I am confused as well. Ironhead said it was due to locked hands, which doesn't make sense since you can lock hands before the TD. Even so, had he been given the TD, which I think he should have, he would have lost 10-12 with the riding time point added.
Clearly some adjustments will help. Bouzakis has been handled pretty easily by some better wrestlers so there is an approach to how to game plan him. I suspect very few of us expected to see him down 3 TDs to zero in the first period, that is for sure.
A first step is to not allow the opponent into your legs at will? I have no idea where Aaron's head was relative to positioning, defense, and adjustments, but he had very little of all three in that first period.
Bouzakis is strong and is a pinner. We are starting to see a pattern with Aaron in that he can control a match if he gets on top and gets the boots in.
His opponents now clearly understand he is a bit vulnerable in neutral, and few will choose bottom. It's pretty critical that he scores a couple of takedowns in order to ensure he can work his top game, and wear out his opponents. Aaron is also showing he is a less than 50% guy in scrambles, mostly due to a suprising lack of postitional awareness at times.
If Aaron can tighten up his metal game, get a better feel for scramble situations and the tactics Cael teaches to win them, and play to his strengths, he is a top 4 talent. For whatever reason, given these multiple deficiencies, it's starting to look like his 'unexpected' performance at nationals last year could have been more of a perfect storm scenario than someone jumping levels before everyone's eyes.
I think he has the physical tools to hang with everyone out there, but he needs to get his head right. He is in the best room in the world to work on this stuff, but I think we are all a bit surprised that he hasn't yet jumped a level from last year. He did have that mystery injury that delayed his in-room development for months this summer as well.
We are so spoiled though. Having an AA level guy at every weight is all that we can really ask for as a team and we have that today IMO. It's the fixation on 170 especially given Iowa owns that record that has us wanting each kid to be top 4 or better.
Redshirts aside, Aaron might just have Davis or Lilledahl breathing down his neck sooner rather than later, well just have to wait and see.