Next NCAA championship-

[HawkFan1986]

Sorry if I came off as too heavy handed on the analogy. It just came off to me as being so far from the actual situation that it sparked me a bit.

As far as change goes, I absolutely do agree. In fact, I have argued over and over how I hate that they are so dependent on inside ties and short offense, which is now defended VERY WELL by almost all of DI. Trying to simply teach "clean finishes" in those positions is now very short sighted because of how defense has evovled in those positions. NOW, it mandates learning how to scramble AND finish once someone catches an ankle or locks the crotch and starts to sit the corner.

But, that doesn't mean I think there are coaches out there right now that are better than Brands. They simply MUST adapt and evolve in certain areas and almost certainly need to add coaches that are well-versed in these areas and, MORE IMPORTANTLY, very good at teaching it...

I agree on just about everything you said. My lone issue, if that’s the right word, is that I’m not sure I’ve seen enough to convince me that the brothers Brands will evolve. What you said about relying on hand fighting and establishing an inside tie is correct. That’s an issue and it has clearly been scouted. To me our largest area of improvement needs to occur in our ability to finish dirty…score in our scrambles. That’s where I don’t see a change happening.

Quite frankly I’m over tired of seeing our guys lose at NCAA’s in a third period scramble that didn’t go our way. In our most recent history Spencer and Kem were good scramblers, but they came in that way.

 

[The-Dude-Abides]

One never knows when on a rival board if a gentle ribbing will go over well, but you were a good sport about the magic 8 ball retort. Thank you.

I have faith in my oracle.

 

[Libertylover]

Back to the original question, I'm guessing it might be 20+ years or when Cael decides he's had enough to hang it up. Sure, some random team might capture lightning in a bottle one year and pull off the unexpected at Nationals, but it's not very likely.

I realize no one wants to hear any of this, but I think it's the most likely scenario. Success breeds success and without something unexpected upsetting the apple cart, it's unlikely anything changes.

I agree on just about everything you said. My lone issue, if that’s the right word, is that I’m not sure I’ve seen enough to convince me that the brothers Brands will evolve. What you said about relying on hand fighting and establishing an inside tie is correct. That’s an issue and it has clearly been scouted. To me our largest area of improvement needs to occur in our ability to finish dirty…score in our scrambles. That’s where I don’t see a change happening.

Quite frankly I’m over tired of seeing our guys lose at NCAA’s in a third period scramble that didn’t go our way. In our most recent history Spencer and Kem were good scramblers, but they came in that way.

Then we just need to recruit good scramblers. Problem solved 😜

 

[goethe14]

PSU in 2026:

125 Desmond > DeLuca (just beat him at prep nationals)
133 Lilledahl > Ayala
141 Kasak > ??? (Bassett still in HS)
149 SVN > Block (or the others - Block should win the spot here)
157 Mesenbrink > Caliendo
165 Haines > Kennedy
174 Sealey/Duke vs Arnold - Push
184 Barr/Ryder vs Ferrari - Push, maybe slight advantage Ferrari
197 Mirasola > Franklin (AJ will never wrestle again)
HWT Mirasola vs Ben - Push

Where are you seeing the advantage?

Barr is a large favorite over Ferrari. He beat Truax consistently and has the same hype Messenbrink had when he was in the room. Many on here favored the Iowa wrestlers over Messenbrink in the beginning of the year. The development of Barr has been outstanding and you will see soon enough.

 

[Libertylover]

Barr is a large favorite over Ferrari. He beat Truax consistently and has the same hype Messenbrink had when he was in the room. Many of here favored the Iowa wrestlers over Messenbrink in the beginning of the year. The development of Barr has been outstanding and you will see soon enough.

That is why Ferrari needs a redshirt if we can find a serviceable 1 yr fill in. Brands or Riggins if he can get bigger, Glazier if we find an upgrade at 197.

 

[GableBeer]

Barr is a large favorite over Ferrari. He beat Truax consistently and has the same hype Messenbrink had when he was in the room. Many on here favored the Iowa wrestlers over Messenbrink in the beginning of the year. The development of Barr has been outstanding and you will see soon enough.

I have a hard time believing Josh Barr is getting mesenbrink level hype. Mesenbrink is an absolute freak of nature, who was a riding time point away from winning the natty in the deepest weight class in the country as a RS freshman. Barr will be a great wrestler but Mesenbrink level probably not.

 

[goethe14]

I have a hard time believing Josh Barr is getting mesenbrink level hype. Mesenbrink is an absolute freak of nature, who was a riding time point away from winning the natty in the deepest weight class in the country as a RS freshman. Barr will be a great wrestler but Mesenbrink level probably not.

The hype level is the same in the room before the wrestling starts. Messenbrink took it to another level once the season started. He surpassed all the hype it doesn’t mean Barr will get near those levels. They love Barr and what he has become in his redshirt season.

 

[T8KUDWN]

Barr is a large favorite over Ferrari. He beat Truax consistently and has the same hype Messenbrink had when he was in the room. Many on here favored the Iowa wrestlers over Messenbrink in the beginning of the year. The development of Barr has been outstanding and you will see soon enough.

I'm looking forward to watching Angelo beat Barr.
Should be some damn good matches, but I believe Ferrari will widen the gap every time they wrestle.

 

[Libertylover]

I have a hard time believing Josh Barr is getting mesenbrink level hype. Mesenbrink is an absolute freak of nature, who was a riding time point away from winning the natty in the deepest weight class in the country as a RS freshman. Barr will be a great wrestler but Mesenbrink level probably not.

To give you an idea of Ferrari’s natural talent, there is a video of him beating MM in a close match when MM was a junior and Ferrari a freshman. Ferrari also didn’t wrestle that much in high school and trained mostly with the high school team in a state not known for wrestling, so I think his ceiling is high. I’m just afraid he won’t be big and strong enough as true freshman at 184 to reach his potential. Barr could have gone this year and probably done as well as Bernie, but they wanted him to be at his best all 4 years. I think Angelo could have been effective at 174 or 165.

 

[goethe14]

I'm looking forward to watching Angelo beat Barr.
Should be some damn good matches, but I believe Ferrari will widen the gap every time they wrestle.

Well if Angelo wrestles 84 and Barr does also I have no problem betting a donation to the winner’s choice. Widening the gap every time they wrestle? Development at Iowa in the upper weights? We can bet every time they wrestle if you choose.

 

[T8KUDWN]

Well if Angelo wrestles 84 and Barr does also I have no problem betting a donation to the winner’s choice. Widening the gap every time they wrestle? Development at Iowa in the upper weights? We can bet every time they wrestle if you choose.

I 100% stand behind my statement that Angelo will beat Barr and widen the gap.
I get it makes you feel good to challenge a guy to a bet of a donation of their choice.
I make some donations to things I feel are important, but I don't gamble.
Never have, never will.

 

[goethe14]

I 100% stand behind my statement that Angelo will beat Barr and widen the gap.
I get it makes you feel good to challenge a guy to a bet of a donation of their choice.
I make some donations to things I feel are important, but I don't gamble.
Never have, never will.

Fair enough .

 

[PotentiallyDan]

Right? I read an article talking about the next Taylor Swift disc covering an entire Grateful Dead album. Sounded a bit odd to me, but hey… lol They mentioned her connection with John Mayer and her desire to cover Uncle John’s Band. Who could make that shite up? Lol

They must of had fun writing that whopper.

Never say never, Old Head...

Dark Star Sandwich

 

[Hawky42]

2047

 

[Spoons]

They lose a lot of firepower next year and might be a bit down for psu standards could be a chance next year. It’s not likely but might be the best chance for a while.

 

[Ironturd]

They lose a lot of firepower next year and might be a bit down for psu standards could be a chance next year. It’s not likely but might be the best chance for a while.

The lineup next year will look probably look like;
125 Lilledahl
133 Nagao
141 Bartlett
149 Van Ness
157 Mesenbrink
165 Haines
174 Starocci or Facundo
188 Barr
197 Connor Mirasola
285 Kerkvliet

Davis, Kasak and Ryder will probably redshirt but could start as well. Not sure what chance any team has against this line up. Definitely not a down year.

 

[Agoodnap]

They lose a lot of firepower next year and might be a bit down for psu standards could be a chance next year. It’s not likely but might be the best chance for a while.

PSU's lineup will be some combination of:

125 Steen/Howard/Davis/Lilledahl/Nasdeo/Gibson
133 Nagao/Davis/Lilledahl
141 Bartlett/Kasak/Evans
149 Van Ness/Kasak
157 Mesenbrink/Haines
165 Mesenbrink/Haines/Barraclaugh
174 Starocci/Facundo/Barraclaugh/Ryder
184 Barr/Facundo/Ryder
197 Cochran/Mirasola
285 Kerkvliet/Mirasola

Here's a theoretical 1st and 2nd string lineups:

Starting Lineup:
Davis
Nagao
Bartlett
SVN
Haines
Messenbrink
Starocci
Barr
Mirasola
Kerkvliet

Potential 2nd String Lineup:
Lilledahl
Gibson
Evans
Kasak
Sealey
Barraclough
Facundo
Ryder
Cochran
Mirasola

 

[FatWoodchuck]

You remind me of a greasy skid mark in a new pair of skivvies. Its just a disappointment, that needs to be thoroughly cleaned.

That is hilarious, I'm gonna use that alot!

 

[hawk224]

What do you mean you ain't them, kind of looks like you are. This is the Notre Dame syndrome where the fan base buys into a legend long gone. Of course what other teams are doing is not relevant with what Iowa needs to do to get better. What Iowa needs to do to get better isn't affected by what say Cornell is doing.

To climb back on top in near impossible because PSU has now become a monolith similar to what Gable did at Iowa. But the difference is that it's going on now in the country's most fertile recruiting area. You have a legend in wrestling who started coaching but at a school that looked like it was around top 5 or so then. I believe he won in his first season also.

Sanderson came in and in his second season he won, snapping Iowa's 3 season streak and has gone on a Gable like run since then. Gable built the machine, Sanderson built another one and with what he's done at PSU will carry on for some time now. Past history is pretty irrelevant to what needs to be done now. To bypass PSU will be near impossible in the near future just like it was with Iowa in the Gable tenure.

Eventually your time on top will come to an end, just like the Gable years did. It gets old to have you constantly trumpeting how great PSU is on our board every chance you get. Believe me, every Iowa fan knows how good they are already, and how big of a challenge it will be to catch up. But Iowa wrestling is not a “legend long gone,” and PSU is not unbeatable, despite how much you try to convince us they are

 

[bourbon n blues]

Eventually your time on top will come to an end, just like the Gable years did. It gets old to have you constantly trumpeting how great PSU is on our board every chance you get. Believe me, every Iowa fan knows how good they are already, and how big of a challenge it will be to catch up. But Iowa wrestling is not a “legend long gone,” and PSU is not unbeatable, despite how much you try to convince us they are

I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything. But past history is just that do to changing demographics, similar to the North and football. Two teams have won 3 titles since 2000. OSU in 2002 nd 2014, Michigan in 2024. You can stretch it back to 1997 with Nebraska and Michigan.

Things have changed from a generation ago.

 

[oldcougar65]

With the NLWC developing world champions and dominating the national teams, top recruits want to be where the action is - PSU. How could it be otherwise?

 

[Random4598375]

They lose a lot of firepower next year and might be a bit down for psu standards could be a chance next year. It’s not likely but might be the best chance for a while.

Penn State has the #1 recruiting class coming in (#1 by a mile, too), plus get Van Ness back who would have been one of the favorites to win this year if he hadn't gotten hurt. Yes, losing 2 4-timers seems like a lot to replace, but they might even be better next year. Zach Ryder has been "blue shirting" at M2/NLWC for the last year. That's the same course Haines and Kasak took in the two previous years and they were both high AAs right out of the box as true frosh. Alex Facundo has spent his ORS year as Kyle Dake's personal training partner at NLWC and qualified for the OTTs himself next week. He will be much better. Josh Barr was 14-0 in his redshirt year and should be at least as good as Truax was this year.

125 Lilledahl - instant title contender
133 Nagao - AA contender
141 Bartlett - high AA/title contender
149 SVN - title contender/favorite
157 MM/Haines - title favorite
165 Haines/MM - title favorite
174 Facundo/Ryder - AA/high AA
184 Barr - AA/high AA
197 Cochran - NQ/AA contender
HWT Kerk - title favorite

RS (could be pulled for injury replacement at any time): Davis, Kasak, Gibson, Sealey, Ryder (maybe), Mirasola x 2.

They have 3 or 4 favorites and up to 6 or 7 finalists as well as potential AAs at every weight. There will be no down year by anyone's standards.

 

[Armypathfinder]

Penn State has the #1 recruiting class coming in (#1 by a mile, too), plus get Van Ness back who would have been one of the favorites to win this year if he hadn't gotten hurt. Yes, losing 2 4-timers seems like a lot to replace, but they might even be better next year. Zach Ryder has been "blue shirting" at M2/NLWC for the last year. That's the same course Haines and Kasak took in the two previous years and they were both high AAs right out of the box as true frosh. Alex Facundo has spent his ORS year as Kyle Dake's personal training partner at NLWC and qualified for the OTTs himself next week. He will be much better. Josh Barr was 14-0 in his redshirt year and should be at least as good as Truax was this year.

125 Lilledahl - instant title contender
133 Nagao - AA contender
141 Bartlett - high AA/title contender
149 SVN - title contender/favorite
157 MM/Haines - title favorite
165 Haines/MM - title favorite
174 Facundo/Ryder - AA/high AA
184 Barr - AA/high AA
197 Cochran - NQ/AA contender
HWT Kerk - title favorite

RS (could be pulled for injury replacement at any time): Davis, Kasak, Gibson, Sealey, Ryder (maybe), Mirasola x 2.

They have 3 or 4 favorites and up to 6 or 7 finalists as well as potential AAs at every weight. There will be no down year by anyone's standards.

All about recruiting!!!

 

[HCS3Seasons]

He’s a 17 year old sophomore. This was recently a big thing on Twitter. He’ll be 19 when he graduates in the spring of 2026. On Twitter, a lot of folks were saying that’s not uncommon anymore.

So, Bassett is ~1 year older than the majority of HS graduates. Certainly not out of the norm for many elite athletes, regardless of the sport.

 

[HCS3Seasons]

Rumor is Nate Jesuroga is thinking about coming back to wrestling. The question is will it be at Navy or Iowa? That would make for some nice news if he chose to come back home!

If it's NAVY, then he needs to get accepted at the Naval Academy ... they don't accept wallk-ons.

 

[el dub]

If it's NAVY, then he needs to get accepted at the Naval Academy ... they don't accept wallk-ons.

I’m under the impression that ship has already sailed.

 

[HCS3Seasons]

I can’t see holding a kid back for athletics for even a year. That’s a bit much, imo.

I agree... Rumor is that our local school district had a request by a parent (now on a D1 roster) to hold back their son while he was in 8th grade. Without a clear non-athletic benefit, such as grades or other unique needs, the school board said "NO". He ended up at another school district that would agree with the "hold-back".

 

[Inspiteofourselves]

If it's NAVY, then he needs to get accepted at the Naval Academy ... they don't accept wallk-ons.

I believe he has been enlisted with the Navy for the past year.

 

[el dub]

I believe he has been enlisted with the Navy for the past year.

Any reason for the rumors of him looking to get back into wrestling? Did he make his goal of joining the Seals?

 

[Inspiteofourselves]

Any reason for the rumors of him looking to get back into wrestling? Did he make his goal of joining the Seals?

I think he was on the correct path to join the Seals but after watching NCAA championships he got the itch to wrestle again, probably realizing the Seals can wait until after he's done wrestling. He reached out to the Navy coaching staff saying he may be interested in putting the shoes on again. I know the Iowa coaching staff has heard the same rumblings but not sure if they have actually spoke with Nate. If I were a betting man I would wager he is on Navy's wrestling roster next year!

 

[T8KUDWN]

I think he was on the correct path to join the Seals but after watching NCAA championships he got the itch to wrestle again, probably realizing the Seals can wait until after he's done wrestling. He reached out to the Navy coaching staff saying he may be interested in putting the shoes on again. I know the Iowa coaching staff has heard the same rumblings but not sure if they have actually spoke with Nate. If I were a betting man I would wager he is on Navy's wrestling roster next year!

I would prefer to see him on Iowa's roster, but I will be happy to see him on the mat again regardless.
Navy will get themselves a damn good one if he joins the team.

 

[Grip220]

This seems like par for the course, unfortunately

 

[Hawkgma]

This seems like par for the course, unfortunately

Great, now we are losing recruits to NAVY??? unbelievable

 

[Random4598375]

All about recruiting!!!

It's all about the results. Getting results drives recruiting, but yeah, they crushed everyone in the recruiting end in this class.

 

[Random4598375]

Great, now we are losing recruits to NAVY??? unbelievable

LOL. I know you're being facetious, but it's hard to blame a kid for following a higher calling into the Navy Seals. If that requires going to the Naval Academy and wrestling for Navy instead of Iowa, so be it. He won't be as good of a wrestler there, but he will be as good of a person as he can be.

 

[Hawkgma]

LOL. I know you're being facetious, but it's hard to blame a kid for following a higher calling into the Navy Seals. If that requires going to the Naval Academy and wrestling for Navy instead of Iowa, so be it. He won't be as good of a wrestler there, but he will be as good of a person as he can be.

very well said!! couldn't be happier for the kid.

 

[oldcougar65]

LOL. I know you're being facetious, but it's hard to blame a kid for following a higher calling into the Navy Seals. If that requires going to the Naval Academy and wrestling for Navy instead of Iowa, so be it. He won't be as good of a wrestler there, but he will be as good of a person as he can be.

So he gets Cary Kolat for a coach rather than Brands. In what way is that a bad thing?

 

[T8KUDWN]

So he gets Cary Kolat for a coach rather than Brands. In what way is that a bad thing?

Wrestling for Kolat definitely wouldn't be a bad thing.
Sometimes I'm surprised Kolat wants anything to do with wrestling after he was hosed over so many times in international competition. Crazy the crap he dealt with.
And Nate would still get a little "Iowa" in his coaching with Mike Evans on the staff.

 

[Agoodnap]

If it's NAVY, then he needs to get accepted at the Naval Academy ... they don't accept wallk-ons.

All the military academies have Prep Schools.

 

[Centuar94]

I 100% stand behind my statement that Angelo will beat Barr and widen the gap.
I get it makes you feel good to challenge a guy to a bet of a donation of their choice.
I make some donations to things I feel are important, but I don't gamble.
Never have, never will.

Not being a smart ass but who was the last Iowa wrestler to widen the gap between a Psu rival? Bull/Cenzo were pretty equal throughout. I’m struggling to think of someone from Iowa in recent years who avenged a loss or close win to Psu and then separated themselves.