Some Michigan Wrestling Questions

[kionga 31]

I was looking at the roster and noticed some kids I followed in high school were no longer listed.  I see Ben Freeman transferred to Buffalo, but what about his brother Nick?  What happened to Mike Mars and Noah Comar?

With Covid issues threatening to deplete rosters at any time, I would think teams would want as many "extra matches" as possible to build up resumes of their back-ups.  I was surprised, therefore, that Kurt McHenry, Reece Hughes, Bobby Striggow, and Gaige Garcia saw no action this past weekend.  Anyone have insight into why they did not wrestle?

Is Jelani Embree healthy?  The BTN announcers gave no insight into why he was not in the line-up.

Who is Michigan's starter at 125?

[nhs67 1,232]

11 minutes ago, kionga said:

I was looking at the roster and noticed some kids I followed in high school were no longer listed.  I see Ben Freeman transferred to Buffalo, but what about his brother Nick?  What happened to Mike Mars and Noah Comar?

With Covid issues threatening to deplete rosters at any time, I would think teams would want as many "extra matches" as possible to build up resumes of their back-ups.  I was surprised, therefore, that Kurt McHenry, Reece Hughes, Bobby Striggow, and Gaige Garcia saw no action this past weekend.  Anyone have insight into why they did not wrestle?

Is Jelani Embree healthy?  The BTN announcers gave no insight into why he was not in the line-up.

Who is Michigan's starter at 125?

I know Ragusin and Medley both weighed in at 125 for both matches, so the starter has not been decided yet, it seems.

As far as the others, the rumblings I have heard is that they're prepared to use Walker and Davison, health permitting, as their starters for the foreseeable, with plans to determine a starter before conferences.  Also that Amine isn't set on 184 as of now, which means they aren't set on Embree for 197 either.

[nhs67 1,232]

Also, in a Mat Talk podcast with Purdue HC Tony Ersland they go over how extra matches work.  It's always a good listen there, especially when Ersland joins the show.  He speaks well.

https://www.mattalkonline.com/podcast/always-aggressive/talking-big-ten-schedules-aas2e11/

My understanding of them from that, and from what others have eluded to is that there is a travel limit(just as most schools had one before), so they choose to take whoever is ready to go, and whoever may need the matches for qualification purposes.  From there they talk with whoever they're facing and say "Hey, we'll be prepared to travel with these guys this weekend at <insert weigh(s)>.  Can we oblige them some extra matches?"  From there they make the extras.

 

[nhs67 1,232]

Damn.  Additionally, I don't mean to make it sound like Amine and Embree won't be the starters.  I believe the will be, just haven't decided on the weights for them yet.  Amine really doesn't want to go down to 184.

[kionga 31]

35 minutes ago, nhs67 said:

Damn.  Additionally, I don't mean to make it sound like Amine and Embree won't be the starters.  I believe the will be, just haven't decided on the weights for them yet.  Amine really doesn't want to go down to 184.

Thanks for the input.  

I really like this concept of "extra matches"  and believe it could be helpful to incorporate in the future.  For example, a few years ago Kevin Beazley was having a great year, but got injured in the Big Ten Tournament and missed the NCAA tournament.  If his back-up, Jackson Striggow, would have had a solid record and some impressive "extra match" wins, perhaps the selection committee would have given the opening to him instead of the 34th seed.

[Ragu 56]

Been awhile since we've heard from McHenry. Would like to see him back. Very fun kid to watch especially if he's weighing in as a true 125lber. Gonna be tough to take the starting spot from Ragusin though because he's a dog right now. 

[Mphillips 895]

16 minutes ago, Ragu said:

Been awhile since we've heard from McHenry. Would like to see him back. Very fun kid to watch especially if he's weighing in as a true 125lber. Gonna be tough to take the starting spot from Ragusin though because he's a dog right now. 

Ragu. Ragusin.  You sneaky rascal.

[nhs67 1,232]

1 hour ago, Ragu said:

Been awhile since we've heard from McHenry. Would like to see him back. Very fun kid to watch especially if he's weighing in as a true 125lber. Gonna be tough to take the starting spot from Ragusin though because he's a dog right now. 

I think we'll see Ragusin at 133 next year, or possibly redshirt if Micic is back, with Medley and McHenry going at it for  125.

Also we have Mattin coming in.  Both of Cole and Drew started as true frosh.  Can his brother do it as well?

[Michigan wrestling 22]

Mars was off the roster last year and I think Nick Freeman was the same. 

[nhs67 1,232]

1 hour ago, Michigan wrestling said:

Mars was off the roster last year and I think Nick Freeman was the same. 

Nick Freeman bumped up to 149 and beat North Carolina in the dual last year.

[JAD 22]

On 1/11/2021 at 12:41 PM, kionga said:

Thanks for the input.  

I really like this concept of "extra matches"  and believe it could be helpful to incorporate in the future.  For example, a few years ago Kevin Beazley was having a great year, but got injured in the Big Ten Tournament and missed the NCAA tournament.  If his back-up, Jackson Striggow, would have had a solid record and some impressive "extra match" wins, perhaps the selection committee would have given the opening to him instead of the 34th seed.

That's an interesting idea. Maybe the NCAA would allow or encourage let's say 2 "exhibition bouts" prior to the start of the actual match. Would give some other kids a chance to wrestle in front of a home crowd, too.

[gimpeltf 1,643]

11 minutes ago, JAD said:

That's an interesting idea. Maybe the NCAA would allow or encourage let's say 2 "exhibition bouts" prior to the start of the actual match. Would give some other kids a chance to wrestle in front of a home crowd, too.

Didn't that used to be called JV?

[southend 176]

All I know is they better get their act in order before Indiana shows up Sunday. 

[uncle bernard 622]

1 hour ago, southend said:

All I know is they better get their act in order before Indiana shows up Sunday. 

bringin the heat tonight brother. go hoosiers

[LordNelson 542]

Amine going 197 or not?

[Sheerstress 117]

Not sure.

https://mgoblue.com/news/2021/1/13/wrestling-wolverines-to-host-indiana-in-home-opener.aspx

[kionga 31]

3 hours ago, LordNelson said:

Amine going 197 or not?

Sure would be nice to see him and Jelani Embree out there regardless which weight they occupy.  I am excited about the possibilities for this year's squad and worry that injuries or focus on the olympics could inhibit Michigan team success.

Similarly, want to see Micic wrestle on Sunday as well.

[1032004 941]

On 1/12/2021 at 3:16 PM, Ragu said:

Been awhile since we've heard from McHenry. Would like to see him back. Very fun kid to watch especially if he's weighing in as a true 125lber. Gonna be tough to take the starting spot from Ragusin though because he's a dog right now. 

Looks like he wrestled an “extra” match today and lost 4-0 to Indiana’s backup Jacob Moran.

[Ragu 56]

Where is Joey Silva?

[nhs67 1,232]

26 minutes ago, Ragu said:

Where is Joey Silva?

That is unknown.  He did not enroll at Michigan in the fall.