Correct me if I’m wrong but this does not happen with John Smith. I can not recall a single time he sent a backup out to wrestle just to avoid the opportunity of a loss. Some schools are making a habit out of it. And now their fan bases have bought into it.
Protecting NCAA seeds
- Thread starter turfpoke
- Start date
I think Smith is as stubborn about this as he is about choosing down: no matter what advantage could be had by ducking an opponent (or putting Jamal Parks on his feet after being ridden like a bike for the entirety of the first and second periods)... he ain't gonna do it.
From what I’ve seen, Coach Smith does not engage in seed protection. I respect him for that. Though I’m a PSU fan, I honestly don’t think Cael engages in this practice either. His preference is for the wrestler to learn and improve from the experience. On the other hand, I’ve definitely witnessed big name coaches at other Big 10 schools use this lame tactic. I’ll leave it up to others to decide to whom I’m referring.