Jimmy Cinnabon

It seems crazy to ask given that Penn State has landed the 3 hottest transfers this year in Nagao, Mesenbrink and Truax...but the reality is 125 has been a hole for Penn State since Suriano left. Robbie Howard is a great blue chip talent but he's had chronic shoulder injuries since he set foot on campus. Behind Howard Penn State only has Gary Steen who is something like 3-13 in regular season duals. It is not a good bet that Howard will stay healthy through a full season. I would want Penn State to look for a transfer like Michael DeAugustino who could either take the starting job outright or serve as a backup if/when Howard injures his shoulder again.

I wouldn't count on Howard making AA...super dependent on whether his shoulder can even hold up through the regular season. 165 is also a big question mark.

In my view, people should have a bigger beef with the Transfer Portal, period. If you want to avoid "poaching" and "reneging" you should argue that transfers should not be allowed or are only allowed for graduates. NIL, in my view, actually counterbalances the Transfer Portal since a school that is not the most attractive in terms of athletic potential (like Penn State for wrestlers) can win over a prized recruit by offering more money. To use a football example, suppose Georgia lands all the 5 star recruits in the state because they've been dominating NCAA football and producing the most 1st round NFL draft picks. Georgia Tech has no shot to win these recruits solely on their NCAA success and NFL potential but they are able to offer more NIL money than Georgia and thus manage to snag some of these 5 star recruits.

Hypothetical - before NIL: A wrestler wants to transfer and he's courted by Penn State, Iowa and Ohio State. He ends up picking Penn State because he just watched them win NCAAs by 55 points and wants to win a team title and maximize his own chances of winning an individual title. Hypothetical - after NIL: A wrestler wants to transfer and he's courted by Penn State, Iowa and Ohio State. Penn State offers NIL $50,000. Iowa offers NIL $150,000. Ohio State offers NIL $100,000. He ends up picking Penn State because he just watched them win NCAAs by 55 points and wants to win a team title and maximize his own chances of winning an individual title. Now tell me again why adding NIL in this situation is ruining wrestling? Here is a hypothetical where one might argue NIL is ruining wrestling: A University of Florida alum wins $2 billion via Powerball and decides to donate $100,000,000 for the Gators to create a new D1 wrestling program. The new UF wrestling program offers $1,000,000 NIL deals to entice former NCAA champs to join their program. Suddenly their roster gains 10 former NCAA champs who all couldn't say no to $1,000,000.

Something big needs to happen on the order of a new head coach. I am proposing in 5 years, if Iowa is not a serious contender for the team title (second place is first loser) they make Spencer Lee their new head coach. Move Tom and Terry to the HWC. This timing aligns perfectly with Spencer’s 5 year contract at HWC and utilizes Iowa’s homegrown GOAT. It is the only way they can pull in the top tier recruits Penn State is getting.

I doubt you'll watch any less than before. And plus, injuries happen...diamonds in the rough emerge. There is no guarantee Penn State wins next year or the year after just because they got 3 great transfers this year.

On Nagao’s interview he mentions God and faith like 40 times. It was THE reason he picked Penn State over Iowa.

So it seems that NIL isn't destroying the sport as some may be saying...in actuality it may be leveling the playing field for other teams (e.g. Iowa offers a transfer 5x what Penn State offers and the transfer ends up taking the money because it's just too much to refuse). Without NIL there's no way for other teams to entice transfers with a giant bag of cash who would otherwise want to go to the best wrestling program in the country. So I'd argue that for everyone OTHER than Penn State (or whoever the top team is), NIL is a good thing.

He explicitly states he did NOT take the biggest NIL offer (from Iowa). He sounds like a very religious young man, much like Aaron Brooks. In this interview he mentions prayer and glorifying God over and over again. Looks like Penn State was the best fit for him in terms of his faith and religion. Humble young man...I hope to see him win multiple NCAA titles.

Check out vhsalum's posts on HR.

No way is Spencer Lee the 6th best 3 timer...don't care what your numbers say. He has to be the best 3xer because he was just so damn dominant on top.

There are many HR posters who also believe Nagao is locked up for Iowa. It's far more than me and Mineo who believe Nagao is a Hawkeye.

Are you claiming all guests on that podcast have only announced commitments to Penn State?

He won't do any jail time. Probably just probation and a suspended sentence.

I expect Cannon to PSU tomorrow

184 or HWT?

Where does Spencer Lee rank among them? He was basically a 4 timer if not for a fluke pin.

Nagao is a leg rider, not a tilter. Zain Retherford would be a much better fit for teaching him how to turn guys with legs than Spencer Lee.

Wrestling parody?

Very true. Penn State needs Nagao a lot more than Iowa.

Carter Starocci?

If Cannon picks Rutgers I hope Teske comes back to Penn State.

Hawkeye Report has various insiders posting that they have Nagao in the (money) bag https://iowa.forums.rivals.com/threads/iowa-recruiting-thread.416755/page-10

Great interview, offers insight to Cael's Penn State culture