(6) Oklahoma State at (2) Iowa

[RxCowboy]

Of course at Heavyweight and 125 we never had a prayer. This did not have to be the absolute beat down that it turned out to be. We had plenty of close matches that we could’ve easily won with some aggression but the guys on the other team seemed to want it more.

There were three weights where they were heavily favored: 125, 141, and hwt. There was one where we we were heavily favored: 133. The rest were toss-ups. We needed to win some close matches and it didn't happen.

 

[BigBadBob]

You can’t get a takedown if you never take a shot. Some of our guys are the most tentative, non-aggressive wrestlers on their feet that I’ve ever seen wearing orange singlets. Plott and Wittlake never even attempted a takedown in their matches. Surber got one but when he needed one to win, he didn’t take a single shot in the 3rd period. Wyatt Sheets was the only wrestler who was hugely outranked but still wrestled his butt off and was at least aggressive in trying to win his match. He darn near pulled the upset. There’s not a single match in those 2nd, 3rd and 4th matches that we couldn’t have or shouldn’t have won, but we just aren’t aggressive on our feet at all.

Of course at Heavyweight and 125 we never had a prayer. This did not have to be the absolute beat down that it turned out to be. We had plenty of close matches that we could’ve easily won with some aggression but the guys on the other team seemed to want it more.

It’s hard to fathom that a team coached by a HOF wrestler who had the single greatest unstoppable single leg takedown in history can’t get takedowns whatsoever and rarely ever attempts them. SMH

Plott is banged up apparently. And Wittlake is usually way more aggressive. I agree with the other poster that their style really flummoxed us. And they are really good too. I don’t think it was a disaster but it wasn’t good.

 

[BigBadBob]

Someone help me. Is it recruiting? Coaching? Wrestler development?

Some of all. This team is way different if Kirkvliet ended up at OSU as planned and AJ could’ve not AJ’d put two more finalists on this team, and kept Mastro we would’ve been talking podium.

 

[RxCowboy]

Some of all. This team is way different if Kirkvliet ended up at OSU as planned and AJ could’ve not AJ’d put two more finalists on this team, and kept Mastro we would’ve been talking podium.

Match looks a lot different with Ferrari in the lineup. Just sayin'...

 

[orngblkzebra]

Plott is banged up apparently. And Wittlake is usually way more aggressive. I agree with the other poster that their style really flummoxed us. And they are really good too. I don’t think it was a disaster but it wasn’t good.

One other thought on Iowa...I wonder how much of the lack of aggression was preservation for post season?
Having that match right before tournament time, I dont think either side wanted to risk bigger prizes...esp. with how close all the matches were...dont really lose individual ranking here...

 

[RxCowboy]

One other thought on Iowa...I wonder how much of the lack of aggression was preservation for post season?
Having that match right before tournament time, I dont think either side wanted to risk bigger prizes...esp. with how close all the matches were...dont really lose individual ranking here...

I've seen Iowa, and B1G in general, wrestle the exact same way at nationals. Think about Fix's finals match last year.