BWI's Practice Notebook - (Johnson to miss time with injury)

[Tim Owen/BWI staff]

I left the woods this morning (somewhat reluctantly, ha!) in time to drive back to State College for Cael Sanderson's pre-practice media availability. A few important notes to come out of it, regarding this weekend's Nittany Lion Open and also how the team utilized its time away from competition over the holiday break.

Also, heavyweight Jan Johnson will miss approximately two or three weeks with a knee injury. Sanderson confirmed that Johnson had his knee "scoped" after returning from the California trip, and although Johnson was at practice today, he is not expected to wrestle at the NLO Sunday. More details at the link below.

LINK: BWI's Wrestling Notebook (Dec. 1)

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Had to leave the wood without getting a buck ... that's unfortunate Tim.

Thanks for the report. Disappointing to learn of Johnson's injury.

 

[tikk10]

Also, heavyweight Jan Johnson will miss approximately two or three weeks with a knee injury. Sanderson confirmed that Johnson had his knee "scoped" after returning from the California trip, and although Johnson was at practice today, he is not expected to wrestle at the NLO Sunday. More details at the link below.

Oh, that's too bad. I figured the NLO would be a good opportunity for him to get some matches in.

 

[Tim Owen/BWI staff]

Had to leave the wood without getting a buck ... that's unfortunate Tim.

Thanks for the report. Disappointing to learn of Johnson's injury.

Season's not over yet, Tom. There's still time..

 

[Tim Owen/BWI staff]

Oh, that's too bad. I figured the NLO would be a good opportunity for him to get some matches in.

Agreed, I was thinking the same. Would've been a great opportunity for him to get at least a few more quality matches under his belt and test his conditioning. Interested to see how they ease him back now. I feel like it's an outside shot that he's ready by Rider (Dec. 19), so would they throw him back into the action at the Scuffle (Jan. 1-2)? That's a tall task for anyone coming off injury, let alone someone who was playing football and not wrestling just months before that, so we'll see

 

[lionlover]

Agreed, I was thinking the same. Would've been a great opportunity for him to get at least a few more quality matches under his belt and test his conditioning. Interested to see how they ease him back now. I feel like it's an outside shot that he's ready by Rider (Dec. 19), so would they throw him back into the action at the Scuffle (Jan. 1-2)? That's a tall task for anyone coming off injury, let alone someone who was playing football and not wrestling just months before that, so we'll see

Depending on his recuperative status, I would throw him in the shuffle. They can always forfeit if its too much for him. But, he is going to need as much practice as they can possibly give him without wearing excessively on that knee.

 

[androcles]

... What I found interesting in the coach remarks was that there were a couple of other guys on the team who would like the opportunity to move up to heavyweight if needed ...

...perhaps Phipps or maybe Cassar?...

 

[Tom McAndrew]

... What I found interesting in the coach remarks was that there were a couple of other guys on the team who would like the opportunity to move up to heavyweight if needed ...

...perhaps Phipps or maybe Cassar?...

Looking at the roster, the following seem to be the possibilities:

- Wes Phipps (184, Jr)
- Dylan Dailey (184, Sr)
- Devon Van Cura (174/184, RS Fr)
- Kellan Stout (184, Fr)

Phipps seems the most likely candidate. He's been injured a good bit while at PSU. As things have evolved while he's at PSU, it appears that he has little chance of cracking the lineup unless a starter gets injured. I don't believe he's wrestled this year at an Open. I thought I heard that he was injured, but don't know for sure. Tim, do you know his current status?

Dailey is 0-2 on the year at Opens -- not sure that he would provide much.

Van Cura is 6-3 on the year at Opens.

Stout is a true freshman, who is redshirting. I'd hate to see his 'shirt get pulled.

Cassar isn't enrolled, so he could not wrestle for PSU at this time. I haven't checked the rules in awhile (Roar, feel free to jump in here), but I think if he were registered for the spring term he could not wrestle until the fall semester is completed (meaning that the Rider dual would be the earliest he could take the mat for PSU). I'm not certain that my memory of the rules is accurate, so don't take the above as fact.

 

[caliPSUfan]

Anyone know what happened to Nick Weldon?

 

[Brian LB-U]

Tom, re: Cassar not being enrolled, my understanding is Cornell's Dylan Palacio isn't enrolled either since he withdrew from school, yet if you read Rob Koll's comments (posted somewhere, possibly TOS), he makes it sound like Palacio will be back wrestling in the second semester, possibly even in time for the Scuffle.

Assuming I interpreted Koll's statement correctly and PSU and Cornell have similar rules around enrollment/eligibility to participate, perhaps Cassar would be eligible, too?

 

[Ian]

Its an embarrassing prediciment for the best team in the nation. Thankfully the other 9 are really strong. The true weakness is exposed against the top teams when they are pretty much given a 6 point head start. Fortunately it didn't cost them at Va Tech. But what about O$U, Michigan, Okie St, etc... It should be as glaring at tournament time.

 

[burnsie1983]

Its an embarrassing prediciment for the best team in the nation. Thankfully the other 9 are really strong. The true weakness is exposed against the top teams when they are pretty much given a 6 point head start. Fortunately it didn't cost them at Va Tech. But what about O$U, Michigan, Okie St, etc... It should be as glaring at tournament time.

The current lack of a heavyweight will be much more noticeable in duals than at the big tourneys. We've won Nationals while only sending 9 guys, or having guys at a certain weight only score a point or two. We'll be fine as a tournament team.

 

[Tim Owen/BWI staff]

I believe Phipps is the most likely option, but I haven't heard anything about his injury status yet this season. If everything has gone well, he should be healed up by now but I don't have any confirmation on that. As for Van Cura and Dailey, they're as good of guess as any, but that's about as far as I'll go right now.

 

[1stplacehawk]

I think the most likely scenario is a forfeit in duals until Johnson is back. It doesn't do much for the big picture as far as PSU goes

 

[NoVa Lion]

I believe Phipps is the most likely option, but I haven't heard anything about his injury status yet this season. If everything has gone well, he should be healed up by now but I don't have any confirmation on that. As for Van Cura and Dailey, they're as good of guess as any, but that's about as far as I'll go right now.

Per today's press release from PSU Phipps, Van Cura, Nevills & Johnson are not wrestling in the NLO this weekend. Everyone else on the roster is.

 

[Tim Owen/BWI staff]

Per today's press release from PSU Phipps, Van Cura, Nevills & Johnson are not wrestling in the NLO this weekend. Everyone else on the roster is.

Entire release pasted below, courtesy of Pat Donghia of GoPSUSports.com:

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; December 2, 2015 -- No. 1 Penn State (4-0, 0-0 B1G) will take part in the 2015 Nittany Lion Open on Sunday, Dec. 6. The event, hosted by the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club, begins at 10 a.m. in Rec Hall. Penn State is set to send the bulk of its roster into action, but the line-up could change up until Sunday morning.

The Nittany Lions are coming off a West Coast road trip that saw them roll to wins at CSU Bakersfield (39-3) and No. 18 Stanford (31-12), winning 15 of 19 contested bouts. Head coach Cael Sanderson’s squad is 4-0 through its first four dual meets and will send the bulk of its line-up into action at the NLO..

Wrestling attached will be most of its early season starters: No. 4 Nico Megaludis at 125, No. 8 Jordan Conaway at 133, No. 6 Jimmy Gulibon at 141, No. 1 Zain Retherford at 149, No. 3 Jason Nolf at 157, No. 20 Shakur Rasheed at 165, No. 6 Bo Nickal at 174, No. 13 Matt McCutcheon at 184 and No. 1 Morgan McIntosh at 197.

Set to compete in their blue and white singlets are Zack Beitz (157), Brian Brill (174), George Carpenter (133), Dylan Dailey (184), Garett Hammond (165), Cody Law (165), Caleb Livingston (165), Geno Morelli (165), Kade Moss (141) and Kenny Yanovich (125).

Wrestling unattached will be Francisco Bisono (165), Jered Cortez (133), Gary Dinmore (141), Dominic Giannangeli (141), Patrick Higgins (125), Vincenzo Joseph (157), Triston Law (141), Scott Stossel (125) and Kellan Stout (184). As of Tuesday (12/2), Wes Philpps, Nick Nevills, Devon Van Cura and Jan Johnson are not slated to wrestle at the event.

The action begins at 10 a.m. in Rec Hall. The Nittany Lion Open is hosted by the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club and is not part of Penn State’s season ticket package. Fans can purchase tickets at the door: $10 for adults, $5 for students and FREE for children ages 5 and under. The semifinals/finals will being approximately between 4 and 6 p.m. Please note this is an approximate time.

Penn State hosts Wisconsin in the first of two BJC Duals this year. The Nittany Lions and Badgers meet on the raised stage of the Bryce Jordan Center on Sunday, Dec. 13, at 1 p.m. With season tickets once again sold out in advance of the campaign beginning, Penn State is giving fans more opportunities than ever to see the Nittany Lions compete, including Penn State’s next home dual meet on Dec. 13 vs. Wisconsin.

 

[El-Jefe]

Anyone know what happened to Nick Weldon?

Transferred to a lower-division school in the south, closer to home.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Anyone know what happened to Nick Weldon?

Nick Weldon transferred to Newberry

This ^^^^^ was posted by davidtaylorgangordie on Sep 1, when we were discussing the updated roster released by GoPSUsports.com, and wondering about certain absences.

 

[androcles]

...just a note about Heavyweight recruiting...

...it is very difficult to foresee injuries, as most would agree,,,

... the biggest drawback is that if you invest in more than one quality Heavyweight the second person will likely never wrestle ...

...beyond that, he cannot help you at any other weight...unlike an extra 125# thru 185#...

...the best scenario is if you can get a walk-on or two at that weight but that is hard to do because a good-to-great Heavyweight can usually command $$$s from most programs...

...Penn State was fortunate the last few years because they had not 2 but 3 quality Heavyweights available ...but a couple of them were nearby walkons...

...but thas jes my opinion...

 

[dunkej01]

...just a note about Heavyweight recruiting...

...it is very difficult to foresee injuries, as most would agree,,,

... the biggest drawback is that if you invest in more than one quality Heavyweight the second person will likely never wrestle ...

...beyond that, he cannot help you at any other weight...unlike an extra 125# thru 185#...

...the best scenario is if you can get a walk-on or two at that weight but that is hard to do because a good-to-great Heavyweight can usually command $$$s from most programs...

...Penn State was fortunate the last few years because they had not 2 but 3 quality Heavyweights available ...but a couple of them were nearby walkons...

...but thas jes my opinion...

I would give Spykers right leg to have one of our heavies back from last year.