Wrestling Starters next year

[Osucowboys344]

125- Troy Spartley
133- JJ Mccomas
141- Tagen James
149- Jordan Williams
157- Teague Travis
165- Dean Hamiti
174- Cameron Amine
184- Dustin Plott
197- Christian Carrol
HWT- Wyatt Hendrickson

Just a guess could change

 

[Lee C.]

Redshirt Plott and Hamiti! And maybe Hendrickson! Tank for Cleveland!

 

[Cowboy4life9688]

The question is will they actually do it? Not a bad idea but we’ll see what happens

 

[Lee C.]

Cael did it in his first year at Penn State. Also did it the year Ohio State won one.

It's the smart thing to do.

 

[JAY45]

125- Troy Spartley
133- JJ Mccomas
141- Tagen James
149- Jordan Williams
157- Teague Travis
165- Dean Hamiti
174- Cameron Amine
184- Dustin Plott
197- Christian Carrol
HWT- Wyatt Hendrickson

Just a guess could change

You’ve got McComas over Hughes?

 

[JAY45]

Cael did it in his first year at Penn State. Also did it the year Ohio State won one.

It's the smart thing to do.

Respectfully disagree. Here’s why:

Biggest reason, it doesn’t seem necessary. OSU doesn’t need to horde talent. As you’ve been pointing out, the talent is solid, and there is more coming. There doesn’t seem to be a need for a scarcity mindset in terms of talent at OSU.

DT & Gilman are pied pipers among the younger generation of wrestlers and the flow of talent to OSU will be dramatic.

So much has changed since 2010. Kids have been in college for going on 6 years. The pandemic has greatly impacted the sport. And you’ve got NIL, the Portal, and RTC considerations. Did these older guys envision being in college this far into the start of their adult life?

Lastly, for people who have been attending duals for the last several years, It feels like a tough ask to dump all this money into the program, make all these changes, and then ask them to sit and wait another season.

I’ll admit, it’s a view that’s changed for me over time. I could be completely off base…I don’t see these guys conceding anything.

Who’s the last team to do a massive redshirt operation since PSU?

In sum, Life is too short. Time to go get it!

 

[Lee C.]

Respectfully disagree. Here’s why:

Biggest reason, it doesn’t seem necessary. OSU doesn’t need to horde talent. As you’ve been pointing out, the talent is solid, and there is more coming. There doesn’t seem to be a need for a scarcity mindset in terms of talent at OSU.

DT & Gilman are pied pipers among the younger generation of wrestlers and the flow of talent to OSU will be dramatic.

So much has changed since 2010. Kids have been in college for going on 6 years. The pandemic has greatly impacted the sport. And you’ve got NIL, the Portal, and RTC considerations. Did these older guys envision being in college this far into the start of their adult life?

Lastly, for people who have been attending duals for the last several years, It feels like a tough ask to dump all this money into the program, make all these changes, and then ask them to sit and wait another season.

I’ll admit, it’s a view that’s changed for me over time. I could be completely off base…I don’t see these guys conceding anything.

Who’s the last team to do a massive redshirt operation since PSU?

In sum, Life is too short. Time to go get it!

I'll respond to this after while. Don't disagree totally but is there really a difference between 2nd and 6th in 2025? You still have a really solid lineup if you redshirt Hamiti and Plott. They're both in two year masters programs. They're both going to stay in Stillwater through the next Olympic quad. They're both going to keep wrestling. What's the real difference between taking a break for one year and coming back?

2026 you have a legit chance to win it with Penn State losing Starrocci, Kerk, and Bartlett. They'll still obviously be stacked with Messenbrink and Haines. But the perceived gap closes quite a bit in 2026. Especially after a year of training for those two guys in particular with one of the probably three best wrestlers in the world at their weight.

And yeah the cupboard is super full with young talent. Hughes and Carroll take their freshman lumps. Spratley and the Jamison/Williams/Young/Travis group is going to get much better without a doubt.

I'm really only talking about two guys and maybe Hendrickson.

 

[Osucowboys344]

You’ve got McComas over Hughes?

Man, I forgot about Hughes and he is a going to be a star. He would definitely get the notch at 132

 

[HacklemanPoke]

I'll respond to this after while. Don't disagree totally but is there really a difference between 2nd and 6th in 2025? You still have a really solid lineup if you redshirt Hamiti and Plott. They're both in two year masters programs. They're both going to stay in Stillwater through the next Olympic quad. They're both going to keep wrestling. What's the real difference between taking a break for one year and coming back?

2026 you have a legit chance to win it with Penn State losing Starrocci, Kerk, and Bartlett. They'll still obviously be stacked with Messenbrink and Haines. But the perceived gap closes quite a bit in 2026. Especially after a year of training for those two guys in particular with one of the probably three best wrestlers in the world at their weight.

And yeah the cupboard is super full with young talent. Hughes and Carroll take their freshman lumps. Spratley and the Jamison/Williams/Young/Travis group is going to get much better without a doubt.

I'm really only talking about two guys and maybe Hendrickson.

You also have to wonder if NIL plays a part. If these 3 are committed to being and training in Stillwater for beyond next year do they stand to make more money in the next 2-3 yrs if they redshirt next yr while drawing an extra year of NIL$. Especially given Hendrickson couldn’t get paid while at AFA.

 

[Lee C.]

You also have to wonder if NIL plays a part. If these 3 are committed to being and training in Stillwater for beyond next year do they stand to make more money in the next 2-3 yrs if they redshirt next yr while drawing an extra year of NIL$. Especially given Hendrickson couldn’t get paid while at AFA.

I think winning probably matters more than money to most of these guys in particular.

 

[Okstatekerr]

125- Troy Spartley
133- JJ Mccomas
141- Tagen James
149- Jordan Williams
157- Teague Travis
165- Dean Hamiti
174- Cameron Amine
184- Dustin Plott
197- Christian Carrol
HWT- Wyatt Hendrickson

Just a guess could change

Just a little nitpick. It’s Tagen Jamison

 

[MJM]

My starting lineup prediction and comments:

125 Spartley
133 Hughes. But Hughes did not make weight at U20 trials, and he is big for 133. Does he have to go 141, so does Witcraft comes back at 133?
141 Jamison or Young. I think 60-40 Jamison, but close. Young was top recruit, but had rough 2 years as starter. Jamison looked good early as starter, but faded badly. If Hughes can't make 133, he starts at 141, beats either Jamison or Young.
149 Williams
157 Travis or Fish. I think Travis starts and Fish redshirts, but who knows.
165 Amine
174 Hamiti
184 Plott
197 Surber. If Surber is still injured, does Merrill, Robb, or Haas wrestle?
285 Hendrickson.

From that group, OSU has 4 returning AA. I would expect all of the returning place in 2025 (Amine, Hamiti, Plott, and Hendrickson).

Amine is the most interesting. He finished 4th in a very tough 165 weight class in 2023 (behind O'Toole, Carr, and Monday and beating Griffin), but had a poor 2024 season. Was he injured? Will new staff revive him. Don't know but 2023 Amine your talking about possible national finalist. 2024 Amine you are talking about low AA. Who shows up.

Hamiti is a stud but has not been able to get to next level. Also somewhat under preformed at nationals. Hopefully new coaches and better wrestling room partners lets him get to next level and be at top form at NCAAs.

Of the remaining 6 starters all could be AAs. I think Hughes at 133 is most likely as is real stud. Next I would put Spartley. There are very strong arguments Spratley should be an AA, but he should have this year. Maybe he improves enough to where its not close, but 125 is weight class with little difference between those in top 15. But I think Hughes and Spratley will AA.

Next, Williams and Travis. I give them both about a 50% chance. Williams was coming on late in 2024, and was likely somewhat injured at nationals. Travis get a year to bulk up to be a 157 pounder, as he was undersized last year and the matches I saw him lose he lost because he was out muscled.

Jamison/Young and Surber have a chance to AA, but seems unlikely. In 2023, Surber was a match away as he lost to guy from Cornell who was AA. Can he come back from his injury and improve from 2023 form? Jamison beat Brock from NU at CK, who finished 3rd. But he really faded late. Was he injured, a long season he wasn't used to, or cutting to much weight? Young was a stud when he first arrived, beating 2 former national champions in freestyle meet as high school senior. But 2 years as starter, never put it together. Can he now?

A pretty good team, one that could finish 2nd if they get breaks. But cannot touch PSU.

 

[CowboyT]

My starting lineup prediction and comments:

125 Spartley
133 Hughes. But Hughes did not make weight at U20 trials, and he is big for 133. Does he have to go 141, so does Witcraft comes back at 133?
141 Jamison or Young. I think 60-40 Jamison, but close. Young was top recruit, but had rough 2 years as starter. Jamison looked good early as starter, but faded badly. If Hughes can't make 133, he starts at 141, beats either Jamison or Young.
149 Williams
157 Travis or Fish. I think Travis starts and Fish redshirts, but who knows.
165 Amine
174 Hamiti
184 Plott
197 Surber. If Surber is still injured, does Merrill, Robb, or Haas wrestle?
285 Hendrickson.

From that group, OSU has 4 returning AA. I would expect all of the returning place in 2025 (Amine, Hamiti, Plott, and Hendrickson).

Amine is the most interesting. He finished 4th in a very tough 165 weight class in 2023 (behind O'Toole, Carr, and Monday and beating Griffin), but had a poor 2024 season. Was he injured? Will new staff revive him. Don't know but 2023 Amine your talking about possible national finalist. 2024 Amine you are talking about low AA. Who shows up.

Hamiti is a stud but has not been able to get to next level. Also somewhat under preformed at nationals. Hopefully new coaches and better wrestling room partners lets him get to next level and be at top form at NCAAs.

Of the remaining 6 starters all could be AAs. I think Hughes at 133 is most likely as is real stud. Next I would put Spartley. There are very strong arguments Spratley should be an AA, but he should have this year. Maybe he improves enough to where its not close, but 125 is weight class with little difference between those in top 15. But I think Hughes and Spratley will AA.

Next, Williams and Travis. I give them both about a 50% chance. Williams was coming on late in 2024, and was likely somewhat injured at nationals. Travis get a year to bulk up to be a 157 pounder, as he was undersized last year and the matches I saw him lose he lost because he was out muscled.

Jamison/Young and Surber have a chance to AA, but seems unlikely. In 2023, Surber was a match away as he lost to guy from Cornell who was AA. Can he come back from his injury and improve from 2023 form? Jamison beat Brock from NU at CK, who finished 3rd. But he really faded late. Was he injured, a long season he wasn't used to, or cutting to much weight? Young was a stud when he first arrived, beating 2 former national champions in freestyle meet as high school senior. But 2 years as starter, never put it together. Can he now?

A pretty good team, one that could finish 2nd if they get breaks. But cannot touch PSU.

I agree with this lineup. It is solid at all weights with every wrestler having quality wins. Development wise, I'm looking at Jordan Williams the most. He seemed to have more highs and lows in his season. I do think there will be a push towards wrestling fewer matches, so we'll see more wrestlers this year.

 

[Stilly2OMAOKC]

Thanks MJM for the comments and analysis! Just throwing this out there but any chance JW cuts to 141and Fish cuts to 149? That might make for an interesting alternative lineup but not sure if doable.

 

[Chairman of the Board]

Is Taylor done in the portal or is there anyone else out there?

 

[CowboyT]

I didn't think there's much left in the portal now that would be an upgrade. I don't see how Jordan Williams can get to 141.

 

[MustangPokeFan]

I didn't think there's much left in the portal now that would be an upgrade. I don't see how Jordan Williams can get to 141.

AJ is back in the portal……lol

 

[Stilly2OMAOKC]

I just caught an interview that Flo did with DT the other day. It sounds like they will eventually try to get PSU on the schedule in the future which would be epic.

 

[Stilly2OMAOKC]

AJ is back in the portal……lol

Was some buzz that Northern Colorado could be in the mix

 

[CowboyT]

AJ is back in the portal……lol

Like I said, not much left in the portal. For conversation sake did anyone here the gundy interview with Tulsa talk of the town? Gundy talked about how good Prentiss Elliott was/could have been and how he had really turned things around now. Could AJ be the same type of story in 15 years?