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Cody Merrill to Okie State

Feels like a weird fit. Both he and Carroll are heavyweights IMO. But him ending up at OKST is no surprise given Cormier is his club and HS coach.
 
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No more weird than Sealey, Mesenbrink or Duke coming here. For the top schools it seems as if there will always be another top recruit in their way.
 
Merrill plans to be a career 197 I believe, can he do it? At Oklahoma State, absolutely!
I don’t see it personally. Kid is big and super thick in the butt and legs. Maybe he can suck down the first couple years but he is so athletic he would be a killer at heavy. He wrestled 220 at Fargo so he can probably get down to 197 but him getting stronger and weighing around 240 at heavy seems like the smarter path to me
 
I don’t see it personally. Kid is big and super thick in the butt and legs. Maybe he can suck down the first couple years but he is so athletic he would be a killer at heavy. He wrestled 220 at Fargo so he can probably get down to 197 but him getting stronger and weighing around 240 at heavy seems like the smarter path to me
Agreed 100%. I like his ceiling a bit more than Carroll also (who is great in his own right)
 
The other wrinkles are:
1. Carroll is apparently shirting this year -- if so, that's one more year of cut or conflict for Merrill.

2. Merrill has a younger brother Coby (2026) who's already at 195. Coby could go elsewhere, but brothers often go to the same school. Possible 3-way HWT conflict if Carroll shirts this year.
 
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Speaking of 197 vs heavy… is Jude’s best weight heavy? The more I see of him the more difficulty I have picturing him at his best there. Just don’t think he’ll hold the weight well. Of course I am used to watching Greg, Paris and Hendrickson who are all freak builds.
 
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Speaking of 197 vs heavy… is Jude’s best weight heavy? The more I see of him the more difficulty I have picturing him at his best there. Just don’t think he’ll hold the weight well. Of course I am not used to watching Greg, Paris and Hendrickson who are all freak builds.
Jude's plan is heavyweight and he seems to be our top option there (visited for the White Out)
 
Agreed 100%. I like his ceiling a bit more than Carroll also (who is great in his own right)
I like Merrill more than Carroll as well. I think he’s the second best kid in the 2024 class behind Lilledahl. I have him ahead of Hopke if they are both at heavy. He is just really flipping good and so athletic. Carroll is as well but Merrill seems to have a killer instinct that I don’t see with Carroll.
 
The other wrinkles are:
1. Carroll is apparently shirting this year -- if so, that's one more year of cut or conflict for Merrill.

2. Merrill has a younger brother Coby (2026) who's already at 195. Coby could go elsewhere, but brothers often go to the same school. Possible 3-way HWT conflict if Carroll shirts this year.
Coby seems to have jumped a few levels as well and become a bigger recruit. Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Carroll had been committed to multiple schools so I wonder if he ends up moving on if Merrill can’t make 197. Obviously not if he beats Merrill but I just have a hard time seeing how they keep both guys for their entire college careers.
 
I also just read that Rin Sakamoto from Japan committed to wrestle at Oklahoma State as well. He was Japans 61kg rep at U20 worlds where he made the quarterfinals. Might be a pretty good pickup. Will probably take a bit to figure out mat wrestling but he’s obviously a skilled wrestler
 
I don’t see how this one makes sense. Very tough but Carroll has his whole career ahead. Carroll been committed to like 4-5 schools. I think he is staying in Stillwater
 

Interesting fit if he can’t make 197 with Carroll there as well. Merrill looks like a heavy to me but at Oklahoma Stare he might be even be a 184
What is his deal with sabotaging exceptional talent with excessive weight cutting? I'm from D3...not anything to brag about really but we've had our moments. Joey Wildasin was the first killer from my area, 4x Finalist, 3x Champ. Marstellar's obvious credentials. Both of them went to Okie State and both got killed by that cut. Word around town was Wildasin cut so hard to 118 that he didn't pee for a week and got a bad infection because of it and dropped out. Marstellar obviously underperformed and perhaps substances influenced it but I'm sure I've read/seen somewhere from him that the cut destroyed him. Big Willie on Basch just talking about how he has high hopes for Wittlake now that he's not dealing with that cut. So, how is this dude not seeing the writing on the wall? Why make kids suffer needlessly especially when it's detrimental to their and his success? Like what gives? Just old and stuck in his ways? I just don't get it.
 
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What is his deal with sabotaging exceptional talent with excessive weight cutting? I'm from D3...not anything to brag about really but we've had our moments. Joey Wildasin was the first killer from my area, 4x Finalist, 3x Champ. Marstellar's obvious credentials. Both of them went to Okie State and both got killed by that cut. Word around town was Wildasin cut so hard to 118 that he didn't pee for a week and got a bad infection because of it and dropped out. Marstellar obviously underperformed and perhaps substances influenced it but I'm sure I've read/seen somewhere from him that the cut destroyed him. Big Willie on Basch just talking about how he has high hopes for Wittlake now that he's not dealing with that cut. So, how is this dude not seeing the writing on the wall? Why make kids suffer needlessly especially when it's detrimental to their and his success? Like what gives? Just old and stuck in his ways? I just don't get it.

He fat.
 
Big Willie on Basch just talking about how he has high hopes for Wittlake now that he's not dealing with that cut.
Except this isn't true. (Also Willie said appropriate weight.)

Wittlake took 4th at 165 in 2021 -- one might think that wasn't a terrible cut.

In 2022 OKST had Plott at 174 and Geer at 184. Wittlake's options were 165 or sit.

Last year, with Geer gone, Wittlake went 184. This year with no Plott, he's going 174.

Wittlake chose the 165 Rasheed path to starting for 1 year. Perhaps we'd feel better if he had sat instead.
 
What is his deal with sabotaging exceptional talent with excessive weight cutting? I'm from D3...not anything to brag about really but we've had our moments. Joey Wildasin was the first killer from my area, 4x Finalist, 3x Champ. Marstellar's obvious credentials. Both of them went to Okie State and both got killed by that cut. Word around town was Wildasin cut so hard to 118 that he didn't pee for a week and got a bad infection because of it and dropped out. Marstellar obviously underperformed and perhaps substances influenced it but I'm sure I've read/seen somewhere from him that the cut destroyed him. Big Willie on Basch just talking about how he has high hopes for Wittlake now that he's not dealing with that cut. So, how is this dude not seeing the writing on the wall? Why make kids suffer needlessly especially when it's detrimental to their and his success? Like what gives? Just old and stuck in his ways? I just don't get it.
Wildasin made the cut to make the team. Marstellar made the cut to make the team. Wittlake made the cut to make the team. See a common thread running through all of those? Their choice-not a directive.
 
Wildasin made the cut to make the team. Marstellar made the cut to make the team. Wittlake made the cut to make the team. See a common thread running through all of those? Their choice-not a directive.

Marsteller was also told he'd never have to make 157 at okiest. But of course, Ringer moved up, so not sure that was in John's plan.

Wittlake going 165 his first 3 years was a directive. He wrestled 174 as a redshirt (2019).

2020 - was the return of fat Jojo at 174 (who should have been a career 157)

2021 - Plott could have redshirted, but it was definitely better for the team that he was at 165. Placed 4th with a 20-3 record.

2022 - Cut was too much, an absolute shell of himself.

2023 - bumped to 184, coming down from the 200s. Even still, too small

2024 - at what is the most comfortable weight for him.

Wittlake's best career weight was 174, but a fat Jojo forced him down to 165 and he dealt with it pretty well for 2 years, 3rd year became too much.
 
Wildasin made the cut to make the team. Marstellar made the cut to make the team. Wittlake made the cut to make the team. See a common thread running through all of those? Their choice-not a directive.
Also - spare me the nonsensical bullsh*t. John cuts those guys HARD. He never dealt with day of weigh-ins and his eye is just a bit skewed in that area. He's doing the right thing for the team in a lot of respects and I think he's gotten better - but the "okiest cuts guys hard" moniker is true, and has been in the very recent past.

A little bit is just crazy and not really in john's control. In the offseason, your guys get big AF with Calcagno and drinking.
 
gee, AD went up-so Chance couldnt make the team-so he CHOSE to go down. It was a hell of a cut, agreed-but his choice.

2020 Wittlake couldnt beat Rogers- so he made the cut. Joseph didn't wrestle until the end of the season, when he did beat Chandler for the spot.

couldnt beat Plott-so he was at 65 or 84 depending on year-again, he wanted to be a starter..

so, spare me the rumors based on bullshit. look at all the people that have moved up through the years. John gives options, and is straight with the kids. But you are telling me that he isn't smart enough to adjust to weigh in rules?
 
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gee, AD went up-so Chance couldnt make the team-so he CHOSE to go down. It was a hell of a cut, agreed-but his choice.

2020 Wittlake couldnt beat Rogers- so he made the cut. Joseph didn't wrestle until the end of the season, when he did beat Chandler for the spot.

couldnt beat Plott-so he was at 65 or 84 depending on year-again, he wanted to be a starter..

so, spare me the rumors based on bullshit. look at all the people that have moved up through the years. John gives options, and is straight with the kids. But you are telling me that he isn't smart enough to adjust to weigh in rules?
Two things can still be true at once. If guys are good enough and fight hard enough, sure, john will let them go up. But his expectations for what weight class you are is pretty harsh. Again, some of it has to do with lineup, making the team, the lifting and the drinking - but its still true as well - John cuts them harder than pretty much anyone else.

Tell me - when AD moved up, what was he cutting from?
 
Two things can still be true at once. If guys are good enough and fight hard enough, sure, john will let them go up. But his expectations for what weight class you are is pretty harsh. Again, some of it has to do with lineup, making the team, the lifting and the drinking - but its still true as well - John cuts them harder than pretty much anyone else.

Tell me - when AD moved up, what was he cutting from?
Dont know. But, i am glad you know what his expectations are. I don't think you are correct. But, if you want to go ahead and propagate rumors and innuendo, have at it.
 
Dont know. But, i am glad you know what his expectations are. I don't think you are correct. But, if you want to go ahead and propagate rumors and innuendo, have at it.
Nah. just fax from wrestlers in the program.

Ringer was cutting from 208 btw - for his years at 157 and 165.
 
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