PSU - Iowa '26 Match Thread

[LB99]

Remember when people here were wringing their hands about losing Ryder, we don't know who's better, etc.?

Good times, good times.

I was one of them. I will gladly eat some crow. I just didn’t like the optics of it, but I sure as hell liked the optics of Rocco beating Ferrari.

 

[Foreverinbluejeans57]

Don't discard what Blaze did: That was the real Drake Ayala out there. The one who took Byrd into deep water and should have won the national championship last year, and Blaze beat him on a mat he never loses on. Blaze got out of that throw by and I have never seen anyone get out of that. Much bigger win than will be mentioned. That version of Ayala tonight would beat Forrest and probably anyone else.

Correct, he absolutely brought it tonight. You could see how much he wanted it on that ride he tried to put on Marcus

 

[Misalorales]

Someone who understands wrestling better than me, most of you I imagine, is the hand going to the far thigh and rotating their hips a newer thing? I feel like last year I started seeing it more and it was accompanied by PSU guys finishing with the opponents legs twisted/crossed up and their hips perpendicular to the mat rather than being able to get to base or belly out...Is this just something that's always been going on for them and I never saw it as much? Or is this a newer strategy?

 

[manatree]

“Ya gotta be punctual. We weren’t punctual.”

I would have thought the leveling of the field would have included iWatches for everyone. Shoot, with all of the evictions that Mr. Nicholls have served, you would think that there would have been a few cheap Casios left behind to be confiscate and pass around.

 

[FlyingLion]

You're right, I don't know for sure what Tom Brands says or does in his own wrestling room, but we've all seen the product over the last 15 years or so and I think it's fair to make the assumption that he IS teaching a style to keep every match close and "wrestling not to lose". It's become fairly apparent in the DNA of almost ALL of his wrestlers. And you're right, it's embarrassing, especially when you consider how aggressive he was as a wrestler. It's just inexplicable to me.

I really think that he HAS figured out that the gap has widened between PSU and Iowa and that it's not all the quality of wrestlers that each team has. I think he recognizes that the wrestle not to lose style is no longer a good style if you want to try to be competitive with PSU. Will he do anything about it? Can he do anything about it? Who knows, but I fear that he's waited too long and that the athletic department has probably lost all faith in him and his ability. Like I said before, I don't want Brands to be fired, because I'm reasonably confident that he'll never close the gap.

The Brands brothers were genetically gifted with insane endurance that cannot be taught.

Couple that with excellent fundamentals and an extreme hatred of losing and they had great success.

Their way is not the normal path to success in Div I wrestling, especially now that scrambling and technique have become so important. I think that's why they have problems teaching their guys to wrestle an aggressive style.

This is where good, young assistants would help them out, but they are stubbornly set on the current staff, why, I have no idea.

 

[watoos]

I'll give this one more shot, then drop it. Did Angelo do the hand shakes at the end of the meet? I was watching on TV and didn't notice him, but they cut out coverage before everyone shook.

Maybe he was getting an MRI on his damaged kneecap from jamming it into the mat so many times?

Angelo is going to have to do workouts with AJ, he didn't out-muscle Rocco. Also watched McEnelly and Allred, Allred didn't shoot and McEnelly was in on 3 or 4 shots and couldn't finish, he did hit a beautiful duck under in OT to win, but I think Rocco can take him, he has more horsepower than Allred. Would be nice to see Rocco the #1 seed at B1Gs and McEnelly/Ferarri in the semis.

 

[Foreverinbluejeans57]

Confirmed!
View attachment 1147442

Okay, that’s not good

 

[Potterlion]

The Brands brothers were genetically gifted with insane endurance that cannot be taught.

Couple that with excellent fundamentals and an extreme hatred of losing and they had great success.

I think that's why they have problems teaching their guys to wrestle an aggressive style, their way is not the normal path to success in Div I wrestling, especially now that scrambling and technique have become so important.

This is where good, young assistants would help them out, but they are stubbornly set on the current staff, why, I have no idea.

I once had a friend tell me that I had the metabolism of a shrew. I think you're right, the Brands brothers have been "gifted" with that metabolism as well.....

 

[Foreverinbluejeans57]

I was one of them. I will gladly eat some crow. I just didn’t like the optics of it, but I sure as hell liked the optics of Rocco beating Ferrari.

Same. I also felt Ryder was a great fit and personality for the team. But it appears he would have had a great personality from the bench

 

[golfer1922]

Remember when people here were wringing their hands about losing Ryder, we don't know who's better, etc.?

Good times, good times.

Geez, did Cael make another good decision?

 

[truth-and-reason]

Didn’t understand not counting riding time during the stalling count on the legs. Had Rocco with 27 seconds

Look for the ref using a signal that looks like holding in football. That is his signal to the scoring table to stop the riding time.

 

[WexfordWarrior]

Same. I also felt Ryder was a great fit and personality for the team. But it appears he would have had a great personality from the bench

Maybe behind Asher.

 

[El_Jefe]

We actually don't know if Brands is teaching his wrestlers to try to keep it close and win in the last 30 seconds. What we do know is that he tolerates it. Brands could decide to keep the guys off the mat who stall, stall, stall. He should insist that Angelo wrestle to maximize his abilitiles and skills because the team needs him to be a bonus machine. Hopefully Iowa keeps the Brands boys in charge for as long as they want. It is amazing that the Brands boys were agressive wrestlers always looking to score and this is the team they put on the mat. Not sure how they look in the mirror.

Yeah, I seriously doubt Brands teaches the "keep it close" match management tactics.

I do think he and Terry focus the team so much on hand fighting and defense that those become primary, whether intended or not, and the guys become risk-adverse over time. The shots come (if at all) late in the match because then there's urgency.

 

[Scam likely]

Ono looks u17 eligible.

That's was Ono, I thought it was their adopted older son.lol

 

[Foreverinbluejeans57]

That's was Ono, I thought it was their adopted older son.lol

They all look like classmates! Lol

 

[Foreverinbluejeans57]

Pretty sure DT saw that butt kicking last night and decided he needed to post 3 more “StillyBoys” videos on instagram

 

[El_Jefe]

My memory isn't that great, yeah Brands said that's Angelo's style. didn't he say that Angelo attacks from one knee, which is obviously a lie.

The Ferraris do attack from one knee. Against jabronis.

Vs anyone decent, it's extremely rare. Angelo did in the ISU match vs Isaac Dean -- once.

 

[Brian LB-U]

Davis was gassed in the 3rd Was almost stumbling as he was getting aggressive

Almost stumbling? He nearly fell down a few of times! But I love how he kept trying to score.

 

[IronLion]

On a different note, I loved the ref tonight. One or two mishaps but overall very solid.

Agreed, thought he was very good.

 

[Lil Nicky Scarfo]

He’s another example of a Brands wrestler regressing, or at least plateauing.

And Keuter should be a superstar. Didn’t he tech his way through World Juniors? Guys who do that or something close to that almost invariably dominate in college

 

[LB99]

So he likes his guys. This guy should be coaching 10 yr olds

It’s a raw interview for him. He’s honest and backs his guys, but also seems defeated in this interview. Seems different than before

 

[pish69]

Just rewatched Mitchell/Caliendo. MM took 16 legit shots Caliendo 2. Refs didn’t call the 2nd stall on Caliendo till the 15th shot by Mitchell. Seems odd they would wait that long to call 2nd stall

@Tom McAndrew i defer to you. As a ref, how would you have called it with that disparity?

 

[El_Jefe]

Would be nice to see Rocco the #1 seed at B1Gs and McEnelly/Ferarri in the semis.

Yep, that would be the short-term goal.

BUT: we might need Ferrari to beat McEnelly in 2 weeks for this to happen. We don't face the Goofers. McEnelly does have the 1 loss on his record, non-conference to #2 Sinclair.

If he and Welsh are both undefeated in conference, Welsh should get the 1 but who knows how the B10 coaches will handle seeding. Well, most of the coaches -- pretty easy to tell how Tan Tom will vote.

 

[royboy]

What are Iowa's chances vs Ohio State?

 

[Shifty15]

I don’t care what anyone says. Being on a knee longer than 3 seconds is stalling.

They should do the same as going to the ankle on top…5 count and the stalling.

 

[Headlock]

Luke looked good against a tough opponent who had beaten him previously. His finishes were crisp and he maintained a solid pace the whole match. The one area where I would say he struggled was in his ability to ride. It really wasn't a factor tonight, but I think that is an area where he can improve.

I was impressed with our two freshmen tonight. Going into CHA as a true freshman is no joke. Marcus wrestled a great match. He methodically converted for his TD and was great defensively. Ayala had that great slide by and Marcus did a phenomenal job of not giving up a TD there. Other than that slide by, Marcus shut Ayala's offense down. I agree with some of the other posters that Ayala looked like his old self tonight. Marcus is just that impressive of a freshman.

PJ looked good also in winning a hard fought bout. PJ was in on two shots that he might have been able to convert had he been a little more methodical, like Marcus was in his match. I did notice that PJ was allowing Williams to interlock the fingers of his left hand quite a bit, thus slowing him down. Also, PJ should not have forced that potentially dangerous call in the third with his Blair ride, especially after the official warned him. Without the PD stoppage PJ could probably have gone over a minute in riding time, if not ridden out the period.

Agreed. Acclimating to the meat grinder of division one wrestling at the highest level has many steps and wrestling in the hostile environment of Iowa is certainly a big one.

 

[IronLion]

Probably going to be unpopular opinion, but felt Davis in 3rd period was just trying to get another stall call on Bailey. It was really just a bunch of faux 1/2 shots, never seemed to be really committed to any of them. Like others have said, think he’ll be fine as conditioning improves and will avenge this loss.

Davis was gassed in the 3rd Was almost stumbling as he was getting aggressive

 

[watoos]

And Keuter should be a superstar. Didn’t he tech his way through World Juniors? Guys who do that or something close to that almost invariably dominate in college

Cole was the aggressor the entire match. I think his inspiration came from reading texts here calling for his replacement.

 

[El_Jefe]

That's was Ono, I thought it was their adopted older son.lol

Is it too late for @amattaro to adopt Tazhudinov?

 

[Headlock]

wrestletown

PJ wrestles with an attitude that you don’t see from many freshmen. He will smile and shake your hand before the match then spend the next 7 minutes trying to rip your arm out of its socket and beat you with it. One of the most physical wrestlers I remember seeing at that young age.

Nice soft-spoken, articulate young man who transforms into a maniacal human when he puts on a singlet!

 

[El_Jefe]

And Keuter should be a superstar. Didn’t he tech his way through World Juniors? Guys who do that or something close to that almost invariably dominate in college

Every time some recruit tries to do the football/wrestling dual-sport thing, we should remember Kueter as a cautionary tale.

 

[Headlock]

He had one stall call. Home ref, if he backs up at all or gets pushed out at the edge another stall call could have won it for either wrestler. I liked the call of going down. He earned the win.

Absolute confidence that he couldn't and wouldn't be ridden for 27 seconds! I like that!

 

[El_Jefe]

So he likes his guys. This guy should be coaching 10 yr olds

In fairness, he did try to coach Downey and Ford Focus but the school wouldn't admit them.

 

[watoos]

Nice soft-spoken, articulate young man who transforms into a maniacal human when he puts on a singlet!

Reminds me of Carey Kolat, he wanted to hurt people.

 

[Efejle]

Cole was the aggressor the entire match. I think his inspiration came from reading texts here calling for his replacement.

Nobody was on here calling for his replacement....MEAL replacement drinks and shakes maybe

 

[Efejle]

Hawkeye Report is over there calling PJ a "dirty wrestler" now

 

[El_Jefe]

They should do the same as going to the ankle on top…5 count and the stalling.

Not disagreeing, but this isn't enough. Make it one knee or either hand. Otherwise, the one knee rule will get gamed.

 

[Reslo1]

What are Iowa's chances vs Ohio State?

Iowa already lost to them 27-12. Maybe the rematch will be slightly closer, but hard to see how if they still refuse to shoot.

No. 3 Hawkeyes Fall to No. 4 Ohio State in National Duals Invitational Finals

hawkeyesports.com

 

[Headlock]

@SlipperyPete , you sir, provide amazing coverage. Thanks!

Congrats as always Pete. I don't know how you do it. I have all my anxiety and fidgeting to control just while watching. I spend much of the match avoiding take-downs.

 

[Matter7172]

Who else thought Angelo’s “injury” was sketchy? I think he knew he was in a dogfight and wavering a bit, so he tried a little gamesmanship.

Yep. It was like he thought he might lose, so he was manufacturing an excuse.

Btw, have you ever heard Gibbons express more disdain for a wrestler's mat style than he did for Ferrari's last night?