2021-2023 Transfer Portal news
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What it looks like when DT and the PSU coaching staff have a baby 😂Full list of 157 national title contenders:
Nearly all of Iowa's points come from Srs to be. They will be hitting the portal hard again next year.
165 Levi
165 Mesenbrink
165 Facundo
165 Starocci (dropping for Olympics)
We win just as convincingly.
I’d rather have Caliendo than Kennedy so I think that’s a big pickup. The problem is that they both have a similar body type and I can’t see either one being a super effective guy at 174. Will be interesting to watch play out. Overall though this definitely makes them better for next year. I like Cobe quite a bit but Franek is a definite upgrade. Do Cobe or Kennedy have any sort of redshirt available to them?
Both already used a redshirt. I'm curious what happens with PK.
Hope both fellas have good medical insurance
The Hawks improved their returning points from 2023, but I'm not sure they improved their potential points for 2024.
It took Franek 5 years before reaching the podium. How much better can he be in year 6? IMO, a healthy Cobe's ceiling is as high.
Caliendo vs Kennedy also looks like a coin flip.
It took Franek 5 years before reaching the podium. How much better can he be in year 6? IMO, a healthy Cobe's ceiling is as high.
Caliendo vs Kennedy also looks like a coin flip.
Even if one of them were effective at 174 -- that would either drive Brands to 184 and Assad to 197, or push one of them to the bench. That doesn't seem to help their lineup overall.
I bet Franek Caliendo will be really good at impersonating all of the Iowa wrestlers and coaches!
This is it.
And what to do about Arnold?
Just doesn’t feel like we have a whole bunch of optimization here. And if the answer is that Gabe is the best guy… this is terrible use of resources.
Brands is a SR and Arnold is gonna shirt anyway ... but in 2025:
165 = Kennedy (RS JR), Caliendo (RS JR), RIggins (RS SO)
174 = Arnold (RS FR)
184 = Angelo Ford Focus (true FR)
Something's gotta give there. Probably they're thinking Ferrari 197 (possibly shirting in 2025), Arnold 184 -- but Arnold's height/length may be an issue at 174, let alone 184.
Franek is a huge upgrade over Cobe. Only way Cobe would come close to his points is if he makes the podium while grabbing 2 pins on the way (which I guess is possible with his style) Then he is at around 10 points but Franek is a much more sure thing to get on the podium.
I think Kennedy and Caliendo are close but you have to give the nod to the guy who beat Shane Griffith and placed last year (though to be honest, Griffith always looks more mortal in regular season than the postseason) Iowa needed some good news in the offseason bottom line. This move definitely gives them a better shot to finish a distant second again.
I think Kennedy and Caliendo are close but you have to give the nod to the guy who beat Shane Griffith and placed last year (though to be honest, Griffith always looks more mortal in regular season than the postseason) Iowa needed some good news in the offseason bottom line. This move definitely gives them a better shot to finish a distant second again.
And two of those 165s are probably miffed for not getting a bag. Multiple possibilities for off and on the mat drama starting next year. This is going to be fun
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Franek has one year remaining and will be the starter at 157. He's an upgrade (i.e., higher floor and more consistency) over Cobe, though would not say a "huge" upgrade as others have opined. In any event, would not consider Franek to be a waste of resources, particularly as any "cost" is limited to one season.
Caliendo appears more or less duplicative with Kennedy. But since when is more talent, depth, and competition a negative? Seems the worst case is that someone (Caliendo, Kennedy, or less likely, Arnold) doesn't have a spot and decides to wrestle elsewhere. Or maybe Caliendo or Kennedy can drop to 157 for 2024-25 and beyond (though this seems unlikely).
Overall, these transfers are a plus for Iowa, though they probably don't move the needle all that much in the bigger scheme. And Bob Nichols & company have plenty of money to throw around, so bringing Franek and Caliendo one board hardly seems a waste or terrible use of resources.
Ok then. Franek>Siebrecht.
Franek vs Haines: Who ya got?
There we go. Argument solved. Next?
If the amount these guys received moves the needle zero, or not much, then it’s legitimately poor management of resources. It becomes a negative, and especially wasteful, if/when one leaves. Just not enough juice to make the upgrade squeeze worth it, not when you likely have bigger holes elsewhere.
He wrestles off caliendo? Which is about as close to 50/50 as a match can get? And then the winner beats the psu 165?
I am good with Caliendo and Kennedy going at it to determine the starter, my money is on Kennedy.
I am also good with Facundo going at it with Nolf and Dake to get better year 2.
2024 Alex vs 2024 Iowa, my money is on Alex.
Well if Alex is the starter, he needs to first beat out a U20 silver medalist (and counting ...)
Well maybe.
I will agree. Caliendo or Kennedy < Facundo, Levi or Mesenbrink.
We are enjoying an abundance of prosperity right now. Good times, good times.
No way facundo starts over messinbrink. The guy has no offense, and the argument for him beating Kennedy, or Caliendo ended in the rd of 32 last year
Wrong...LAST YEAR he had no offense. Remember who his coaches are and what happens at Penn State in time.
McHenry could have more impact than Franek and Caliendo combined. I'm half kidding but not fully.
The difference is Messinbrink has an Olympic shirt. But yes, for Penn State, it will also be interesting to see how 157-174 shakes out in the next few seasons. This season, Iowa will have an AA (or AA caliber - PK) sitting at either 165 or 174. Or push Brands/Assad up to 184/197.
I like our guys.
Take the blue and white glasses off of your head for 2 seconds and see what's actually in front of you. The guy couldn't beat heller or Bubba Wilson in his second year of college. He isn't jumping to elite no matter how many times nolf techs him in the room
Just cuz your almighty Marinelli made it to the qtrs 3x doesnt mean our guy stinks.
No need to put the LOL at the end when you are stating facts. The Iowa transfers will most likely regress due to the Brands bros teaching them how to push and stall.
easy on Facundo. Freshman had some good shots near the end of the season but couldn't finish in-bounds. He isn't starting from scratch
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