2023 Lineup and Program Depth Question

[Tdor22]

Watched the match against Okie State today and I thought we were losing more than the SL, MM, and JW. Very much still excited about the rest of this season but it got me thinking about 2023 and the overall health/depth of the program.

I realize we have some very nice pieces coming in but any younger guys currently on the roster who will step up or surprise in 23’? Will coaches be active with transfers? Will our 2023 lineup be able to compete for a natty?

Enjoy watching this current team and following recruiting but ignorant on some of the above so any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[Spicolli]

Ayala will be 125 next year. No replacing Spencer, but Ayala is solid and should be challenge for AA

Chittum will be 149/157, wherever he wants probably. #1 PFP recruit.

197 is sort of a ?? We have Glazier (JR) and Franklin (FR). Franklin did beat Glazier this year. Just hope for the best here.. maybe get a Xfer.

A wildcard might be 174. Willl Nelson come back?? If not you have Swafford(who is Rshirting this year). Maybe Riggins beefs up in offseason and challenges here.

 

[BIG10MANIAC]

Nelson was not part of the Senior recognition last night so gotta think he is coming back. If he is then I question why Swafford redshirted. Why would he want to come back for another year just to sit on the bench again behind Nelson?

 

[HawkeyeAlumni]

Nelson was not part of the Senior recognition last night so gotta think he is coming back. If he is then I question why Swafford redshirted. Why would he want to come back for another year just to sit on the bench again behind Nelson?

I think Swafford is banged up and unable to wrestle.

 

[Jcchawk]

Arnold will probably redshirt but he will be 174 in college

 

[Timmyd6]

Arnold will probably redshirt but he will be 174 in college

Arnold reminds me of Joe Williams in the little bit I have seen of him, in that it seems like he can score whenever he shoots, but you are just waiting for him to shoot more. Great defense though.

I know on the other forum there was talk of the younger Ferrari, any update on him or any of the 2024 kids? I see we have no big time recruits as of yet and with the holes in the lineup, new facility, hoping to make a big splash.

 

[The Hermenator]

Wrestling is the program where I think NIL could play a huge factor...almost more than any other sport.

Guys like Dean and Woods are going to become more of the norm. I'm not trying to be completely unrealistic but with the money that flows through Ped st. and Iowa, I don't think either program should have a big hole at any weight. Their 125 this year is a head-scratcher.

 

[CaliHawkFan]

125- Jr. Ayala (top 5 preseason)
133- Sr. Teske... doubtful on a transfer but could see it (top 10 preseason). I think Jerusoga would've started here.
141- Sr. Woods (top 2 preseason)
149- Fr. Chittum (TBD... could be a top 5 guy)
157- Jr. Cobe (preseason top 10)
165- Jr. Kennedy (top 6-8 preseason... could be much higher if he makes an NCAA run in '22)
174- Sr. Brands... Arnold likely RS (top 10 preseason... could be higher with NCAA run in '22)
184- Sr. Assad (top 5-7 preseason)
197- Transfer (TBD)... I do not see Glazier and Franklin as legit AA threats
HWT- Sr. Cass... Kueter likely RS (top 2 preseason)

I would like the staff to at least look at the market for 133 and 197. If you want to compete with PSU, we need top 5 types at 133 and 197. I'm not convinced Brands is the answer at 174 either but we won't take a transfer that has more than one year of eligibility due to Arnold as an incoming freshman.

The wrestling program has significant funds to go after a few in the portal should we decide to do that.

 

[The Hermenator]

Next year, we need a 197 for sure. It could be pretty easily argued we need a 174 and maybe even a 184.

Iowa is to wrestling what Ohio St and Alabama are to football. With the portal wide open and CHA selling 13,000 seats per meet, Iowa is looking good.

I would expect some serious aggressiveness in the portal this off-season.

 

[CaliHawkFan]

Next year, we need a 197 for sure. It could be pretty easily argued we need a 174 and maybe even a 184.

Iowa is to wrestling what Ohio St and Alabama are to football. With the portal wide open and CHA selling 13,000 seats per meet, Iowa is looking good.

I would expect some serious aggressiveness in the portal this off-season.

Not sure on 184… Abe is 15-2 this season with one fluke loss and another loss to the 4th ranked guy. He’s taken his bonus win % from 25% to a career high of 42%. Do I want to see more from him? Absolutely. He has two big tournaments coming up to prove himself. Has a couple nice wins this year over guys ranked 11-20th range. He had a rough sophomore season. I think next year he can put it all together. He really is talented.

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

Where do we think guys like Riggins and Rhodes will fit in? I felt they both did decently wrestling well above their weight classes in the limited exposure.

 

[Natchrlman2]

I think Swafford is banged up and unable to wrestle.

he is but he also redshirted….. I believe that was the plan all along……

Nelson is a “free spirit” …….trying to guess what he’ll do is fruitless

I’d guess when Nelson and Swafford are healthy and tangle in the room there’s some fur flyin …….pretty evenly matched

 

[Natchrlman2]

Where do we think guys like Riggins and Rhodes will fit in? I felt they both did decently wrestling well above their weight classes in the limited exposure.

Riggins will have to settle into a weight class…. seems like he’s still growing but he’s a talented kid that should contribute down the road

Rhodes is a damn tough kid….. he’s been impressive considering what they asked him to do…… I always figured he was a career “room guy” but I wouldn’t count him out at all

You have to have quality depth on the roster and Rhodes has proven he has a role on that roster and will do what the team needs…… love guys like that

 

[Timmyd6]

Riggins will have to settle into a weight class…. seems like he’s still growing but he’s a talented kid that should contribute down the road

Rhodes is a damn tough kid….. he’s been impressive considering what they asked him to do…… I always figured he was a career “room guy” but I wouldn’t count him out at all

You have to have quality depth on the roster and Rhodes has proven he has a role on that roster and will do what the team needs…… love guys like that

On the other site, bnicolls, who many of you would know, has mentioned multiple times about 2 Woods level transfers coming in. I get the feeling that he may know something and is being vague instead of just being hopeful. If that happens I like the lineup next year a lot. With the new facility, Iowa's fan base, I am hoping for a recruiting up tick. To see Penn State with 5 or 6 guys in the top 20 for 2024 and Iowa with no one really, it does not seem great.

 

[Natchrlman2]

On the other site, bnicolls, who many of you would know, has mentioned multiple times about 2 Woods level transfers coming in. I get the feeling that he may know something and is being vague instead of just being hopeful. If that happens I like the lineup next year a lot. With the new facility, Iowa's fan base, I am hoping for a recruiting up tick. To see Penn State with 5 or 6 guys in the top 20 for 2024 and Iowa with no one really, it does not seem great.

I still visit the cesspool daily

 

[Tyhawk]

125- Jr. Ayala (top 5 preseason)
133- Sr. Teske... doubtful on a transfer but could see it (top 10 preseason). I think Jerusoga would've started here.
141- Sr. Woods (top 2 preseason)
149- Fr. Chittum (TBD... could be a top 5 guy)
157- Jr. Cobe (preseason top 10)
165- Jr. Kennedy (top 6-8 preseason... could be much higher if he makes an NCAA run in '22)
174- Sr. Brands... Arnold likely RS (top 10 preseason... could be higher with NCAA run in '22)
184- Sr. Assad (top 5-7 preseason)
197- Transfer (TBD)... I do not see Glazier and Franklin as legit AA threats
HWT- Sr. Cass... Kueter likely RS (top 2 preseason)

I would like the staff to at least look at the market for 133 and 197. If you want to compete with PSU, we need top 5 types at 133 and 197. I'm not convinced Brands is the answer at 174 either but we won't take a transfer that has more than one year of eligibility due to Arnold as an incoming freshman.

The wrestling program has significant funds to go after a few in the portal should we decide to do that.

Woods has another year?

 

[Blair Sanderson]

Woods has another year?

Yeah.

Lee, Murin, and Warner are the only starters without any eligibility left after this year.

 

[MVPFAN]

Not sure on 184… Abe is 15-2 this season with one fluke loss and another loss to the 4th ranked guy. He’s taken his bonus win % from 25% to a career high of 42%. Do I want to see more from him? Absolutely. He has two big tournaments coming up to prove himself. Has a couple nice wins this year over guys ranked 11-20th range. He had a rough sophomore season. I think next year he can put it all together. He really is talented.

Abe needs to show me more. He just doesn't beat the better guys you need to beat to get on the stand. Either way we should be bringing in a blue chip 184 to redshirt during his last year but not even a rumor of anyone while PSU has blue chips 3 deep lined up.