Michael Moran

I think both Cael and David are going to put best lineup they can on mat. After all, OSU got Ryder and Facundo because PSU replaced them, and Ryder with a transfer. Lockett was a stud coming in, I don't think he forgot how to wrestle. Maybe he was at wrong weight and 174 is where he belongs. That put him and Facundo fighting for one slot. Or maybe Facundo goes down to 165, and he and Rutledge battle it out. But he is going to put the best lineup on mat. I think Forrest and Vega stay where they are if DT has any say. At 149, if Raney is better than Swiderski, he starts. If White is better than Ryder, he starts. It is only fair to put the best guy on mat. And if they can't start, Swiderski and Ryder will be able to transfer, like Travis and Carter Young did.

Lineup next year: 125 Sprately 133 Forrest 141 Vega 149 Raney 157 Robideau 165 Rutledge 174 Lockett 184 Ryder or White 197 Merrill 285 Ross Lockett was a big 165 and something needs to change. Fade late in season and fact he was gassed late in matches makes me think he was cutting too much weight. And he looked big. So move him to 174 an he may shine. Rutledge, who I have moving in at 165, may be a stud. Look at his match against Ruiz of ASU. He lost because he ran out of gas, but was the much better wrestler (and Ruiz won Big 12s and was an AA). If Robideau grows, I think he goes up to 165 and both Raney's start. But he didn't look like a big 157. Smaller than Taylor and much smaller than Duke or Larkin. I don't see moving Vega or Forrest around unless you have to. Vega maybe looked big, but hard to tell as he was so long and skinny. And he really used leverage so going up where guys are taller and you have less leverage may hurt him. Forrest didn't look that big. Can OSU get 3 more freshman national champs, with Raney, Ross, and White. Unlikely but not impossible.

The lineup next year is: 126 Spratley 133 Forrest 141 Vega 149 Raney 157 Robideau 165 Lockett 174 Facundo 184 Ryder/Merrill (I think Merrill looks small for 197) 197 Merrill/White 285 Ross That looks like a team that can go toe to toe with Penn St.

To me, Taylor wrestled starters who he was not totally pleased with. The 3 true freshman could not have done better. Spratley lost 2 close matches but in general wrestled well. Doucet and Merrill wrestled pretty well, with one close loss each. Not sure he expected more from them. But at 133 and 149, OSU has been weak. And I think he thought the PSU transfers at 174 and 184 would have done better. Ryder and Facundo will be the starters at 174 and 184, but can they more up. Right now they are borderline AA. Can they move to solid AAs (even if not title threats). But can OSU change horses at 133 and 149. My view is 149 was always a better weight for Jamison, and I think if you slot him in he would be an upgrade. Less sure about Travis or Carter Young. At 133, pretty clear to me RR has replaced Fig. But what about Hughes. Not sure of his status, but I view him as a real stud. If he can make 133 I think he is a big upgrade.

I think at 141 it is Hughes if he is healthy. Does Jamison try to go to 141 again. I hope not as he is cutting to much weight to get there and I think that explains his weak showings at the NCAAs. I think they redshirt Vega. If I am right at 141, then 149 is battle between Jamison and Swiderski. Does loser try to go to 157. 157 is interesting. We have 3 quality 149 pounders, Jamison, Swiderski, and Travis. Travis has gone up in past, but I think he is weakest of 3. Also have top recruit Robideau who is true 157 pounder. I agree with other weight classes with one possible change. Could Lockett make 157 (wrestled 163 in freestyle this summer). Then put Facundo at 165, Ryder at 174, and Thompson at 184. Part of question is how good is Thompson now after poor showing in 2023/4. All indications are that is not the way things are going to play out.

"What announcers even said 174 was his best weight last year? During...the U20s last year or when? Also...if the goal was just to have everyone cut down another weight, why go with David Taylor?" When I watched a replay of him in finals of Southern Scuffle announcers said something like his best weight would be 174. In finals of Souther Scuffle wrestled guy from Northern Colorado, who used to be at OSU and wrestled for Edmond North. To my eyes, guy from Northern Colorado looked bigger than Ryder. At 174 PSU has Haines, so hole in PSU's lineup was at 184. With Okie St, the hole is 174. Look everyone else says Ryder is going 184, so I will be first to admit I am likely wrong .

I have heard Hughes is hurt. So not sure he is in mix for spot in lineup this year.

To me best OSU lineup puts Lockett at 157 and Ryder at 174. Ryder wrestled 184 last year but was clearly small, announcers even said 174 was his best weight (but at PSU Haines was in the way. 174 looks to be easier weight class than 184, so to me makes sense he goes there. Lockett wrestled 163 at US Open. Can he wrestle 157? 157 also looks to be a much easier weight class than 165. Lets Facundo go at 165 and Thompson at 184.

Whitlake not on roster. Also Haas is listed at 197. I always thought Haas was too big for 184 (and roster tends to list guys at lower weights than they may go). Stika (who wrestled some last few years at 184/197 (and who was not bad) is also not on roster. So unless Whitlake pulls a Gfeller and has second thought and joins team, I think 174 and 184 are down to Plott and Thompson as OSU doesn't have much else at those weights. Intermat has Plott at 184 in rankings, but Lewis staying at 174. When I saw them wrestle, Lewis looked much bigger than Plott (who looked average size for 174) Given in US Open Plott went at 79 kg (174) while Thompson went at 86 (189) I think Plott goes 174 and Thompson goes 189. Mirzo is listed at 157. So I think wrestle off between Mirzo, Harper and Manibog determines who starts at 157. (my money is on Mirzo). Alvarez is listed at 141 and ranked at that weight on Intermat, but I still think it is Jamison at 141 and Alvarez or Williams at 149. Cael Happel is ranked 12th at 141 on Intermat, and I saw on Ytube match from 2023 where Jamison beats Happel pretty solidly. So do they start Carroll or Doucet. Doucet is a pretty good athletic, just has no offensive moves. So if Carroll can solidly beat Doucet, I think he starts as some pretty good guys could only beat Doucet in close matches. If Carroll and Doucet are close, I think they redshirt Carroll.

Ok, I think you guys know more than I do. What are your projections for Jamison and Alvarez at NCAAs next year. My WAG is Jamison is around 4th. Alvarez is real wildcard, as I could see him anywhere from finalist to 8th. 141 has Alvarez (CSU), Woods, and Bartlett and then next 10 guys pretty close. 149 has Sasso, Lovett, and a bunch of guys who could do really well.

Saw a tweet that Sammy Alvarez will wrestle 65kg for Puerto Rico in u23 worlds in Finland. 65 kg is 143.3 pounds. I have heard weigh in rules are easier for freestyle than NCAA. Does that mean Alvarez goes 149 for OSU given his past weight problems or that he can get that close to 141 does that mean he goes 141? Any opinions? If I had to guess (and it is a guess) I would say he goes 149 (same as Williams who made 65kg for freestyle) with loser of those tow to compete with Mirzo at 157. Also means Alvarez is training hard. Given his talent, he may be nice surprise for the Pokes.

I again want to say OSU has a lot of questions going into next year. So do we think they start Carroll and Thompson? Flo says no, I say yes. I think Carroll beats Doucet and Thompson beats Whitlake (or anyone else) in ranking matches and after an 18th finish Smith has to be thinking the future is now. I think Jamison is 141 pounder. Alvarez and Williams competes for 149 with the loser likely 157 pounder (but maybe Khayitov). Does Plott redshirt so Whitlake takes 174 spot. I think Whitlake at 174 is as good as Plott, but close. So you have 3 guys that are likely to place, Fix, Plott/Whitlake, and Olejnik. 6 guys who have a chance. I think Spratley is an AA at 125, and maybe a high one. I think Jamison is a mid level AA (4th to 6th). Williams/ Alvarez maybe but not likely at 149. Nothing at 157. Thompson is mid level AA at 185. Surber is a low level AA as is Carroll. So I give them 8 AA, but 4 of the 8 low AA (5th to 8th). Doesn't get them close to Penn St but better than a ton better than last year.

When I compared video of Williams and Voinovich at Southern Scuffle, my thought was Williams was better, he just needed some polish. My guess is he got polish his redshirt year. So makes sense that Williams was beating Voinovich in practice and Voinovich decided he would transfer so he could start. Also given Alvarez's history of not making weight, makes sense that OSU wanted to bring in Jamison. So Alvarez is wildcard. If he can make 141, he goes up against Jamison for spot in lineup. If he can't make 141, be battles Williams for start at 149. And Carter Young gets redshirt year to let his knee heal and work on weights to get stronger (as was overpowered at times). To me, all three have good shot at being AAs, but far from a sure thing and likely in 4 to 8 spot. If Alvarez goes up to 149, does loser of him and Williams start at 157. To me choices at 157 look like Mirzo Khayitov (if he can move down from 165 where he wrestled Juco), Manibog, or Cutter Sheets. Khayitov is interesting, but was second, not first at Juco. So all three are weak choices.

Alvarez was at 141. But he left Rutgers because he failed to make weight. So maybe moved up to 149? Look at Southern Scuffle matches between North Dakota State kid and Williams and Voinovich. I think they look close to me. And given it was Williams redshirt year and his better athletic ability, I think Williams was a threat. But I admit, I don't know anything.

I admit I don't know anything. But I had similar thought as nhs67 in that why would Williams cut to 65 kg for freestyle. Also could Sammy Alvarez be a stud in room at 149? I think Voinovich transferred because he say he could not start at 149. Otherwise doesn't make sense as family had moved to Stillwater. I thought Voinovich though he couldn't beat Williams. But with Williams going down for freestyle season, what is going on? So putting pieces together maybe Sammy Alvarez looks great at 149 and caused Voinovich to transfer and Williams to try to move to 141. Alvarez had his moments at Rutgers but unless he has gotten much better at OSU don't think he was that good? Any thoughts from anyone?