There has been rumors that the NCAA had/is considering changing participation to 5 years and eliminating redshirt year. Maybe with this in the background,the Jax decision could make sense .??
Jax
- Thread starter Cheat code
- Start date
Jax is healthy and can compete at a high level so I can see why DT is willing to put him out there, especially considering the Raneys are coming in next year. You never know what the future will bring and the days of sitting on true freshmen talent are going away.
Whenever I see those 2 I’m struck by how scrawny they each look. A bystander would never guess by looking at them that they are global elite wrestlers.
By comparison, Bo “Noodle Arms” Nickal looked positively jacked when he was in college.
I played multiple sports in highschool, 1 in college love folstyle wrestling, but listening to flow and how should Jax wrestle only comes down to points I get that, but help me if I'm the best I want to wrestle/ start. Who knows what's going to happen. There isn't a Blaze/Ono overlap. Why ,Why sit him. Help Me Please
If you're the best, of course you want to wrestle now.
The risk is: OKST isn't getting within sniffing range of PSU this year, with or without Forrest. If you don't shirt him, you risk losing the title in what would've been his Year 5.
I watched an interview with Jax where he said he loves freestyle but he loves folkstyle even more. NCAA championships are the pinnacle of folkstyle wrestling so my bet is winning an NCAA title will mean the world to Jax and he simply can’t wait to have his opportunity.
Jax is not beating Blaze. Blaze has already beat him a few times. Blaze has already jumped a couple levels at PSU. MO
The weight is absolutely stacked. Jax will be a better wrestler next year after a year in that room. I think he could win it all this year but I wouldn’t put my $ on it. The kid jumped multiple levels this past year. If he does that again he might be the favorite next year. I still lean Blaze but I’m a PSU homer. Those reasons plus the team reasons that @El_Jefe laid out make it a tough decision in my eyes.
Also, the question isn't if Forrest is good enough to beat any of the top guys at 133. Rather, it's can he beat at least 3 of them in a row? For example: Crookham, then Blaze, then Davino? Or Byrd, then Davino, then Blaze?
And do that while having to make weight for 3 consecutive days, which he has never had to do?
And while adjusting to 7-minute matches, since he just arrived on campus?
Maybe he can, but that seems like a real tall order this year.
Definitely a few tough style matches at 33 this year. Not just Blaze, who will make you pay for a bad shot, Crookham may be the strongest 33 of recent memory, Friday’s version of Drake will also be a tough out for Jax
I think Jax matches up really well with Drake, they like to get in similar positions and Jax is a better scrambler (also has more than just the slide-by). But I do think he will struggle with Blaze and Crookham, also Byrd's power should not be overlooked he can make anyone pay for small mistakes
DT has shown to prioritize the now vs the later when it comes to RS guys and I think it is a better long-term strategy. He is not trying for 1 year where they go all in he is trying to just slowly build until they (ideally) compete for the title every year. Last year he did not RS Wyatt and Dean, which if he did would have given them an even better lineup this year (but not given them those two amazing moments at NCAAs). This year he could have RS Dee, Vega, and LR but they are ready to make runs at NCAAs now so he sent them.
Agreed. I think those 3 are bad matchups for Jax. He wants to create chaos and Blaze and Crookham don’t allow that. Jax needs to be careful rolling around with Byrd. I could see Byrd catching him on his back if Jax gets sloppy which he does at times
Here is a folkstyle match of theirs from 2023. I have no doubt a 2026 match between them would be equally entertaining.
125 lbs Quarterfinal - Jax Forrest, Unrostered vs Marcus Blaze, Unrostered
125 lbs Quarterfinal - Jax Forrest, Unrostered vs Marcus Blaze, Unrostered
I disagree anything can happens and it always does. OkST gunned for us last year, gunning this year. Pride comes before a fall
That's the question for all top 8 wrestlers
I think the AF would have something to say about any Wyatt RS, and Dean Hamiti had RSed the year prior.
Honestly, every time I watch until like 165/174 they all look like tiny people out there. It's hard to think adult men are able to be that small. Makes for more fun wrestling but still, I'd have to cut a leg off to make 165 probably ha
Not really. All weight classes are not created equally. 133 is arguably the deepest weight class this year. 157 looks tough, too.
Intermat's Tournament Rankings heading into this weekend:
| 1 | Penn State | Big Ten | 142.5 | 1 |
| 2 | Ohio State | Big Ten | 119.5 | 2 |
| 3 | Iowa | Big Ten | 89.0 | 3 |
| 4 | Iowa State | Big 12 | 82.0 | 4 |
| 5 | Oklahoma State | Big 12 | 71.5 | 5 |
This is based on individual rankings. They have Forrest #15, which will obviously change. For PSU: 2 Lilledahl, 4 Blaze, 3 Duke, 4 Welsh, and 13 Mirasola will all up before nationals.
Also this does not include PSU's extra national finalist, Bonus Points.
PSU needs to lose the equivalent of 3 national champs + a runner-up from its lineup for OKST to catch up.
Adding Forrest gets them a Top 4 trophy -- but they might have gotten that anyway with Iowa booting 4 Endene and with 5 Kueter at risk of not qualifying.
You’re going to see Ok St outperform their seedings and rankings every year I’m the tournament in the same way PSU used to (half of PSU’s team is #1 now, which it’s impossible to outperform). With that said, there’s no chance in hell they catch PSU this season, but they could easily be 2nd in March.
DT understands it is about momentum over order of finish. Jax gives them publicity and improves the team placement He isn't worried about using up anybody's 4 years with all of the recruits he has in the pipeline. Jax may also want an Olympic redshirt if he thinks he can take that 65kg. spot in the next trials. DT isn't Cael but he is the only coach who is a threat moving forward.
After eating and lifting constantly for football most of my life, I started competing in sports with weight classes after college. Two years ago, at 43yrs old, I got down to 160 for a BJJ tournament after having played college football ~245-250 (at 6'1"). The last time I had been 160 was about age 10. I walk around 185-190 these days. My BJJ professor walks around ~200lbs, but he fights MMA at 155.
I think DT may be the biggest threat to Cael moving forward but Tan Tom is there once every 3 or 4 years - Ohio State is legit
True. Cael has a great team but Tanboy runs a great program.
They might make 2nd but not "easily." Ohio State would also need to significantly underperform.
If Forrest wins the national title, Taylor is still an entire national champ + bonus behind Tan Tom.
This is the only reason to run Forrest out this year. And it's not a bad reason.
I agree with this. DT isn't there yet. I would venture a guess that it doesn't take him long to blow past the Tanning beds and establish his program as the clear number 2. 2028 NCAA will be a two horse race.
Probably the minute Mendez graduates.
BTW, Forrest yesterday won the Cyclone Open by beating 3 backups, then in the finals won 4-0 over ISU RTC athlete Reineri Ortega. That's the same guy Seidel pinned at Midlands.
That same guy beat Gilman after the OSU vs ISU dual last year. He never went under Jax or he would have been buried. He is world level on his feet.
And he does it with very few transfers.True. Cael has a great team but Tanboy runs a great program.
Using these rankings to predict nationals is a fool’s errand. DT will have his guys ready and overachieving. tOSU is overrated. Davino and Mendez are obviously the real deal, but Stiles, Cannon, and Kharchla are overrated.
With a user name like yours it’s not hard to believe
Cannon and kharchla are top 4. Stiles and Feldman may finish 6-8.