I mentioned a Karam/Red combo which would in all likelihood become our starting 25/33 combo in 16/17. Red could definitely end up at 41 at some point and I don't think 25 is a possibility anymore but I could be wrong about that.
Recruiting Puzzle
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I mentioned a Karam/Red combo which would in all likelihood become our starting 25/33 combo in 16/17. Red could definitely end up at 41 at some point and I don't think 25 is a possibility anymore but I could be wrong about that.
Well then the second part, and I don't think this would be too tough for him, could Karam go '33 without being undersized
John Doe is currently adjusting the boom mike sticking out of the bottom of his nondescript mobile wrestling recruiting scoop van. It's currently parked somewhere in Bergen County, NJ.
Beats the hell out of this vehicle:
Or this one:
I still have no idea what the lint roller was for.
He wrestled 126 as a junior. I don't know his plans for his senior season. Willie, who generally has a really good fix on guys from the Lehigh Valley, had Karam listed on Flo (for his former verbal to Bucknell) as projected at 133. Based on that, I don't think Karam would be undersized at 133 in college.
Here's the question, you're a national lightweight recruit from Jersey and about 3-4 hrs away by car from the place that just took a breather last year from a 4 year title run that's looking for a starting lightweight to begin another probably 4 year title run. Where do you go?
Another question, you're a national lightweight recruit from PA who was up until days ago committed to Bucknell. What do you have in mind Mr. Karam?
Another question, you're a national lightweight recruit from PA and you're looking for a good fit at maybe 133# on a somewhat ok local team. Who's on your short list Mr. Phillippi?
Another question, you're a national lightweight recruit from Indiana and praying to get a shot at your dream school Penn State. Do you have a backup plan?
Last question, you're THE national lightweight recruit from PA next year from PA just a short drive from the place that is on track for another multiple title run. They have money since they didn't squander it away and instead went with proven homegrown talent. Where are you pitching you're tent Mr. Lee?
Another question, you're a national lightweight recruit from PA and you're looking for a good fit at maybe 133# on a somewhat ok local team. Who's on your short list Mr. Phillippi?
Another question, you're a national lightweight recruit from Indiana and praying to get a shot at your dream school Penn State. Do you have a backup plan?
Last question, you're THE national lightweight recruit from PA next year from PA just a short drive from the place that is on track for another multiple title run. They have money since they didn't squander it away and instead went with proven homegrown talent. Where are you pitching you're tent Mr. Lee?
This board is starting to sound like HR, just beg.
That is a lot of questions. But is there a point or some coherent thought that I'm missing?
My only other Nom de Plume was as Grammer_Police years ago on The Mat.
I'm sure the ironic spelling of that board name went over a few heads.
Agreed. Let's not make this joint resemble the front steps to the Central Bombay Railway Station - have some self-respect people.
I would guess that Karam is going to wrestle 126 again this year. Offseason weights seem to point towards this, Pletcher is at 32, Lee probably 20 again. Plus, Riegel just transferred to Seminary because of a lineup jam which probably means Karam at 126 and Gould/Papcsy at 132/138.
He's an older kid whose weight hasn't shot up the last two years. I would be looking at him as a 125 right now. Of course with a RS he could certainly grow into a 133. I would think that is the case for just about any kid unless they are 120 or below as a SR.
I think Karam would be a great fit - 125 in 16/17 and insurance in case we don't get Lee. If we do get Lee, RS him and then let the chips fall where they may. You are then talking about 18/19 so who can really project that far out?
Great post, but do realize Karam won his first state title at 113 as a sophomore, so he has gone up a bit . Other reason for Karam to hold at 126 though could be answered b D-11 to stay away from a growing Sasso and Fidelibus, although I realize Karam was able to beat Sasso last year with Sammy wrestling up a weight.
Yes, I realize this, just wasn't really clear in my post. Two years meaning this past two years - I am including this offseason as one with the expectation he competes at the same weight this year.
Speaking of Sasso, I'm guessing he will be competing at a significantly higher weight this year (132 or 138). He is really all over the place in weight with competing and a know he competed as high as 145 in the preseason last year and ended up at 120. But this offseason he has been 138/145 most of the time and just went 132 at Fargo - very important tournament and one day weighin - so I would guess that's about as low as he goes.
Just to be clear, all lightweight recruits, including those from your state, neighboring states, and somewhat neighboring states should sign with....Penn State because you think they're about to rip off multiple titles?
I realize these were more or less rhetorical, but can't help myself ...
1. Karam is considering "4 or 5 schools" in his words. When he originally committed to Bucknell, the other contenders were Lehigh, Rutgers, and Drexel. He hasn't said how his list has changed.
2. Phillippi is known to be considering PSU, Virginia, and NC State -- so far. He also said he'll consider other schools and will take his officials -- see the article Tom linked last week. Also, I don't think he's a college 133. He wrestled 132 at Hershey last year and was noticeably taller/lankier than Korbin Myers. IMO his best plan is to shirt immediately to fill into 141.
3. Red does in fact have a backup plan. He's considering Nebraska and Iowa State (at least).
4. I don't know where to start with the Lee comments ... but here goes anyway. EVERY school in the country has saved money for him. And this sounds a lot like HR, where they have a "Lee to Iowa" thread seemingly every day and twice on Sunday.
Thanks, I wasn't sure if I missed something with the Karam/Psu talk. I'm Not sure there is any mutual interest.
I'd agree with you on Sammy. Kid seems to really be answering the bell as he grows too, he tore it up at Fargo. And only a soph this upcoming season!
Can't see it from an academic standpoint . He's also got teammates at VaTech and a few at Lehigh
Imagine how difficult being a D1 collegiate wrestling coach is...There is a whole lot to consider/pitch/plan/operate.
Well, that is a whole helluva lot simpler than all the dumb-a$$ questions. Though it's not clear at all how the national lightweight recruit from Jersey fits into this point.
To be fair, 3.5 hrs to State College is closer than the 15.5 to get to Iowa City for Suriano. Bergen Cty is within a "home" radius is say, although not Pa
If PSU lands the elite PA prospects that it wants, it will usually be competitive on a national level.
I always root for PA wrestlers in college, except when they wrestle against PSU. That said, I think your point is too general.
Our coach is a Utah high school sensation who wrestled at Iowa State in college.
DT was an Ohio high school stud who verballed to Iowa State to wrestle under CS. Fortunately for PSU fans, he followed CS to Penn State. I believe DT's only loses in college were to Jenkins (a wrestler from VA) and Dake (a wrestler from NY). PSU would have been competitive with a top PA wrestler at 157/165 over DT's years, but they probably wouldn't have won the National Championships with a PA wrestler at those weights.
At this year's Nationals, Matt Brown, a high school champ from Utah, defeated a PA wrestler (Tyler Wilps) in the finals. He also defeated a PA wrestler (Mike Evans) who spent a year or two at prep school in NJ in the semis. Again, we would have been competitive with a PA wrestler, but we wouldn't have had the champion of 174 if we had gone with a PA wrestler.
2 summers ago, many of us were shocked when CS got a verbal from a Calif. high school heavyweight stud (Nick Nevills),when they already had a verbal from a PA high school stud that planned to wrestle heavyweight in college (Thomas Haines). Only time will tell if PSU would have done better to if they landed the PA kid, though every ranking service had Nevills as higher rated than Haines.
The most glaring needs for this year's PSU recruiting efforts appear to be at 125 and 133, and to a lesser extent 141. We don't know who CS and staff are focused on, but it appears (without any confirmation) that Nick Suriano (NJ) and Chad Red (IN) are their top prospects at these two weights, while Spencer Lee (PA) is their top target for the following year. From PA, Pletcher and Karam may be targets as well, but Pletcher has already verballed to Ohio State.
While PSU does not seem to have a glaring need at 174, PSU does seem to be involved in recruiting Mark Hall (MN by way of ??? - I think it's Kentucky but I'm not certain), and last year they were involved in recruiting the Valencia brothers (CA),even though they did not have a glaring need at their respective weights.
I believe 7 of PSU's 10 wrestlers last year were from PA. That said, their lone national champ was from Utah, their next highest finisher (McIntosh) was from CA, their 3rd highest finisher (Gulibon) was from PA, and their 4th highest finisher (Lawson) was from NJ. While PSU didn't do as well as many of would have liked at this year's Nationals, it would likely have done even worse were it not for the 3 non-PA wrestlers.
This has gotten longer than I was expecting, so I'll wrap it up by saying that I always want the best PA wrestlers to wrestle for PSU. However, CS has shown that he wants the best wrestlers he can get regardless of where they go to high school, though he is happy to be located in the center of the best high school wrestling state in the country. I fully support his approach.
Not to mention Bo Nickal (Texas) and Mason Manville (Virginia) and Shakur Rasheed (New York) and Kade Moss (Utah) and I'm probably missing a few.
Hall is originally from Michigan -- same hometown as Metcalf -- then Kentucky and Minny.
Anyway, PSU is now a national program. JoePa's famous 500-mile circle around State College is even more prominent in wrestling than in football. And that is where Cael does most of his recruiting. But that's a guideline, not a rule. If he thinks you're a future national champ and who will fit in his locker room, geography is secondary.
Hall is originally from Michigan -- same hometown as Metcalf -- then Kentucky and Minny.
Anyway, PSU is now a national program. JoePa's famous 500-mile circle around State College is even more prominent in wrestling than in football. And that is where Cael does most of his recruiting. But that's a guideline, not a rule. If he thinks you're a future national champ and who will fit in his locker room, geography is secondary.
I simply said if we take care of our home turf we should be OK in this recruiting cycle. We need lightweights. Karam, Phillippi and Lee are from PA. I also consider NJ with Suriano in our backyard. Christ to stimulate a little talk during a dead time and I'm getting a geography lesson on where our wrestlers are from. I follow the team also, sports.
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I want everyone to know I love everyone on this team. But before someone wants to say how this team is powered by out of staters, let me point out the contributions Ruth and Nico had in our title runs. And yes last year we didn't bring home the title and Brown was our only champ, but perhaps things may have been different if Nico and Zain would have been in the line-up not to mention Nolf. And projecting this year's line-up, I see the first 5-6 weights all PA kids. So spare me the crap already. You guys got a thorn up your ass, just say you're having a bad day and let it be.
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