Flo Radio discusses big contenders for next season ...

[Tom McAndrew]

you can access it at THIS LINK.

Vais/Christian Pyles seems to feel that PSU and Okla. St. are head and shoulders ahead of the pack. Willie isn't as convinced. It's an interesting conversation that starts around the 33 minute mark.

Also some discussion about the Spanish Grand Prix, VT's team, NC State on a recruiting run, and a few other topics.

 

[Flying_Tiger]

Wow, Willie would not agree with CP that Penn State is the team to beat. Those guys from hawkreport are right, Willie is a s.o.b. Time to cancel my flo subscription and have a hissy fit.

 

[SetonHallPirate]

Look out for Virginia Tech...don't know if they have the big guns to get over the top, but they certainly should be in the discussion as the Katy Perry pick.

 

[SRATH]

VT wrestled great in State College last year. I might be wrong, but everyone of their guys wrestled a tough, smart match.

 

[El-Jefe]

Is it true that Zach Horan is transferring to VT? They're really dangerous already.

 

[Flying_Tiger]

I think that's what they were hinting at. If true, a real nice pick up. Virginia Tech is going to have a strong lineup this upcoming season.

 

[CSauertiegPSU]

Maybe I'm just cocky, or whatever you want to call it, but I can't see us losing at NCAAs next year, too much depth

 

[ejb25]

Why do they think PSU and OkSU head and shoulders above the pack, especially Ohio State? I know OSU loses Kyle Snyder, but they were a young team last year and now there talent has a year more experience. And I think they get Micah Jordan this year also.

 

[jschrantz]

Maybe I'm just cocky, or whatever you want to call it, but I can't see us losing at NCAAs next year, too much depth

If healthy, there are a few weights where we have little to no depth though and it could get real dangerous if we were to lose Hwt especially.

 

[El-Jefe]

Why do they think PSU and OkSU head and shoulders above the pack, especially Ohio State? I know OSU loses Kyle Snyder, but they were a young team last year and now there talent has a year more experience. And I think they get Micah Jordan this year also.

They also lost Logan Stieber. Hunter Stieber seriously hurt both elbows. And Tomasello will not repeat with Nico at his weight.

 

[CSauertiegPSU]

Why do they think PSU and OkSU head and shoulders above the pack, especially Ohio State? I know OSU loses Kyle Snyder, but they were a young team last year and now there talent has a year more experience. And I think they get Micah Jordan this year also.

They lost a point machine in Stieber, a likely top 3 (at worst) guy in Snyder and Tomasello will have a bit more competition at 125.

 

[SetonHallPirate]

I think that's what they were hinting at. If true, a real nice pick up. Virginia Tech is going to have a strong lineup this upcoming season.

Question is, who does he squeeze from the lineup? Gustafson? Norstrem? One of them cuts to 125, and allows Dance to redshirt?

Nice problems to have, but somebody's not going to be happy.

 

[ejb25]

You can say that about any team especially at Hwt. Anthony Cassar is a junior national champion and backing up both 197 and Hwt I believe. That's probably better than what most teams have as a backup.

If healthy, there are a few weights where we have little to no depth though and it could get real dangerous if we were to lose Hwt especially.

 

[HawkTalk3]

You can say that about any team especially at Hwt. Anthony Cassar is a junior national champion and backing up both 197 and Hwt I believe. That's probably better than what most teams have as a backup.

Yeah, but who did he beat to win that title? Marcus Harrington is the one good guy he had to beat to win JR Nationals and JR WTT. You can make a case otherwise, and I am certainly not dismissing Cassar, but it's not like he beat a Chance Marstaller or a Zain Retherford type talent in the finals.

EDIT: I suppose your point stands that he is a strong backup to have, but personally I only see that being a value in a dual situation as opposed to the Big Ten or NCAA tournament.

 

[ejb25]

Thanks. My point is that our depth is as good as anyone in the country. And injury is a risk for any team competing for a title race. Not many teams have an all american type talent behind their starter. We had some exceptions with Jordan Conway and Matt Brown behind some of our studs in previous years. But to the OP who said "if healthy", that applies to any team for any year.

Yeah, but who did he beat to win that title? Marcus Harrington is the one good guy he had to beat to win JR Nationals and JR WTT. You can make a case otherwise, and I am certainly not dismissing Cassar, but it's not like he beat a Chance Marstaller or a Zain Retherford type talent in the finals.

EDIT: I suppose your point stands that he is a strong backup to have, but personally I only see that being a value in a dual situation as opposed to the Big Ten or NCAA tournament.

 

[RoarLions1]

Thanks. My point is that our depth is as good as anyone in the country. And injury is a risk for any team competing for a title race. Not many teams have an all american type talent behind their starter. We had some exceptions with Jordan Conway and Matt Brown behind some of our studs in previous years. But to the OP who said "if healthy", that applies to any team for any year.

Depth is important, and injuries an unfortunate reality of wrestling, but I thought you were suggesting that Anthony could replace Morgan's points at B1G's and NCAA's in the (heaven forbid) event of an injury. I believe that's unrealistic, again, if that's what was being suggested. Anthony and Kellan Stout have a ton of upside, but today they're not at the level of a 5th year senior with Morgan's credentials. jschrantz's point, the way I took it, was that our point potential goes down, and that's true. And with due respect for our wrestlers, it's Conaway and Gingrich.

 

[ejb25]

I agree with jschrantz 100%. But my point is that's it's a concern for every team, for every weight class, for every year. That's like saying, as long as our starters don't break team rules and get kicked off the team (i.e Andrew Long). It's a valid point, but it's kind of already understood that injuries are a risk in a title race.

PSU has weathered injuries to our starters in the past (i.e. Dylan and Andrew Alton) and still gone on to win National Championships. So I think PSU is as good as anyone to weather an injury to a starter.

Why worry about Hwt, with Nevills getting injured again and us being out of the team race before he's wrestled his first match? Cael has proven that he can can still win a championship even with injured starters.

Depth is important, and injuries an unfortunate reality of wrestling, but I thought you were suggesting that Anthony could replace Morgan's points at B1G's and NCAA's in the (heaven forbid) event of an injury. I believe that's unrealistic, again, if that's what was being suggested. Anthony and Kellan Stout have a ton of upside, but today they're not at the level of a 5th year senior with Morgan's credentials. jschrantz's point, the way I took it, was that our point potential goes down, and that's true. And with due respect for our wrestlers, it's Conaway and Gingrich.

 

[El-Jefe]

I agree with jschrantz 100%. But my point is that's it's a concern for every team, for every weight class, for every year. That's like saying, as long as our starters don't break team rules and get kicked off the team (i.e Andrew Long). It's a valid point, but it's kind of already understood that injuries are a risk in a title race.

PSU has weathered injuries to our starters in the past (i.e. Dylan and Andrew Alton) and still gone on to win National Championships. So I think PSU is as good as anyone to weather an injury to a starter.

Why worry about Hwt, with Nevills getting injured again and us being out of the team race before he's wrestled his first match? Cael has proven that he can can still win a championship even with injured starters.

When Andrew got hurt, Cael had English available -- a 6th-year SR who had previously placed at the Scuffle and beaten a future national champ (Houdashelt).

 

[dunkej01]

if only cael and staff could do more than recruit.

 

[CholleyVandine]

This year, the depth on the team is likely to include a junior who placed 4th at the Scuffle and had a win over the returning national runner up, a sophomore who placed 6th at the Scuffle and split two matches with the eventual fourth place finisher at NCAAs, either Hammond or Rasheed, Wes Phipps, Cassar ...Everybody has depth concerns, but the cupboard really isn't bare behind the starters.

 

[ejb25]

Yup, we have many backups who have the potential to be the next James English.

Thanks CholleyVandine for listing them. I would also add stud freshman Cenzo Joseph to your list.

When Andrew got hurt, Cael had English available -- a 6th-year SR who had previously placed at the Scuffle and beaten a future national champ (Houdashelt).