With all our great recruits....
- Thread starter Nitfan
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Yes, I expect CStar to be gone but not Kerk next year. Team will be loaded again. Maybe PSU will fall back after CStar, Bernie, and Brooks depart… not!
And recently said he is using it!
Mirasola will be bulked up by then and doubt we miss a step.
Yesterday, Kerk said he hasn’t decided yet whether he’ll use his extra year.
Really? could have swore he said he was, maybe like a month ago. Well shit.
Yeah, I kinda thought so too. Might just be boilerplate “keep my eyes on the prize” athletespeak, I suppose.
I think it was longer than a month ago, but yes, I also remember that both Kerk and Bartlett indicated that they would take the extra year, so this is something different now.
It totally makes sense for Bartlett. If 2021 weren't a free year, Bartlett almost assuredly would not have burned his shirt to wrestle 149 when he has since said he was light enough that he could have gone 133 that year if needed (which obviously it wasn't, LOL), so he's going to finish in 5 years like most people do, with the difference being that he was able to wrestle during his "redshirt" year because of the free year. Next year would be Kerk's 6th year, so it's more likely that he'd be ready to move on from college.
I guess the question then is, if no Kerk who will be the guy? I would have to think it’s Mirasola but I feel like he needs a redshirt year where he can put on a bit more good weight. Would it be a spot where Cael looks to the portal for a 1 year fix similar to Truax? I haven’t looked so I have no idea if there is even a guy out there that makes sense as a transfer though. Ideally, Kerk comes back for his last year and Mirasola gets to redshirt while putting on some size and learns the ropes from the best heavyweight in the NCAA
Regarding Bartlett....Not saying he will but how does wrestling in the free year = not having his RS to use anymore?
No. He has a redshirt he could use as well. It would shock me if he actually redshirts at this point, though.
Ok that's what I thought too, was confused when you said he had "burnt his RS"
Agreed, it would shock me if he uses it now, why stretch it out any longer?
Yeah, the point was, if it was a normal year, he'd have had to burn the shirt to do what he did, and I don't think he would have. In a normal year, he clearly would have started out redshirting with RBY and Lee in his best weights. Since it wasn't a normal year, he was able to wrestle for free in what would have been a RS year, giving him a fifth year of actual action. I apologize if I was confusing.
Understood and all good,although I DO think he would have USED the RS in that instance. At least he could have wrestled at one of his preferred weights.
Yeah, for sure. He was wrestling ECM matches at 141 and said he'd prefer to challenge Lee for 141 than go 149 (before he eventually did anyway). We attributed that to a bit of arrogance at the time for thinking he could challenge Lee, but in retrospect, it made more sense once he said he was actually closer to 133 than 149.
Cael: I'm standing right here!
Well he has pretty much stated he is not interested in going for 5, but he said there was one thing that might get him to come back, if we had an event in Beaver Stadium to set an attendance record. He said that would be pretty cool.
Pat Kraft and Cael need to set that up!
Pat Kraft and Cael need to set that up!
Just look at how Cael is recruiting and that will answer any questions about CStar and Kerk next year. Watch don’t listen….
While I miss the days of guys wrestling 35-40 matches a year, this is yet another example of Cael & co. staying ahead of the curve. Our guys aren’t HEW for the extra year covid provided. Instead, they’re having fun and it makes good financial sense to use the extra year. I expect we’ll see Kerk and Beau next year for that reason. Maybe even Carter.
It will be Beau and Kerks fifth year which most guys end up doing anyway. It will be Carter's 6th.
I love these 3 guys (especially local boy Carter) and would love to see him accomplish the once in a lifetime feat, but remember there IS a risk of losing one or more of our incoming studs in the process.
I don't think it became a free year until well after the season was over.
So he burned his redshirt without knowing it was a free year.
At least that is my recollection, but I could be wrong
Good catch, but Im not worried about losing Mirasola, Im guessing he wants a GS/RS anyway.
He would have still had his RS (not burnt at all) to use in either scenario. And you arent recollecting correctly.
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Are you implying that our recruiting strategy means Starocci and Kerk aren’t returning for 2025?
I have no idea what will happen, but I don’t see how recruiting impacts either of these 2 guys coming back. The recruits at 174/HWT will redshirt in 2025 regardless. The only guy I see absolutely impacted is Facundo. If Starocci goes for 5, Facundo will have no spot. 165 looks locked down for awhile.
If Mesenbrink can make 157 next year, Haines can RS and Facundo can go 165. MM said he could have made 157 this year if need be.
Cael has recruited approximately 80 guys at 157/165. So maybe it only means he wants to get high-end guys who fit in with their future teammates.
I've long ago stopped worrying about Cael's strategy for future teams, but this is what I think I'd like to see happen next year. I'm a big Facundo fan and think that he's really improving parts of his game with his freestyle training. I also hate the idea of some of these guys simply never getting a chance because of PSU's room depth. And depending on what Starocci, Kerk, et al do, PSU would still presumably be the favorite at NCAAs in 2025.
Yeah one wonders what went on behind closed doors. Given what I am seeing with my own eyes, I am somewhat comfortable thinking Mitch beat Levi in a wrestleoff and was given choice? Granted we all know 165 is a meat grinder, and 157 has a much easier path. Maybe Cael wanted to see Levi win it all this year, and who would have thought in November that Mitch (or Levi) could realistically navigate that bracket at 165.
The Levi I am seeing today probably doesn't beat Shapiro whose record is grossly misleading due to what was a pretty obvious concussion. On the other hand I don't think Meyer would handle Mitch.
As for 165 I am now pretty confident Mitch will get further through that bracket than would a healthier optimally sized Levi. Yes, I am now open to the thought Mitch could run the table this year at 165.
As for next year, if Mitch can be effective at 157, I would like to see them swap. Facundo to 174, Barr to 185, Marisola 197 and the murderers row that has been the PSU upper weights continues.
If Kasak can get back to 141 and SVN fully recoveres, can one actual call 10 consecutive weights a murderers row?
The Levi I am seeing today probably doesn't beat Shapiro whose record is grossly misleading due to what was a pretty obvious concussion. On the other hand I don't think Meyer would handle Mitch.
As for 165 I am now pretty confident Mitch will get further through that bracket than would a healthier optimally sized Levi. Yes, I am now open to the thought Mitch could run the table this year at 165.
As for next year, if Mitch can be effective at 157, I would like to see them swap. Facundo to 174, Barr to 185, Marisola 197 and the murderers row that has been the PSU upper weights continues.
If Kasak can get back to 141 and SVN fully recoveres, can one actual call 10 consecutive weights a murderers row?
Cael has said many times that his top guys pick their weights, and everyone else fills in the lineup. Plus Mesenbrink said before the season that he could go at whatever weight the coaches wanted.
Levi is a returning national finalist. He picked his weight. Psycho found another spot in the lineup.
I am not sure Cole Mirasola will be big enough for HVY. I don't believe he is taller than 6'-0", and maybe less as his twin Connor looks to be about 5'-11". He doesn't look to have a huge frame, and he didn't appear to have anything for Johnson at the Cheesehead. He did beat Johnson earlier at the Donnybrook, but Johnson adjusted and it didn't look like Cole came close to scoring the next match. I am not sure how Cole can put on enough good weight with his height/frame. I think it would be better if he went 197 and Connor 184. If the idea is to have Cole at Heavyweight (as it appears), then I believe Penn State needs to look for another if they want an AA at that weight.
Hopke didn't have anything for Johnson either. Guess the Goofers need a new HWT too.
Mirasola was 6-0 last year. Kyle Snyder is 5-11. Gwiz and Steveson are 6-1. Too bad they were all too short.
Yeah, that is true and my money would be on Kasak taking his shirt next year. If he can get back down, I wouldn't be shocked if he develops enough to beat Beau next year.
Carter has said he would come back for a match in Beaver Stadium.. Kraft needs to get that on the schedule if at all possible.. and I think he would be in.. with NIL as it is.. pretty good money to be made as a 4 timer with the shot to be the first and only 5 timer in history..
This board hates criticism of our kids, most especially before they have ever stepped on a collegiate mat, and I get it. That said I am not so sure that a bulked up Marisola at heavy will be a strong AA answer; and yes, I have heard of Anthony Cassar. Cael can work magic, especially at the weights he rolls around with. Well will have to see.
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