Penn State weight-by-weight lineup preview

[Tim Owen/BWI staff]

At the link below is BWI's preview of Penn State's starting lineup. Quotes from head coach Cael Sanderson and many of the starters included at each weight.

LINK: PSU wrestling lineup preview

 

[amalone]

Very solid line up from top to bottom... Can't wait to see Nico back on the mat. I can't wait to see him grind his opponents into a heap of quit before the 2nd period is half way over. Hammer #1.

Jordan's gas tank is second only to maybe Nico's (remember the Tyler Graff match he won in overtime). Back up to 133, his initial college weight... Jordan showed he could stay with the elites at 125 by giving Thomas Gilman all he could handle twice. The take down clinic at the BJC last year showed what he is capable of if he puts it all out there.

Jimmie Gulibon beat Cory Clark... because he went after the 133 Finalist in his big match in Rec Hall at the end of the match. He was rewarded with a match for the ages. Ask James Franklin. Up a weight at 141... JG doesn't have to manage his weight and can grow into a Hammer.

ZPain at 149... Hammer #2 Bulked up ZPain, able to ride Logan Steiber and beat Logan Steiber... you're a Hammer.

Jason Nolf at 157... Hammer #3. Jason Nolf beat Brian Realbuto... a finalists at last years NCAA Tourney... at the Southern Scuffle and didn't know how special a win it was at the time. He's all go... all the time. DT in a smaller body. He's a Hammer.

Shakur Rasheed... I'm excited to see his more offensive approach to the 165 weight class. I've never seen Shakur wrestle, but I'm pleasantly awaiting the hype I've heard from his fellow teammates and Cael.

Bo Nickal at 174 should thrill with his upper body prowess and funk. Hopefully... he resurrect some David Tayloresque moves in Rec Hall. I'm dying to see it live. No one should go upper body with Bo.

At 184... I'm pleasantly waiting to see if Matt McCutcheon can build on the success that happened at the end of the year when he began to believe in himself and beat the elite in the 184 weight class. He has all the tools. He has to aggressive, believe in his abiltiy and be able to get out from bottom regularly. He also has to develop a go to shot.

Morgan McIntosh is Hammer #4. When Morgan is on and aggressive... he beats any one at this weight class, J'Den Cox, Kyle Snyder and Conner Hartmann from Duke. When he's on... Morgan's a World beater or able to beat a World Champion.

Jan Johnson. I hope you're quicker than the plodding, big bodies and shock some who didn't know you or know you'd be wrestling this year for the #1 team in the country. Young man... seize the moment. Embrace it as Cael might say.

 

[royboy]

Looks like a great lineup and love the thumbnail descriptions from amalone.

Maybe at 174 --- Nickal more along the lines of Q Wright with the upper body throws, etc.?

Can't wait to see them in action, and VaTech will be a good early test.

 

[troyshultz1]

Q and Nickal is a fantastic comparison. Taylor not so much.

 

[Diego Badman]

Q and Nickal is a fantastic comparison. Taylor not so much.

Cael, himself, compared Bo to Quentin a couple of months ago. If that's what Cael thinks, that must be it.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

No one should go upper body with Bo.

I can't wait to see how Bo Nickal does. He does appear to be more offensive minded than most guys his size, and does seem to like the throws.

That said, even though he's moving up a weight class, I suspect that BoJo could go upper body with Nickal. Last year, he seemed huge at 165, and I think had a good deal of succes going upper body against his competition.

174 is an unusual weight this year. Only 2 people that AAed at the weight last year are back. Two other AAs at other weights (Realbuto - 2nd at 157; BoJo - 3rd at 165) have moved up to 174. In that regard, it's pretty wide open.

 

[papa_ed]

I've been following PSU wrestling since the mid sixties and honestly, I don't know if they've ever had a lineup this strong or balanced, at least on paper. And to think, 60% of the lineup have freshman or sophomore eligibility. Since Cael showed up, it's been one heck of a ride and I think this team and beyond is what he envisioned for the program when he took the job.

 

[amalone]

Looks like a great lineup and love the thumbnail descriptions from amalone.

Maybe at 174 --- Nickal more along the lines of Q Wright with the upper body throws, etc.?

Can't wait to see them in action, and VaTech will be a good early test.

Bo Nickal is more Q than anyone from his feet... but his "funk" and his ability to do the amazing and make it look routine... is very David Tayloresque.

 

[amalone]

I can't wait to see how Bo Nickal does. He does appear to be more offensive minded than most guys his size, and does seem to like the throws.

That said, even though he's moving up a weight class, I suspect that BoJo could go upper body with Nickal. Last year, he seemed huge at 165, and I think had a good deal of succes going upper body against his competition.

174 is an unusual weight this year. Only 2 people that AAed at the weight last year are back. Two other AAs at other weights (Realbuto - 2nd at 157; BoJo - 3rd at 165) have moved up to 174. In that regard, it's pretty wide open.

I agree with you Tom, but Bo before hitting the Penn State room hung with a future National Champion in Gabe Dean at the Fila Junior Nationals and lost 3-2 to an eventual National Champ in Dean. Dean of course hung with Ed Ruth in the semi's finals at Nationals and beat Ed his senior year. Dean is much bigger than Bo at this point and much bigger than BoJo and Bo Nickal stays right with him. Dean... sagging back and respecting Bo's throwing ability.

 

[lionlover]

Bo Nickal is more Q than anyone from his feet... but his "funk" and his ability to do the amazing and make it look routine... is very David Tayloresque.

Excellent perspective of the combination of skill sets!