I like your option 2! This was the toughest year in a long time for Mizzou wrestling. Couple of other thoughts/questions.
1. Hawks doesn't seem to be improving over the years he's been in the program. Is he at a weight class that is too high? Should he/can he move to 174? If Steed could maintain 165, Hawks at 174, Sinclair at 184 and Elam at 197 that would be 4 strong weight classes.
2. Over the many years I've been a fan, I've gotten spoiled with the strong development Mizzou coaches have achieved with many of their wrestlers. Good/great wrestlers come into the program and you see many of them improve each year to the point you have NCAA champions or All Americans by the time they are seniors. Edmonds, Hawks, Gioffre and others don't seem to be developing and improving as many former Mizzou wrestlers have. Any thought on this?
3. Nitzel had some bright points, can he take the next step in 2025/26?
4. Will Kade Moore take the next step in development? Can he survive the onslaught of some of the incoming talent? He looked like he was really coming around in the Big 12 Tourn, but then did nothing at the NCAA Tourn.