look, that is only another year!

 

That being said, I think PSU has the next two years as the favorite now, and depending on what comes in the next class, maybe more.  But, the top 4 can knock each other around and all it takes is one of their favorites being knocked off and out, or an untimely injury, to change the whole thing.  That is what makes it fun.

 

I think I'm safe here. 17 over the past 7 days already.

 

I wish OSU would win a title as John Smith is my favorite coach and wrestler. Don't see it happening. As you say, injury or illness or academic problems or something else can rise up and bite any team. Still think Penn State will be on top.

[MSU158 1,547]

Yet again, I don't see PSU as the clear favorite on paper, but their recent track record is too much to ignore.  That is why I wouldn't pick against them, but looking at them in a vacuum, there are 3(almost) 4 teams that come into the season looking just as tough and maybe a bit more NCAA Tournament proven.

 

1.)PSU has 3 bonus point machines in Retherford, Nolf and Nickal.  However, returning Gulibon, Nevills and McCutcheon(184 is still not fully confirmed) could go anywhere from 1-2 to low podium.  Slotting in Suriano at 125 as a true freshman gives you absolutely no concrete info to go off.  Cortez has looked very solid in freestyle competition, but again there is very little NCAA info to gauge him by.  Joseph is very similar and 197 is a huge question mark depending on Cassar's health.  Picking them as a favorite is based more on what Sanderson has consistently produced than any irrefutable data.

 

2.)Iowa has 3 likely finalists(2 favorites) in Gilman, Clark and Sorenson.  They also have 2 returning AA's in Meyer and Brooks.  Marinelli, if he wrestles as a true freshman, matches up with Suriano.  Kemerer matches up with Joseph.  Stoll, having been injured, is a similar question mark to Nevills.  Carton/Turk are a full step behind Gulibon at 141 and 197 is as cloudy for both.

 

3.)tOSU has 4 likely finalists(1 favorite) in Snyder,Tomasello, Jordan and Martin, depending on what weights they end up wrestling. M. Jordan should be a strong AA candidate up at a more natural weight(149). Ryan will remain serviceable at 157.  After that, they will have to rely on a lot of unproven youth: Rodriguez/Pletcher, Kresevic or Rozema(depending on who BoJo/Martin), Kollin Moore and with Hayes(highest expecations) leading the way.

 

4.)OkState has 1 likely finalist(favorite) in Heil.  A healthy Crutchmer is capable of reaching the finals.  Collica, Smith and Boyd have high AA potential.  Brock, in limited time, showed he could wrestle with anyone at 133.  Rogers should be a strong AA candidate down at his more natural weight.  Weigel is also a strong AA candidate at 197 having reached the R12 with several AA's graduated.  Piccininni is on par with the Cortez expectations, while 285 appears to be a hole with Schafer possibly moving up from 197.

 

5.)VTech has a ton of AA potential, but I only see maybe 2 outside shot finalists in Epperly and Walz.  Dance has to get healthy and 2 underwhelming NCAA's in a row makes him too unpredictable. Chisko, McFadden, Zavatsky and Haught have midlevel AA potential.  133, 149 and 157 will return no 2016 NCAA points.  Not sure this team has the high end firepower to do more than sneak ahead of 1 or 2 of the above if the above underperform.

 

Honestly, if all other things were the same(Coaching, recent history, etc.)  I don't know which team of the 1st 4 you could honestly put ahead of the other!