2021-22 season discussion thread
- Thread starter Leonard23
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White isn’t a shock to me. He’s one of guys I’m most excited for. Never a huge weight cutter in HS. Didn’t reclass in HS either. A lot of growth left for that kid. Going to be very good.
Summary: Shawver as expected; Sammy, as expected; Rivera unchallenged; 149: Time to look toward future and not another Grello experience; Kanniard unchallenged?; Clark not as impressive as Goody implied; Turley as expected, just barely; Poz unchallenged; Bulsak impressive; McDermott surprisingly impressive for early in the season.
Aragona is still a no-show; this, his third year, deserves an explanation. Robinson looks to have regressed.
I don't buy it that this isn't a serious competition, even if someone plays a video of an illiterate person saying something stupid over and over again. Bulsak showed what he's got. McDermott didn't hold back. And certainly White wrestled hard enough to make a statement.
Aragona is still a no-show; this, his third year, deserves an explanation. Robinson looks to have regressed.
I don't buy it that this isn't a serious competition, even if someone plays a video of an illiterate person saying something stupid over and over again. Bulsak showed what he's got. McDermott didn't hold back. And certainly White wrestled hard enough to make a statement.
I get that these are wrestle-offs and less emphasized here than many places, and familiarity is a factor, but these were some surprising or humbling results:
- DeSantis beating Weaver 6-3. Weaver confirming that he may struggle to contribute.
- Turley only winning by 1 over O'Neill, as O'Neill looked completely overmatched last season. Not too concerned as Turley is more of a match guy and AA.
- White beating MVB by 1.
Also, JoJo not wrestling off for 149 is an indication he's redshirting, I guess?
- DeSantis beating Weaver 6-3. Weaver confirming that he may struggle to contribute.
- Turley only winning by 1 over O'Neill, as O'Neill looked completely overmatched last season. Not too concerned as Turley is more of a match guy and AA.
- White beating MVB by 1.
Also, JoJo not wrestling off for 149 is an indication he's redshirting, I guess?
Yes, JoJo has a RS, but this is his 3rd year in the program, so if he's not progressing and challenging anyone then yikes.
I think Turley ONeil is more a positive for ONeil than knock on Turley. Don’t read too much into Oneil not lighting it up as true freshmen. He’s going to be good. Just need to find spot.
That is my issue. He’s a 3rd year top 10 recruit. If he needs another year to develop….
He should be processed out after this year if he's not progressing. Use that money elsewhere.
Weaver has regressed ever since he left BC unfortunately. He obviously didn’t get the level of regular training and competition he needed at Lyndhurst and it hurt him. I also think he hasn’t been cutting so he was getting out muscled as well.
He’s a guy that’s going to need a few years of high level training in the room, weight lifting, and weight management. He is obviously insanely talented offensively and a risk taker similar to Turley, but he needs to work on the little/basic things to really reach his potential.
Hopefully he loves the sport enough to hang around and develop, but he could be a nice addition in 2-3 years if that happens.
He’s a guy that’s going to need a few years of high level training in the room, weight lifting, and weight management. He is obviously insanely talented offensively and a risk taker similar to Turley, but he needs to work on the little/basic things to really reach his potential.
Hopefully he loves the sport enough to hang around and develop, but he could be a nice addition in 2-3 years if that happens.
Stop. That’s not going to happen.
No one outside of the coaching staff has seen him wrestle in almost 2 years but yet as far as we have heard he is still engaged and working/training hard, so they obviously have a plan for him that he bought in to or else he would be in the portal.
He didn’t burn his red shirt. He still has it and I thought I read he planned on using it this year
The easiest way to picture it is to pretend last year, aside from the accolades, never happened. Whatever grade you were last year is the grade you are this year. As a result, guys like Ferrari and Starocci can possibly become 5x NCAA champs.
You shouldn’t take a scholarship away because an athlete isn’t performing. That is completely cruel and unnecessary and I don’t know of any college that would do that.
He has 1 year left (2022-23 season) of guaranteed scholarship money under B1G rules. If he does nothing all season and doesn't perform well in open tourneys, then we shouldn't throw away money for 1 more year.
Every college has the talk and tries to process kids out in every sport. It's a business.
It's definitely hard core and I don't know if even possible. Are there ever performance terms attached to athletic scholarships? I have always thought they were irrevocable. But aside from that, the fan community is entitled to an explanation.
You’re guaranteed four years unless you transfer. After this year, JoJo will have one year of money owed even if he’ll still have 3 more years of eligibility. Rutgers can choose to honor the scholarship further and they should as long as he wants to stay here IMO
Under B1G rules, you can't take away a scholarship unless the athlete has academic or other issues, so every school in every sport talks to the athlete and encourages them to transfer because they no longer fit and won't compete.
According to social media, JoJo may have an injury. Anyone know?
According to social media, JoJo may have an injury. Anyone know?
I'll only be upset about this situation if he doesn't wrestle in open tournaments. He did nothing last year and if he has zero action again then that is bad news to me. That said, he still seems involved with the team based on social media posts.
Now here's the thing. I thought it made sense to redshirt to give MVB a last season. If MVB can't beat the freshman then does this open the door for JoJo? I still think that extra year would do him best.
I hate to see MVB lose that match, but at the same token it's exciting to see a true freshmen beat out a 3rd place finisher at the Big10. Quite surprised to see him lose.
That's the thing...I don't doubt that White is talented, but MVB has been maddeningly inconsistent. If White is tearing it up in Open Tourneys and the Midlands unattached, then I park MVB on the bench if he continues to be a Jeckyll and Hyde wrestler this fall.
It’s going to take a ton of success from White in open tournaments coupled with a similar degree of underperformance from MVB to unseat him this year. As long as MVB isn’t a liability in the lineup he will be there and White can RS.
If MVB can’t beat the freshman then it opens the door for the freshman. I don’t think either has any effect on JoJo. He will start when he’s the best guy for the spot, not if MVB is losing to a different guy.
For what it’s worth, it’s unfair to say JoJo did nothing last year. Rivera said he was a good partner in the room and got experience battling with him, Alvarez, MVB, etc. I don’t know why he’s not wrestling at the moment but I’m sure he’s significantly better than he was this time two years ago.
I meant nothing as in competing against competition. I just want to see him wrestle matches. I've said in the past many times that he has to have gotten better after wrestling Seabass, Sammy and MVB all year. Now Ashnault as well.
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It's a reasonable assumption and has been my expectation but some indication of It would be nice. I might have expected some progress from Robinson as well. What happened?
What a douche-y, elitist and completely asinine comment. If you don’t know who Allen Iverson is and how he played the game of basketball, then just keep your trap shut or say you don’t understand the post. You missed the point completely. AI played his heart out during games/worked harder than just about anyone during games and more precisely, played at a higher level than just about anyone during games/when it counted the most. He wore his heart on his sleeve and in the clip I posted you heard an athlete express real feelings rather than bs for media stuff you hear most of the time from athletes. As has been noted on many occasions by Goodale, Ashnault, etc…Jackson Turley is an incredibly talented wrestler who has some room to grow in terms of consistency and focus. He also has shown up and performed at his best when it has counted the most. So, with this in mind. I certainly don’t think an indicator match with a teammate, when his spot is totally secure, is where he feels he needs to make a statement. Further, we didn’t see the match so maybe Turley had several minutes of riding time and is working on his top game. I also hope that this is a signer of improvement from O’Neill who improved greatly every year in HS. Finally the Bulsak comparison is dumb. Bulsak is a GS first year team member wrestling a game but much lesser opponent in Kyle Epperly, who is a great athlete but has a long way to go in terms of development as an athlete. Grow a sense of humor and stop worrying so much.
Hopes of MVB sneaking on the podium is pretty low at this point.. unless White is one of those hidden gem… and if he proves himself to be in some opens we could have another Turley over Grello situation later in the season.
Is "encouraging them to transfer" what you are calling "processing out?" I've never heard the term, regarding D1 athletes before I saw you using it.
Yes. I see it used more for football on our premium board but everyone does it. Have the talk...
Let's work with the latter and go from there. 😁 It's the more pleasant speculation.
White, Olivieri and Peterson are definitely hidden gems and real hammers. Hopefully they all redshirt, go in open events and have 4 more years for us
Sammy at 133 can be a competitor for a national championship he is that good
Okay. "Processed out" just sounds like something the coach decides, and tells the kid he's losing his scholly, as opposed to telling the kid he can stick around, but isn't going to have any playing time. I would guess most top level guys can find a home where they'll be starters, so oftentimes make that decision.
I wouldn’t say very hidden considering the 6 NJ state championships held between them, but otherwise I agree.
