2024-25 PSU Lineup (The Dynasty Continues)
- Thread starter RB-Old
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But that was all before the Blaise Alexander money was flowing in.
Nah, my lineup was what I would "like" to see, not what is going to happen nor is it the optimal for most points. Most points has to include Carter. I think Beau is going to come back, but would rather he not especially if Kasak can still make 141. If not we have a real problem brewing between Kasak and SVN both at 149. The best scenario for those two is above. If Kasak shirts next year I suspect he will be 149 in 2026, then what?
I was in the camp that SVN was primed for a national championship in 2024, if he and Kasak are both 149 it's a tossup who wins the spot and we risk the loss of a soon to be finalist to the Portal. Getting Kasak back down to 141 seems to be the only obvious answer, and I am not so sure Beau wins the spot if he comes back. The points differential between Beau and Tyler at 141 next year are nil.
We have an awful lot of what ifs and overlap at a number of weights, hence one reason why I would rather see both Beau and Carter move on. The more I think about it the less special Carter's 5th will be. It most certainly will have an asterisk, and most will assume at least several other 4xers would have won a 5th given the chance. Carter's 5th will eventually be seen as a 'yeah, but...'
For that one extra year for Carter and Beau we could lose guys with 3 years of eligibility (Facundo and to a lesser extent Kasak). I feel a stronger allegiance to those two kids who have already started for us, and are next in line.
As for the incoming talent, it's almost assured that several who are losing in the room will see the writing on the wall and leave, but that is a slightly different issue.
I want to see Bartlett win won. Just love the kid.
It wouldn't surprise me if we have multiple guys in the next couple years who portal out because they don't have a spot only to meet our guy in the finals. Kasak and Facundo seem like two potential candidates. It would be pretty cool to see that if we really don't have room.
For as dominant as PSU has been, we are just entering the prime of this dynasty right now. This is the best recruiting class I think I've ever seen coming in this year.
Arguably Kasak's year was slightly better than SVN's. Coming back next year as vets it really could be anyone's game. I would hate to see either portal, but we shouldn't assume Kasak the victim in this scenario. Byers says he doesn't want to redshirt.
I too would like to see Beau win one, but with his match management style that will never be a gurantee. He had this one seemingly in the bag, and had he simply followed the gramby like he had probably done a 1000 times in the room, he would be a national champ today. Oh well...
As a true freshman, Kasak should be at yet another level next season. I can certainly see him beating either Beau at 141 or SVN at 149 as realistic, albeit far from guaranteed scenarios.
On balance I see both Kasak and SVN starting next year as the very best case scenario. It won't come without some compromise.
I too would like to see Beau win one, but with his match management style that will never be a gurantee. He had this one seemingly in the bag, and had he simply followed the gramby like he had probably done a 1000 times in the room, he would be a national champ today. Oh well...
As a true freshman, Kasak should be at yet another level next season. I can certainly see him beating either Beau at 141 or SVN at 149 as realistic, albeit far from guaranteed scenarios.
On balance I see both Kasak and SVN starting next year as the very best case scenario. It won't come without some compromise.
PS - the ugliest part of the next 3 years and losing some wrestlers to the Portal - most likely at least a couple go to Ohio St, or Iowa. That will be brutal to see.
Mich, Nebraska, Cornell, not so much. Rutgers, ugh.
Lehigh or Penn? Please
Mich, Nebraska, Cornell, not so much. Rutgers, ugh.
Lehigh or Penn? Please
My hope is that the guys that go stay in PA (Lehigh or Penn, but also Edinboro, Clarion, etc., even Pitt). I know that's not totally realistic, though.
The heck with a 215lb new weight class, we need a 145 or 153!
The Cactus guys say a lot of sh!t. The whole format is three guys just shooting the breeze; not everything they say is based in fact (understatement). Pyles at times also throws sh!t against the wall. Which is okay; just need to bear this in mind.
Barr at 197 and Ryder at 184 seems pretty far-fetched, particularly as a RS frosh and a true frosh, respectively. And after 2024-25, Connor Mirasola appears to be at 197 for 4 years, barring some unforeseen development.
In fact, Mirasola at 197 in 2024-25 seems far more likely than Barr.
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Kasak's run in the consolation bracket at NCAAs was super impressive. But SVN really came on the last month or so of the 2022-23 season; last season's SVN doesn't lose to Jaden Abas in the NCAA first round. And you seem to forget how dominate SVN was in the first part of 2023-24, before the knee injury. A healthy SVN beats Kasak. There was a reason why SVN was the starter at 149.
Assuming SVN is healthy for 2024-25, the most likely scenario if for Kasak to redshirt, with SVN at 149 and BB at 141 for one last run. Ideally, after that Kasak can go at 141 for a couple seasons. However, like others I think that Kasak is better at 149 than 141. I won't even consider Kasak growing into a 157.
Triple dog dare you to tell them.
I saw Beau yesterday--his mustache is coming in nicely, and I can't help but wonder if he's planning a heel turn for next year. It'd be hilarious if he became Bizzaro Beau and started talking trash and pinning dudes in the 1st period instead of the 3rd.
Schwartz, created a slight breach of etiquette by skipping the triple-dare… and going straight for the throat.
I think this is the most likely lineup but who knows
This is exactly how I see it as well. I think Mirasola at 197 is going to be too good to redshirt and second semester he takes over the weight. I have Facundo beating Barraclough but I could see it going the other way. I just still have high expectations for Facundo especially after a year of training with Dake, Nolf, etc. I’m excited to see if he made a jump a not. I think Lilledahl is a title contender from day 1. I love Kasak but SVN looked like an absolute monster at the beginning of the year. If he can get back to that form he is absolutely a title contender as well. Lots of people writing off Nagao but I just don’t think he was right for most of the year. I don’t think I see him as a title threat next year but I feel like he should be on the podium. The twin killers at 157-165 won’t lose another match in their college careers.
No disrespect intended @GogglesPaizano, but fortunately Cael seems to be less concerned with what he’d like to see, and more concerned with helping the wrestlers reach their goals…especially one who came inches from a championship, and wants to give it one more go.
I think Nagao's weaknesses were exposed this year. He'll have to clean it up, get a shot to the right side and finish vs relying on funk every time. Willie made mention of one Lion going into the portal so I wonder aloud who that may be... I do agree, SVN is really good and still contest that he had knee issues at the NCAAs or else... i do like SVNs and Kasak's approach - they wrestle tough and aren't afraid - be great to see them back to back somehow
SVN had Yianni on the ropes for a hot minute in the third period when I think the enormity of the moment caught up with him a little. Third place by losing to a 20+ seed then battling back through the entire back draw is impressive but not quite as impressive as third place after being a minute from stunning a 4-timer in the quarters.
I'll limit my comments to the lower weights (125 thru 157). Lots of great talent here and we should maximize the use of that talent as best we can. So here is how I would like to see the lineups in the future:
2024-2025
125 - Davis (Luke RS)
133 - Nagao
141 - Bartlett
149 - SVN (Kasak RS)
157 - MM or Levi
2025--2026
125 - Luke
133 - Nagao (Nagao's last yr; Davis RS)
141 - Kasak
149 - SVN
157 - MM or Levi
2026-2027
125 - Luke
133 - Davis
141 - Kasak
149 - SVN
157 - MM
There will be other talent who will challenge some of these starters, but this is my best guess.
2024-2025
125 - Davis (Luke RS)
133 - Nagao
141 - Bartlett
149 - SVN (Kasak RS)
157 - MM or Levi
2025--2026
125 - Luke
133 - Nagao (Nagao's last yr; Davis RS)
141 - Kasak
149 - SVN
157 - MM or Levi
2026-2027
125 - Luke
133 - Davis
141 - Kasak
149 - SVN
157 - MM
There will be other talent who will challenge some of these starters, but this is my best guess.
He's gonna enroll second semester,stay for 4-5 weeks, shut Arnold's mouth, then drop out.
I would love to see the loser of Davis/LL redshirt and Kasak redshirt unless he is clearly better than SVN. The redshirt guys would spend a year turning into Zain-like monsters and dominate for the next 3-4 years. 141 opens up after Beau brings home the title next year and we will have a dominating front 5 to complete with our normal dominating back 5.
I'm sure the guys realize that they are in the best room in the WORLD, and would be crazy not to take advantage of it.
Can't be happy until we have 10 PSU NCAA champs and 10 NLWC World Champs.
I'm sure the guys realize that they are in the best room in the WORLD, and would be crazy not to take advantage of it.
Can't be happy until we have 10 PSU NCAA champs and 10 NLWC World Champs.
I didn't presume to have any idea what Cael's plan is, but if history is to prive anything, if Kasak doesn't want to shirt Cael will let him go against either Beau or SVN if he wants, and I will raise my hand to claim it's not a foregone conclusion Kasak given a full off sesson, doesn't take either spot.
Heck Beau himself "wasted" IMO 1/2 a year chasing after beating national champion Nick Lee at 141, when the team had an open slot and need at 149. The consequence is he ultimately competed significantly undersized, and the results showed it.
What Cael does seem to do, is give the kids a lot of latitude towards their choice, and Byers says Kasak may not want to shirt.
Levi can also redshirt as well can't he? Not saying he should but it is an option
Does anyone remember when Iowa said everything will be alright as soon as Taylor and Ruth are gone? It feels like we are at least 5 combinations removed since then with no end in sight.
They said THAT, cmon, no way, I've never heard that one😱
Beau was way too small for 149 that year. He’s since said he could have made 133, but there was no spot there, either. I understand his hesitation to go to 149.
I'm pretty sure immediately after that they said as soon as Zain and Nolf are gone everything will be alright.
Yep, been a board joke for a decade, modified to the current situation.
Example: PSU will come back to earth when Zain's baby graduates.
Does anyone remember??? I barely remember, other than the 3 dozen times per month it is brought up on this board.
Jeff Bricker. He was an AA at UPJ and dealt with lots of injuries. One of my hs coaches and now my kids technology teachers. He has the kids watching Ted talks about goal setting in class. I love it.
I don't know if I buy the enormity thing. Most of us wrestled in some form or fashion. I don't think I ever once spent a micro second thinking about anything other than the here and now, even against much better opponents. What is my opponent doing. What do I want to do. The next move. Yianni just had a little more in him that day, which is why he was a 4 timer.
Dan Gable lost because he was thinking about the enormity of the situation pre-match and tightened up. Others play rope a dope in the third and lose that way. Prevent defense never works. Maybe that was SVN's issue.
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Idk what to think SVN was a redshirt frosh, kasak true frosh so that's an extra year for SVN. Is Tyler going to jump levels faster 🤔
It's no coincidence that Haines, Lee and Kasak all took blue shirts and then all made themselves known to be contenders as TF.
The only guy who didn't jump levels this season was Nagao, who actually regressed, but some maintain that Aaron was not right all season health wise?
