Kellen Wolbert

[Gus]

3 hours ago, scourge165 said:

So...what do you do?

The PSU fan obviously likes the Greyshirt, Redshirt, and then 4 years...but if you're Duke, do you want to wait a couple more years? 

When you say ready to win, we all understand you're saying ready to compete for a title, but...can he beat Kasak or Mesnbrink? Perhaps. He'll likely be able to compete with any and of them. So he makes plenty of sense to be one of those guys to transfer out.

But Okie St...he builds up, goes '74, slides in for Hamiti? Or, better yet(for team races) Ohio State. They've got a whole lot of talent and him sliding in at '65 there?

Duke did not look like an overly big 70kg guy. I think he’s a 157 pounder now that will grow into 165. So he would have to contend with Kasak for the spot as of now. I think he could give Kasak a run for his money right now. I don’t see a guy like Duke wanting to sit two years to wrestle but maybe he will. 

[Winners Circle]

13 hours ago, scourge165 said:

Yeah, that's going to change. Guys like Duke aren't waiting 3 years to maybe crack the lineup.

Henckel, Cunningham, Sealey these are guys who have a lot of talent. I mean, Cunningham is probably sticking around with his Dad and Brother, but guys LIKE that. One of Mirasola/Ryder won't be starting most likely and they're studs. 

 

It hasn't been this packed for a while. It really went to another level when you had Mesenbrink transfer in, the Mirasola twins go there and then Starocci coming back. 

Barraclough and Nevills are really tough kids, but probably not as talented as the depth they've got coming in or already in.

I think Duke redshirts year 1 and starts year 2. But yes I agree. But like I said it literally has not happened to this point. Could it change? Obviously. Especially in a transfer heavy world we're living in. But they've done a great job keeping everyone happy to his point. 

[Offthemat]

6 hours ago, scourge165 said:

Yeah, but...what happens when your hands are full? 

A lot can happen in two years. Unless you're worried about regression/injury, how the hell do you squeeze Duke into that lineup? This is already assumnig Facundo is out and we saw him beat Haines soundly, but he's lost to Kasak. 

So Duke comes in, takes a RS, he's still bumping up against Kasak, Mesnbrink, Haines(to say nothing of several others who you'd think would be AA caliber Wrestlers based on past accomplishments). 

The wrestlers understand things better when the best guy gets the call.  You need good backups in the room and in case of injury.  But in two years, you might just recruit someone better than the guy who’s waiting for his turn.  I think you put your best team out there and let everything else take care of itself. 

[ionel]

19 hours ago, TW8 said:

No way?!?!?!  Are you a scientist? 

I'm assuming then you know also that some kids don't grow after high school (even JrH) also a genetic thing.  Which one is Wolbert? 

[Konquest]

FWIW Wolbert's brother Quinton is a sophomore 125 lber at UW La Crosse, and they are both pretty short dudes.  I don't think he's going to hit some major growth spurt and be a 157 or something like that.  I'd guess 141.  If John Smith were still the coach, I'd say he'd be 125/133 LOL.

[TW8]

9 hours ago, ionel said:

I'm assuming then you know also that some kids don't grow after high school (even JrH) also a genetic thing.  Which one is Wolbert? 

You're definitely not a scientist.  He'll be a 33-49 pounder in college.  

[scourge165]

19 hours ago, Winners Circle said:

I think Duke redshirts year 1 and starts year 2. But yes I agree. But like I said it literally has not happened to this point. Could it change? Obviously. Especially in a transfer heavy world we're living in. But they've done a great job keeping everyone happy to his point. 

It hasn't happened to this point because the room has not been THIS deep to this point. 

They didn't have this type of depth on this team in the past...great as they were.

And Duke RS for a year and then starting would mean he doesn't get bigger, stays at '57, SVN stays down at '49(or he beats SVN). And then you have Kasak, Mesenbrink, Ryder, Barr, Sealey. You'd have to assume Kasak or Mesenbrink go up in order for this to happen and I don't know that either have that much more room to add. 

 

But again, we're still talking about those guys, Henckel, Cunningham Brothers as well as the guys I mentioned.

You're also going to have the roster limits coming in and playing a role. Not even sure when they start, but it's going to start happening. Facundo almost has to. He's going to watch a year just slip away. This is a guy who beat Haines on the world stage and reportedly beat Kasak in a Wrestle-off...which I don't think is all that hard to believe. 

I guess what could happen is that Tyler Kasak could take a RS but this is all to get Duke in there and a lot of other guys who'll be sitting early in their careers. 

But that's PSU for the next few years...and we all known they're going to keep picking up a couple top 10 kids in the meantime and a few other top 40 kids(in a down year). 

 

Also...he has lost a couple guys. You had Bubba Jenkins who was not too different from Mekhi Lewis in terms of accomplishments. 2nd, then undefeated going into the NCAAs but was hurt, then came back for ASU and won it. 

Suriano-2X Champ after leaving. 

Maybe that's being a bit pedantic. Those are two guys who have unique reasons(Suriano just because he's unique). 

Guys who did I think may prove my point more than hurt it;
Beard-I don't think Barr is beating him if he stays and he was an AA as a Freshmen...but Dean came in.
Nevillis-A top recruit who just fell behind two NC at HWT including the guy who has given Gable his only College loses. 

And a few others who just wanted to Wrestle like Barraclough. I think if/when he becomes an AA at a small school, it's only going to serve as stronger motivation, particularly for bigger recruits to leave. 
 

[scourge165]

18 hours ago, Offthemat said:

The wrestlers understand things better when the best guy gets the call.  You need good backups in the room and in case of injury.  But in two years, you might just recruit someone better than the guy who’s waiting for his turn.  I think you put your best team out there and let everything else take care of itself. 

Yeah, as a coach you put the best guys out there. 

And I know the Wrestlers understand. That's kinda my point. They could have 3-4 of the best 157/165 in the Country in a year and only 2 can Wrestle. 

Not many College kids want to start 2 years after being a backup for 2 years when they know they could be Wrestling in the Semis with a SHOT as Fresh/Soph. 

You need good backups. You don't need a NC in waiting at every weight.

 

And yes, you let it take care of itself. We're just talking about how that's going to happen.

That said, this is about Wolbert, a kid who's a stud and should get his own thread, so I'm not even sure how this turned into a PSU thread! I've forgotten. It'll be fun to watch!

 

8 hours ago, Konquest said:

FWIW Wolbert's brother Quinton is a sophomore 125 lber at UW La Crosse, and they are both pretty short dudes.  I don't think he's going to hit some major growth spurt and be a 157 or something like that.  I'd guess 141.  If John Smith were still the coach, I'd say he'd be 125/133 LOL.

Sinclair is wrestling 197 right now. I think Wolbert is taller. 

They clearly have different builds, but he looks like Kasak when he was a '38 and he was cutting(because...Penn and not Wisconsin). You watch and he's taller than a lot of the guys he's Wrestling. He could add some muscle and cut to '41 but the trend seems to be to cut less, build up more and enjoy the sport. That's Cael's ideology from what I can tell, Askren's and DT had a little success when he added a few pounds. 

[nhs67]

2 hours ago, scourge165 said:

Yeah, as a coach you put the best guys out there. 

And I know the Wrestlers understand. That's kinda my point. They could have 3-4 of the best 157/165 in the Country in a year and only 2 can Wrestle. 

Not many College kids want to start 2 years after being a backup for 2 years when they know they could be Wrestling in the Semis with a SHOT as Fresh/Soph. 

You need good backups. You don't need a NC in waiting at every weight.

 

And yes, you let it take care of itself. We're just talking about how that's going to happen.

That said, this is about Wolbert, a kid who's a stud and should get his own thread, so I'm not even sure how this turned into a PSU thread! I've forgotten. It'll be fun to watch!

 

Sinclair is wrestling 197 right now. I think Wolbert is taller. 

They clearly have different builds, but he looks like Kasak when he was a '38 and he was cutting(because...Penn and not Wisconsin). You watch and he's taller than a lot of the guys he's Wrestling. He could add some muscle and cut to '41 but the trend seems to be to cut less, build up more and enjoy the sport. That's Cael's ideology from what I can tell, Askren's and DT had a little success when he added a few pounds. 

Sinclair hasn't cut weight, ever.  Were he to be a weigh-cutter he would be a 165lber.  For example, watching him and KOT roll and it appears that KOT is larger and longer.

Still a 165lber being shorter is saying something, but I do think a different example would prove your point better.

[Winners Circle]

3 hours ago, scourge165 said:

It hasn't happened to this point because the room has not been THIS deep to this point. 

They didn't have this type of depth on this team in the past...great as they were.

And Duke RS for a year and then starting would mean he doesn't get bigger, stays at '57, SVN stays down at '49(or he beats SVN). And then you have Kasak, Mesenbrink, Ryder, Barr, Sealey. You'd have to assume Kasak or Mesenbrink go up in order for this to happen and I don't know that either have that much more room to add. 

 

But again, we're still talking about those guys, Henckel, Cunningham Brothers as well as the guys I mentioned.

You're also going to have the roster limits coming in and playing a role. Not even sure when they start, but it's going to start happening. Facundo almost has to. He's going to watch a year just slip away. This is a guy who beat Haines on the world stage and reportedly beat Kasak in a Wrestle-off...which I don't think is all that hard to believe. 

I guess what could happen is that Tyler Kasak could take a RS but this is all to get Duke in there and a lot of other guys who'll be sitting early in their careers. 

But that's PSU for the next few years...and we all known they're going to keep picking up a couple top 10 kids in the meantime and a few other top 40 kids(in a down year). 

 

Also...he has lost a couple guys. You had Bubba Jenkins who was not too different from Mekhi Lewis in terms of accomplishments. 2nd, then undefeated going into the NCAAs but was hurt, then came back for ASU and won it. 

Suriano-2X Champ after leaving. 

Maybe that's being a bit pedantic. Those are two guys who have unique reasons(Suriano just because he's unique). 

Guys who did I think may prove my point more than hurt it;
Beard-I don't think Barr is beating him if he stays and he was an AA as a Freshmen...but Dean came in.
Nevillis-A top recruit who just fell behind two NC at HWT including the guy who has given Gable his only College loses. 

And a few others who just wanted to Wrestle like Barraclough. I think if/when he becomes an AA at a small school, it's only going to serve as stronger motivation, particularly for bigger recruits to leave. 
 

1. You may be right. It'll be interesting to see. 
2. Yep. Duke stays 157 and beats Kasak in year 2. SVN stays at 149. That's my guess.
3. Good point. Hadn't thought of that. That kicks in 2024-2025.
4. Bubba and Suriano did not transfer out due to roster issues, which was the whole original discussion. Yes I mentioned Beard, Nevills, and Barraclough but Beard was the only AA at the time of leaving. 

[nhs67]

16 minutes ago, Winners Circle said:

1. You may be right. It'll be interesting to see. 
2. Yep. Duke stays 157 and beats Kasak in year 2. SVN stays at 149. That's my guess.
3. Good point. Hadn't thought of that. That kicks in 2024-2025.
4. Bubba and Suriano did not transfer out due to roster issues, which was the whole original discussion. Yes I mentioned Beard, Nevills, and Barraclough but Beard was the only AA at the time of leaving. 

Beard is still the only AA.  What's more is he has gotten outperformed when it mattered by the starter that Penn State has had in his place since.  He also just lost to a RSFrosh rather convincingly while being what appeared to be a full weight class larger.

[Truzzcat]

Year 1: Duke goes right away, Kasak RS's Levi uses last year of eligibility. 

year 2: Kasak 157 Duke bumps to 165 MM goes 174 (not because he grows into it but because he will win it anyway) 

Duke said he intends to make the 70kg world team this year so I would imagine he's trying to keep his weight relatively in check for the time being.

 

[HungusMungus]

On 12/8/2024 at 5:24 PM, Disappointed_Badger_Fan said:

Another elite Wisconsin kid that the Badgers can't convince to stay. I can't wait until Bozo is gone and we get a real coach that can keep elite wrestlers in Wisconsin.

Let's analyze, who would you be more excited to go work with and compete for?

Chris Bono or David Taylor?  

1 - Bono is a certified Turdbiscuit 

2 - AWA is telling these guys to look elsewhere 

3- 1 & 2 are mute points cause its David "freakin" Taylor 

Bono loses 10 out of 10 times. 

Better staff, better facility, better NIL Okie State will never lose a recruit to UW that they really want, and Bono sucks 

 

this is no different than Sinclair, The Marisolas, O'Toole, PK, Hopke 

None of them were ever bound for Madison, and this will not change until Dippy is gone.

[MPhillips]

1 & 2 are absolutely not mute points...

[BruceyB]

On 12/11/2024 at 12:22 AM, scourge165 said:

Yeah, but...what happens when your hands are full? 

A lot can happen in two years. Unless you're worried about regression/injury, how the hell do you squeeze Duke into that lineup? This is already assumnig Facundo is out and we saw him beat Haines soundly, but he's lost to Kasak. 

So Duke comes in, takes a RS, he's still bumping up against Kasak, Mesnbrink, Haines(to say nothing of several others who you'd think would be AA caliber Wrestlers based on past accomplishments). 

I highly agree with you Scourge. I am really curious to see how the PSU stockpiling of recruits changes with Taylor at Ok St. From a recruits perspective, I can only imagine that Ok St is viewed as a true blue blood of college wrestling that now also provides the Penn St training model. I think whereas before, a lot of kids would rather risk not being a starter to go to Penn St, there is Penn St 2 in Stillwater. Obviously the room and track record aren't at the Penn St level, but give it time.