Gabe

Random4598375

All-Conference
Jan 10, 2020
523
1,570
93
If Gabe can beat Sampson (a good bet) why not have him do it. No downside. But reading between the lines at Tom’s last presser it sounded to me like Gabe wasn’t excited about wrestling up.
He's probably not terribly excited about wrestling all the way up at 197. He's a 174 and is way too short and small to be an ideal 197, but whatever, I'm sure he'll do it if that is his ticket to a starting spot and it helps the team. I'm also sure he prefers to stay at 184 as long as Angelo is out.
 

Cedarfalls

Junior
Jul 4, 2025
64
239
33
Pretty standard with the top wrestlers in ncaa meeting top wrestlers. There's a few outliers like Mendez or Messinbrink but they are just way above everyone in their weight
I call BS. There’s plenty of top tier wrestlers that let it fly against other top tier opponents. Unfortunately it’s so common here, we’re use to it
 

sdvike

All-Conference
Feb 23, 2016
803
1,731
93
I call BS. There’s plenty of top tier wrestlers that let it fly against other top tier opponents. Unfortunately it’s so common here, we’re use to it
Guess we just see these matches differently. From what Ive seen in like the semis and championship matches at Nattys in recent years is a lot of one takedown wins with conservative strategy.
 

HawkAlum2002

Senior
Oct 18, 2017
313
670
93
Guess we just see these matches differently. From what Ive seen in like the semis and championship matches at Nattys in recent years is a lot of one takedown wins with conservative strategy.

I think most people have watched the same thing, it's why the finals have been so incredibly boring the last few years. We just watched PSU "dominate" Iowa with a whopping five wins by less than a takedown and Iowa's only win via the same. And Peterson basically took himself down twice against Lilledahl or it'd have also been a one takedown match as well. If anything Peterson and Block were the guys using their offense and it ended up making their matches look more lopsided. Anybody in the top four of any weight is largely going to be a one score match. Rare exceptions like Mess majoring Caliendo and Mikey majoring most everyone else, but that's one weight. Then you have other guys like Kennedy or even Cruz that try mightily to get to their offense, just aren't particularly skilled at finishing at very high rate. Cruz might've gotten to the right leg more often on more guys than any Iowa wrestler in the last decade, he just can't finish most of the time. Can't say he isn't trying.
 

Random4598375

All-Conference
Jan 10, 2020
523
1,570
93
Guess we just see these matches differently. From what Ive seen in like the semis and championship matches at Nattys in recent years is a lot of one takedown wins with conservative strategy.
It'll only stay conservative as long as it's still within one takedown.
 

ChicagoHawk2020

All-Conference
Nov 6, 2017
710
1,985
92
Guess we just see these matches differently. From what Ive seen in like the semis and championship matches at Nattys in recent years is a lot of one takedown wins with conservative strategy.
When top wrestlers wrestle each other, it is usually really low scoring. I don’t know what the wrestling media and fans need to do to understand that.
 
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Stick Kitty

All-Conference
Jul 7, 2025
432
1,090
93
He's probably not terribly excited about wrestling all the way up at 197. He's a 174 and is way too short and small to be an ideal 197, but whatever, I'm sure he'll do it if that is his ticket to a starting spot and it helps the team. I'm also sure he prefers to stay at 184 as long as Angelo is out.

A lot like Beatty. Could have been 174 but Jay there, couldn't beat out Keddy so he did what he could do. Great wrestler who just couldnt quite get the ideal spot. He sure gave Varner a fit or two.
 

Nashville_Hawk

All-Conference
Dec 31, 2015
618
1,623
93
Whats everybody think? Is 97 too much for him if he puts on a few pounds? He did beat a couple of lower ranked fellas at 97 at the civil war but not sure how he could do with the top 15. Im sure it would be better than Brody.
Got nothing to lose. I think he’s our best option unless Mo magically reappears. :)
 

dtripp26

Heisman
Oct 29, 2003
10,212
30,456
113
Never know with the portal guys I’m hoping we’re getting…
Soooooo we're bringing in portal guys that are going to allow us to compete with PSU???

I'll be shocked if we can bring in anyone who is better than our 133 and 165, who have finished 2/2 and 7/4/2. Even if we bring in 2 projected finalists, that doesn't score anymore points than we're already getting at those two weights.

I'm not even going to get into our other possible roster issues...
 

sdvike

All-Conference
Feb 23, 2016
803
1,731
93
I just don’t like that thinking- too many guys trying to keep it close and hope for a takedown late in the third or OT.

Why can’t Gabe take him down in the first? Don’t get me wrong, your plan is incredibly more likely, but it’s a bad mindset.
I agree against lesser talent. But with McEnally, he turns others shots into his points and Gabe would run out of gas. I believe if Gabe went full on aggressive, it would be a loss by bonus points. Gabe did get a early takedown and then another for good measure last week but getting 2 against McEnally would be a tough get.
 
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Jan 28, 2019
272
766
93
Angelo has been spotted around campus in a walking boot.
He’s from Texas, of course he wears walking boots.
90s vhs GIF
 

Nashville_Hawk

All-Conference
Dec 31, 2015
618
1,623
93
Soooooo we're bringing in portal guys that are going to allow us to compete with PSU???

I'll be shocked if we can bring in anyone who is better than our 133 and 165, who have finished 2/2 and 7/4/2. Even if we bring in 2 projected finalists, that doesn't score anymore points than we're already getting at those two weights.

I'm not even going to get into our other possible roster issues...
Yeah, that was meant to be a bit facetious and sarcastic at the same time. It’s all about recruiting and we’re just not there yet despite the haul we’re supposedly getting in 27.
 

dtripp26

Heisman
Oct 29, 2003
10,212
30,456
113
Yeah, that was meant to be a bit facetious and sarcastic at the same time. It’s all about recruiting and we’re just not there yet despite the haul we’re supposedly getting in 27.
Sometimes hard to tell... but just look at the vast difference between the two true freshman classes. We're gonna have to raid the Bob piggy bank again, just to remain in the mix.
 
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RockySmith

Senior
Dec 10, 2020
308
860
93
That’s false. Revenue sharing can be divided however the school wants and pretty sure Iowa has the largest pot in wrestling. Only one that might come close is OSU.
Not sure that means that’s false. A guy with a bunch of money cant just come in and offer a guy $500k or whatever to guys anymore. I think we will find the monetary difference for a wrestler between a school like Michigan or Nebraska, and Iowa, will be lower than it has been in the recent past.

Iowa loses a bunch of seniors this year, and has a few holes. We will find out together.
 

maxpain

All-American
Jul 6, 2006
1,660
5,306
113
Not sure that means that’s false. A guy with a bunch of money cant just come in and offer a guy $500k or whatever to guys anymore. I think we will find the monetary difference for a wrestler between a school like Michigan or Nebraska, and Iowa, will be lower than it has been in the recent past.

Iowa loses a bunch of seniors this year, and has a few holes. We will find out together.

No but the school can now come in and offer $500k if they want a guy. I believe someone said Iowa wrestling gets $2 mil per year in revenue sharing to use however they want. ISU for example gets $1 mil supposedly. That’s a big difference especially since Iowa still has a large NIL donor even if they can’t give out the large lump sums.

But yes we will find out together how it’s going to impact the portal wars. Seems pretty likely that Iowa will have a big number coming off the books between Dean, Ayala, Mikey, Kennedy and Endene.

It’s interesting that PSU elected to remove their scholarship limit rather than get rev share. I assume they are still giving healthy amounts of clearinghouse money from daddy Ira.
 

ChicagoHawk2020

All-Conference
Nov 6, 2017
710
1,985
92
No but the school can now come in and offer $500k if they want a guy. I believe someone said Iowa wrestling gets $2 mil per year in revenue sharing to use however they want. ISU for example gets $1 mil supposedly. That’s a big difference especially since Iowa still has a large NIL donor even if they can’t give out the large lump sums.

But yes we will find out together how it’s going to impact the portal wars. Seems pretty likely that Iowa will have a big number coming off the books between Dean, Ayala, Mikey, Kennedy and Endene.

It’s interesting that PSU elected to remove their scholarship limit rather than get rev share. I assume they are still giving healthy amounts of clearinghouse money from daddy Ira.
25, 74, and 97 all have viable replacements on the roster already. Gotta get a 33 and 65 to pass time until the elite classes come in.
 

RockySmith

Senior
Dec 10, 2020
308
860
93
25, 74, and 97 all have viable replacements on the roster already. Gotta get a 33 and 65 to pass time until the elite classes come in.
True. 25 and 97 might need a year or so to really flourish. 33 has a lot of talent from all over which may want to move. Not sure about 65.
 
Jun 23, 2003
40
65
18
I hate to say it, but Gabe needs to transfer to truly unlock his full potential. TNT keeps putting him in tough spots and over time, that kind of mismanagement can wear down even a high-caliber talent like him. The recruiting misses and roster decisions have been disappointing all around. Coaching changes are overdue.
 
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one8alpha

Freshman
Nov 27, 2025
30
60
18
Gabe showed again tonight that he can wrestle with anyone. What a tough kid! Feel bad for him taking that loss with the great way he wrestled against another great wrestler.
He is tough to take down. That is it. He lost the same way to a fringe AA at his ideal weight at SS. He hasn’t progressed
 
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js8793

All-Conference
Dec 4, 2018
204
1,003
93
I hate to say it, but Gabe needs to transfer to truly unlock his full potential. TNT keeps putting him in tough spots and over time, that kind of mismanagement can wear down even a high-caliber talent like him. The recruiting misses and roster decisions have been disappointing all around. Coaching changes are overdue.
Gabe needs to transfer to a program that can teach him how to score. He has title level defense and no offense. He’ll lose in OT to number 1 and number 12.