Will Ohio State Be Too Dog Next Year?

[scourge165]

13 hours ago, scourge165 said:

I would. PSU is just getting better and better. PSU has guys like Sealy, Barr, Duke, Facundo, Henkel...all of whom will have to battle just to crack the lineup by then. Add Davis, Lillendahl, Kasak, Bartlett(won't be '26 though), Haines, Messenbrink, the Ryder, Mirasola's, Cunningham, Gibson...I'm missing so many other guys it's ridiculous.

I'd also expect Davis, Nagao to get better. Haines may take a RS. I'm guessing Bartlett ends up there given the cousin is there and he seems to be around the program, but IDK, not like the future hinges on any one guy, they're going to be insanely deep. 

And how many guys don't have at least one year remaining? Brooks and Truax? I've always thought Starocci would come back, take basket weaving and get another year in to get 5 while he trains for Freestyle anyway...and in so doing, grab that NIL money(and it's off-cycle, he could even go 184 to allow for Facundo to get back into the lineup.

 

I don't know what they'll do, but they've still got an embarrassment of riches.

**BASSETT

I need to re-read my own posts more clearly. Erik Gibson, Mason Gibson, Beau Bassett...probably Keegan Bassett also(though that's really projecting). How they get these guys to sign on when they KNOW just to make the lineup...a kid like Erik Gibson will have to beat those middle weights where they're young and already competing at an elite-elite level. 

[OMW]

13 hours ago, scourge165 said:

I've always thought Starocci would come back, take basket weaving and get another year in to get 5 while he trains for Freestyle anyway...and in so doing, grab that NIL money(and it's off-cycle, he could even go 184 to allow for Facundo to get back into the lineup.

Starocci, conceivably, could do what Massa did last year when Bormet pulled him back.

Massa had graduated and was teaching somewhere in Michigan (hour or so from Ann Arbor). He wa$ lured back to help them make a run (possibly 2nd semester, same as they did with Gomez this just completed season?).

I believe he/Massa was technically enrolled, but not sure if he physically attended any classes and think he was on some form of hybrid practice schedule (perhaps some days in the Mish room, but others closer to home with a former DI wrestler - but I may be remembering incorrectly on that).

[scourge165]

13 minutes ago, OMW said:

Starocci, conceivably, could do what Massa did last year when Bormet pulled him back.

Massa had graduated and was teaching somewhere in Michigan (hour or so from Ann Arbor). He wa$ lured back to help them make a run (possibly 2nd semester, same as they did with Gomez this just completed season?).

I believe he/Massa was technically enrolled, but not sure if he physically attended any classes and think he was on some form of hybrid practice schedule (perhaps some days in the Mish room, but others closer to home with a former DI wrestler - but I may be remembering incorrectly on that).

Hell yeah. Why not? You let Barr wrestle a bunch, get him some big duels, you throw...IDK, Sealey out there, see how the lineup is playing out. 

Now, if you're Starocci and hypothetically, you have O'Toole at '74 and Keck at '84...you might not want to put it out there again.

He's a legit 4X Champ, no Covid*...he can walk away now as one of the greats, done. 

OR...he could come back, take on probably the two best Wrestlers in the NCAA heading into next year P4P(or they're at least close). 

And then on the other hand...he never made Gabe Arnold cry in front of his parents after Arnold called him overrated, so maybe we see Carter come back JUST for that Iowa duel!

I think Bartlett, Kerk and Starocci are back and in that order. If you're Bartlett, how do you not come back? After the way this year went down?

Now regarding Kerk, he always seems bored with the sport. So he's the hardest to read, but when you win TWO titles...that's a whole other group you move into.

[pokemonster]

2 hours ago, scourge165 said:

Now regarding Kerk, he always seems bored with the sport. So he's the hardest to read, but when you win TWO titles...that's a whole other group you move into.

I think he just comes across as the stereotypical jock without much going on between the ears. I have a feeling he's not actually bored he just doesn't convey it well. 

[juniorvarsity]

2026 is the Buckeye's best bet. Kilkeary is going to challenge McCrone. Davino or Bouzakis need to go 141 so the other can be at 133. And Mendez needs to go 149. They need to get all of these guys in the lineup at once. 

As far as the 2025 recruiting class goes, landing Marcus Blaze would be great but it creates a logjam at the lower weights. I say you do it anyways. And Vince Bouzakis would fit in to the holes of the lineup as well(btwn him and Birden at 157, 165). They're gonna need true freshmen to produce. 

Maybe Tom Ryan redshirts Mendez, Rogotzke, Welsh and has them all for a 2027 run, but recruits will be important. A lot of talent in the 2026 recruiting class

[Paul158]

4 hours ago, juniorvarsity said:

2026 is the Buckeye's best bet. Kilkeary is going to challenge McCrone. Davino or Bouzakis need to go 141 so the other can be at 133. And Mendez needs to go 149. They need to get all of these guys in the lineup at once. 

As far as the 2025 recruiting class goes, landing Marcus Blaze would be great but it creates a logjam at the lower weights. I say you do it anyways. And Vince Bouzakis would fit in to the holes of the lineup as well(btwn him and Birden at 157, 165). They're gonna need true freshmen to produce. 

Maybe Tom Ryan redshirts Mendez, Rogotzke, Welsh and has them all for a 2027 run, but recruits will be important. A lot of talent in the 2026 recruiting class

I agree . Redshirt them next year. Then make a massive run 2026,2027 and 2028. They will be a force to be reckoned with. Plus right now you have Feldman and Bouzakis and all the recruits on their way to Columbus.

[juniorvarsity]

On 3/26/2024 at 12:20 PM, Paul158 said:

I agree . Redshirt them next year. Then make a massive run 2026,2027 and 2028. They will be a force to be reckoned with. Plus right now you have Feldman and Bouzakis and all the recruits on their way to Columbus.

What recruits? Davino is blue chip. We don't have a clue about 2025 

[Truzzcat]

Ohio state has hammer but unless rogotzke and geog make jumpes and sammy can get back to close to his best form (I really hope he does hes a great kid and it would be an incredible story) I dont think they have the volume of scoring options psu has. They should still qualify all 10 next year and have at worst all their guys push close to the blood round +MM,Levi and I assume Kerk likely being in the finals and kasak,SVN,Lilledahl? also potentially getting there

[jmoney]

On 3/24/2024 at 10:19 AM, Antitroll2828 said:

Cannon back and I’m sure they’ll be all over the portal like usual , they have to be because they really don’t develop a lot of talent ,they had one non transfer AA and he is a senior , Lewan and Amine the 3-1 OT brothers looked worse then ever and seemed to regress , Bullock is an slightly above average big 10 starter ,Lemley is the one prospect they have with real deal potential 

Been hearing about Cardenas to Michigan for months now , I was told by someone talking to foca people this weekend  he is considering Michigan but BigRedFan on here said foca gave an interview saying he’s staying at Cornell but only can wrestle 2nd semester, still interview and all wouldn’t shock me if they threw a bag at him and scooped him up 

Lewan was at a tough weight, Amine too...

Scott- 5th to R12

Franek-4th to 8th

Robb- 6th to 7th

Andonian- 7th to 6th (used to the new weight)

Blockhus- 8th to R16 (moved up a weight)

That said, they did stink it up regular season too. Was the 3 point takedown their kryptonite to their boring matches? After all, only a master like Fix can fix his way into being a repeat offender runner up when the rules change against him.

[1032004]

On 3/24/2024 at 1:06 PM, Antitroll2828 said:

Ragusin is back? I just spent most of the year listening to Tim Johnson say he’s a senior who gave up his redshirt for the team like x5 every Michigan dual 

He did give up his redshirt for the team, but he still has another year if he wants it.  In theory he could redshirt next year instead, so could Lemley.