Attending Cornell with his brother, and to the best of my knowledge did not consider PSU during recruitment.
We may as well wish we could get Kueter to transfer in.
'25-'26 PSU Lineup Predictions thread
- Thread starter derks
- Start date
We may as well wish we could get Kueter to transfer in.
Enlighten me. Were you on the Gable teams where backups could AA? Or Z or Brands?
It’s just my feeling that Ono has bigger fish to fry. Teething on D-1 wrestlers adds to his repertoire and enhances the possibility of being a mega star in Japan. Wrestling is a top sport in Japan and winning the Olympics is certainly viewed as more prestigious than a “College” championship in the U.S. I think he will be a “one and done” for us. Time will tell. I’ll show myself to the door now.
Uh. People are allowed to want different things. They don’t even need to put the reason into words. The questions you ask are so strange. As if you really could not CONCEIVE of a reason why someone might not want to redshirt. It seems trivially easy to me to write out possible, reasonable reasons, but I’m not going to be tricked into doing it. It would be like proving I know what is 3 times 7 just because someone claims they do not.
Human beings literally have evolved to not blindly follow the orders of their parents, their kings. By your logic, we can ask of any teenager, in befuddlement, “if you don’t trust your father enough to follow his every command, then why do you even stay in the household?” Such non sequiturs (“INCONCEIVABLE!”) are in your reasoning that I probably will not reply anymore.
“Why would he come to PSU?” Uh, maybe he came to PSU hoping to improve at wrestling in the best possible place while not redshirting. That seems a reasonable goal.
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Not knowing the particular financial arrangement(s) with the University, an additional $50,000+ in debt.
Maybe this is too obvious…
Take a look at Braeden. He had a great freshman year, going into NCAAs as the top seed and unfortunately taking two tough, close losses. A great year with chances of going all the way.
He could have taken a RS in hopes of being more ready to win it all. As it stands, we have new recruits who are top notch, including Ono (who was impossible to see coming). He may or may not make the team moving forward. In retrospect, his best option was to forego the RS to maximize his wrestling starts.
Bottom line is that none of us know what the plan is. I know that is INCONCEIVABLE to some who think they have a crystal ball and know what’s best.
+1 There are actually a lot of reasons for college athletes to want to redshirt in today NCAA environment (NIL, especially when they play a sport where outside financial opportunities are limited). I can see some of these super alphas like Duke or Blaze not being okay with redshirting, knowing they could compete for an individual title right now, but unless you personally know them or the coaching staff, you don't know what's going to happen. I'll refrain from even guessing, although I think it would be best for Kasak to RS this year and let Duke go, then have Duke RS '26 and see where his weight goes. Whatever the lineup, this team is likely battling history (total points record) and not the rest of the field come next March.
Agree to a point but SVN is much more athletic than say...the Flying Kimura, someone who was all pace
Pot to Kettle?
The process of taking a redshirt seems to be lost here...
One does not declare that they are redshirtting. If they do not wrestle and have a redshirt available, then they are redshirtting. As an example Kasak was redshirtting, until he wasn't.
Someone may say today that they are not redshirtting in 2025-26, but if they never take the mat for the team (maybe they cannot win the wrestle-off) then they did redshirt. They can leave college without using all their eligibility and say they didn't redshirt if that makes them feel better.
One does not declare that they are redshirtting. If they do not wrestle and have a redshirt available, then they are redshirtting. As an example Kasak was redshirtting, until he wasn't.
Someone may say today that they are not redshirtting in 2025-26, but if they never take the mat for the team (maybe they cannot win the wrestle-off) then they did redshirt. They can leave college without using all their eligibility and say they didn't redshirt if that makes them feel better.
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Or Cael can declare it... (But, your main point is good. It's a redshirt until it isn't.)
https://onwardstate.com/2014/11/05/penn-state-wrestling-media-day-megaludis-retherford-to-redshirt/
Since I have nothing of value to add to this thread my only input is that I learned today that the "tur" of non sequitur is pronounced with a "d". Had I been a little more articulate during my police career I could have had a grand time throwing out non sequiturs. Domestic violence suspect: "I didn't do nuthin' to her!' Me: "So, was today the first time you beat your wife or do you do it all the time?" Me: "Sir, have you been drinking?" DUI suspect: "No." Me: "How drunk would you say you are on a scale of 1-10?"
I can't figure out why either Blaze and Duke wouldn't want to redshirt. Having theme come through together would be a better 1-2 punch than Brooks and Starocci IMO. It sounds crazy but imagine two guys going for undefeated 4xers in the same year. Take a year, go from being insanely good to being on another planet good and become dual GOATS. I get it that you need to be a lot more than just good to go undefeated but why not take a run at it?
They redshirt and you have
LL
Davis
Ono
SVN
Kasak
MM
Levi
Welsh
Barr
Cole
Still zero chance they lose and you're getting an extra 50 points in 2030.
They redshirt and you have
LL
Davis
Ono
SVN
Kasak
MM
Levi
Welsh
Barr
Cole
Still zero chance they lose and you're getting an extra 50 points in 2030.
well, how many ncs did starocci & brooks have, 8 or 9? gonna be real tough to beat that.
He's trying to make history - Cornell has NEVER had an AA at heavyweight; which is kinda wild considering (as much as I hate to admit it) Cornell is pretty decent at putting people on the podium
Lets hold off on the 4xer posts for these kids, sound like the crazy Iowa fanboys now
It's hard to argue the upside. As much as I want to see both week havoc ASAP, redshirting both really does bring the thought of undefeated into the discussion.
Blaze might see Jax at the same weight down the road, and if so, they very well could go back and forth.
If, as many claim, Duke grows out of 157 after this coming year, then it does seem going this year may make the most sense for the team lineup in general, redshirting next year, and then sliding into 165 after Mitch graduates. Then again if PJ goes, and wins a NC, it's kind of hard to contemplate redshirting after that. He is just so competitive, it's hard to contain a caged lion.
In any case, I suspect these are the kinds of problems Cael likes to face.
Pick 1 out of Duke and Mesenbrink in 2027. Because Duke isn't making 157 again after this year.
Still want to shirt Duke this year?
LOL if they are good enough to start they won't want to redshirt,I wouldnt
One of the advantages of having a RTC at PSU is that guys with international aspirations might look at a RS differently. Say Duke and Blaze are thinking I plan on being at PSU through 2036 so what does the extra year a college participation really matter? It isn't like these guys need to finish college quickly to be able to move to Colorado to train at the Olympic Training Center. I don't know just offering a different way to look at a RS.
We have plenty of “poster children” of redshirt years that worked, after which a wrestler came back better—e.g., Zain. Who are the poster children of redshirt years that failed?
For example, a year in which a redshirting kid was deprived of feeling like part of the team and lost his focus and love of the sport/team/school. I realize that the redshirt might not have been the sole or main cause, but still, if the kid quit the school or sport after a redshirt year, then in hindsight we’d be curious about how things would have gone without the redshirt.
Since when does the athlete make that decision? Don’t they all think they should always start? If they don’t think that way, you probably wouldn’t want them on the team.
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I think the portal has changed this power dynamic a bit. The coach may make that decision, but the kid could leave at the end of the season.
I think it is one thing to not be the best (lose a wrestle-off) and redshirt. It is another to be the best and redshirt.
For some it would be tough to see a teammate going out each match after beating that guy every day in practice but redshirting at his weight.
125 Lilledahl
133 Ono
141 Blaze
149 Van Ness
157 Duke
165 Mesenbrink
174 Haines
184 Welsh
197 Barr
Hwt Mirasola
133 Ono
141 Blaze
149 Van Ness
157 Duke
165 Mesenbrink
174 Haines
184 Welsh
197 Barr
Hwt Mirasola