Interview with Trent Hillger

[TobusRex 2,006]

On 10/20/2020 at 12:07 AM, HokieHWT said:

He needs to go on a Mormon mission, redshirt, and let them graduate. That’s the only way he’ll have a chance.

Yeah, come back to school and finish his career at age 26 like Brown did at PSU :D 

[TobusRex 2,006]

On 10/20/2020 at 11:54 AM, nhs67 said:

The one thing he seems to lack right now is lateral movement.  He is too flatfooted or stiff when he goes up against Parris and Steveson right now.  Not sure that can be taught, unfortunately.

He's probably used to just throwing smaller/weaker guys from back in HS.

[nhs67 1,226]

9 hours ago, TobusRex said:

He's probably used to just throwing smaller/weaker guys from back in HS.

I don't think so.  I think it is more he was always used to being faster.

He went 215 (4th), 215(1st), 285(1st), 285(1st) in Michigan's Division 3(of 4) in Michigan.  While he may have been stronger, he made his cash off of being faster once he hit the heavyweight scene.

I remember his junior year he ended up beating Dan Perry, who had been the cream of the crop for Michigan at heavyweight from the summer of 2014 through winter of 2015.  He was a dancing bear style heavyweight, though, but had a considerable amount of speed to boot.

Well Hillger went up and went toe-to-toe:

This was sort of Hillger's arrival at heavyweight.  Perry was already committed to Michigan and was supposed to be Coon's eventual replacement.  So he was a big deal, and Hillger ended up beating him twice that season.  Perry ended up losing at States in a match he avenged in the 3rd place match.

Anyways, what I mean is he is a lot bigger than he was in high school.  While he was strong, likely stronger than most, he was unmatched in the speed department.  That is what was lethal for him.  It's also what makes him appear so flat-footed against those who have quicker lateral movement than him.  He has just never had to deal with it growing up during his maturation years.

If he trims down even the slightest, to gain a bit of that edge back, I think he can make leaps.  As it is now, when he does the dancing bear with Cass or Stencel, he's going to lose more often than not, because that isn't the style he is best at.  So he's not even a Tier 2 guy right now.

Also, FWIW Hillger dominated after his Frosh season.  In 12 matches at States only one went past three minutes (whether techfall or pinfall) and it was his Soph season finals in a 6-0 shutout win.

HUGE fan, so please don't take this wrong in any way.  Just like his own words say, this is a very diverse and deep crop of Heavyweights we have right now.  If he can gain a little bit of that lethality that was his speed advantage back, everyone will have to start thinking of him as a contender because the results will follow.

[jchapman 1,147]

3 hours ago, nhs67 said:

I don't think so.  I think it is more he was always used to being faster.

He went 215 (4th), 215(1st), 285(1st), 285(1st) in Michigan's Division 3(of 4) in Michigan.  While he may have been stronger, he made his cash off of being faster once he hit the heavyweight scene.

I remember his junior year he ended up beating Dan Perry, who had been the cream of the crop for Michigan at heavyweight from the summer of 2014 through winter of 2015.  He was a dancing bear style heavyweight, though, but had a considerable amount of speed to boot.

Well Hillger went up and went toe-to-toe:

This was sort of Hillger's arrival at heavyweight.  Perry was already committed to Michigan and was supposed to be Coon's eventual replacement.  So he was a big deal, and Hillger ended up beating him twice that season.  Perry ended up losing at States in a match he avenged in the 3rd place match.

Anyways, what I mean is he is a lot bigger than he was in high school.  While he was strong, likely stronger than most, he was unmatched in the speed department.  That is what was lethal for him.  It's also what makes him appear so flat-footed against those who have quicker lateral movement than him.  He has just never had to deal with it growing up during his maturation years.

If he trims down even the slightest, to gain a bit of that edge back, I think he can make leaps.  As it is now, when he does the dancing bear with Cass or Stencel, he's going to lose more often than not, because that isn't the style he is best at.  So he's not even a Tier 2 guy right now.

Also, FWIW Hillger dominated after his Frosh season.  In 12 matches at States only one went past three minutes (whether techfall or pinfall) and it was his Soph season finals in a 6-0 shutout win.

HUGE fan, so please don't take this wrong in any way.  Just like his own words say, this is a very diverse and deep crop of Heavyweights we have right now.  If he can gain a little bit of that lethality that was his speed advantage back, everyone will have to start thinking of him as a contender because the results will follow.

A Junior who is a 2X AA isn’t even a 2nd tier wrestler in his weight class?

[nhs67 1,226]

34 minutes ago, jchapman said:

A Junior who is a 2X AA isn’t even a 2nd tier wrestler in his weight class?

If he loses every time he faces Cassiopi and Stencel with no real signs that he's improving more than them or faster than them doesn't that make them a tier above him?

Enter Schultz(who I am skeptical about) and Kerk(or Nevills).  Now he is in the mix with guys like Wood, Orndorf, Slav, Elam(who I expect to make a leap this year), Gremmel, Andrews, etc. for 7th/8th.  Him and most if thise guys are my Tier 3.

Tier 1: Championship Contender

Tier 2: High AA Contender

Tier 3: Bloodround/Low AA.

So yes.  Tier 3.