I’m happy that you like them! Thanks for the nice words!
6 Iowa wrestlers competing at UNI Open - Final results
- Thread starter Todd Conner
- Start date
Ayala just needs more horsepower. That will come.
At this point in his true freshman year Spencer’s did lose to Ronnie Bresser (Oregon State).
let’s just wait and enjoy the development Drake goes through between now and next year.
let’s just wait and enjoy the development Drake goes through between now and next year.
I'm not. He has shown he can get his shots very well. Just had trouble finishing at times but he has the frame to get the needed strength, it's not like he is undersized like Heinselman was. Anyone expecting Spencer Lee level beat downs right out of the gate are not realistic. I'm optimistic as he builds he will be an AA contender next year.
I think the thing I like most about our incoming young guys is they are not afraid to get to their offense. Drake, Cullen, Wyatt, and Pk all have huge motors. They should be fun to watch the next four years.
Man, one of the wins Brennan had is definitely up there as one of my favorite wins of his ever. He faced a kid named Sean Harman from Mizzou and wrestled great and really showcased his explosiveness… I will describe who Sean Harman is and his resume below the video… here it’s the video to that match… I’ll prolly have to take this one down soon, for it’s not my content, but I just wanted to show a few of my friends who have been asking about him.
Sean Harman, Redshirt Sophomore, Mizzou:
BEFORE MIZZOU
REDSHIRT SEASON (2019-20)
REDSHIRT FRESHMAN (2020-21)
Sean Harman, Redshirt Sophomore, Mizzou:
BEFORE MIZZOU
- Went undefeated in his senior campaign, notching a record of 45-0
- Two-time Oregon State Champion
- Three-time Fargo All-American
- Placed sixth at the Cadet Wrestling World Freestyle Championships and seventh Greco-Roman
- Placed fourth and the 2018 Flo Reno Wrestling World Championships
- Champion at the RMN Freak Show
- Placed fifth at the NHSCA last May
- Went 43-0 with 24 pins, 10 technical falls and five major decisions at West Linn High Schoo
REDSHIRT SEASON (2019-20)
- Was virtually unstoppable as an unattached wrestler at 174 pounds during his first year with the program, going 20-1
- Of his 20 wins on the tournament circuit, 14 were bonus-point wins, including five falls, three major decisions and three technical falls
- Earned first-place honors in the freshman/sophomore division at the Lindenwood Open, going 5-0 including a pin in the finals over Sam Osho (Marian
REDSHIRT FRESHMAN (2020-21)
- Made Mizzou dual debut at North Dakota State Quadrangular (1/3/21), winning all three bouts
- Finished his redshirt freshman season 7-3, highlighted by a major decision win against Ohio’s Mason Kroening (1/23/21)
- Went 1-1 at the Cowboy Challenge Tournament with his lone win coming by sudden victory
It's been talked about by Tom ,Terry and Sebolt that Drake has the ability to learn really fast. When you have a skill set like Drake, you learn fast and have a high pace that's a recipe for someone Hawk fans are gonna love
This tournament was the first time I've watched Brennan, but I liked what I saw from him. He isn't necessarily "in your face", heavy hands, forward pressure kinda guy like Bull is, but he is constantly moving and attacking and wrestles pretty loose. Definitely a grinder. Got into some positions where maybe he needed to be a little tougher or smarter, but his effort cannot be faulted at all. Great showing by him for sure all tourney!
ayala’s single is beautiful. i’m looking forward to watching it for 4 years. needs to increase the finishing efficiency, but i also think he needs to add something to the other side to keep guys honest. it’s very hard to be elite and only have an attack to 1 side. kemerer is one of the few i can think of. no reason to be anything other than encouraged about him.
Impressed with Schriever and Ayala’s short offense so early in their college careers. They both seem to find the angles really well on go behinds.
I did notice him going to the other leg on a couple TDs vs the ISU guy.
He came in kind of like a wild mustang that needed to be tamed down 😆
UNI posted all of their own matches from the UNI Open on their YouTube channel. I am going to go through and find all of them that have Hawkeye wrestlers in it and will post them here. I will write some background info about who they are wrestling against.
Freshman, Jack McClimon (Iowa 165) def Wade Mitchell (UNI) via injury default in 1st period
Wade Mitchell was a 2X finalist/1X state champion out of Woodbury Central and is in his 2nd year at UNI. This match ended early when Mitchell hit a headlock, McClimon slid out and hit a counter-double and scored the takedown and Mitchell was injured in this flurry. It was a good scramble by McClimon.
Freshman, Jack McClimon (Iowa 165) def Wade Mitchell (UNI) via injury default in 1st period
Wade Mitchell was a 2X finalist/1X state champion out of Woodbury Central and is in his 2nd year at UNI. This match ended early when Mitchell hit a headlock, McClimon slid out and hit a counter-double and scored the takedown and Mitchell was injured in this flurry. It was a good scramble by McClimon.
133: Cullan Schriever (Iowa) MD over Jack Wagner (UNI), 22-10
Jack Wagner used to wrestle for the Hawkeyes, but transferred to UNI. He was a 3X state champion for Bettendorf in HS and a Fargo AA.
Jack Wagner used to wrestle for the Hawkeyes, but transferred to UNI. He was a 3X state champion for Bettendorf in HS and a Fargo AA.
174: Brennan Swafford (Iowa) def Jared Simma (UNI) 9-5
Jared Simma is a Freshman who was a state champion from Kansas (maybe multiple.. he was a 4X finalist. He was a 4X Fargo National All American, a 2021 Cliff Keen USA Wrestling Senior All American and a Folkstyle National Champion. Coming into the UNI Open, he won the Freshman/Sophomore division at the Grand View Open and the Harold Nichols.
Jared Simma is a Freshman who was a state champion from Kansas (maybe multiple.. he was a 4X finalist. He was a 4X Fargo National All American, a 2021 Cliff Keen USA Wrestling Senior All American and a Folkstyle National Champion. Coming into the UNI Open, he won the Freshman/Sophomore division at the Grand View Open and the Harold Nichols.
Cullan Schriever (Iowa 133) def Kyle Biscoglia (UNI)
Biscoglia was a 3X state champion from Waukee, IA and was also a 2X Fargo AA and a Folkstyle National champ and has done a fine job for UNI since he came in a few years ago.
Biscoglia was a 3X state champion from Waukee, IA and was also a 2X Fargo AA and a Folkstyle National champ and has done a fine job for UNI since he came in a few years ago.
Cullan Schriever (Iowa 133) def Kyle Biscoglia (UNI)
Biscoglia was a 3X state champion from Waukee, IA and was also a 2X Fargo AA and a Folkstyle National champ and has done a fine job for UNI since he came in a few years ago.
Biscoglia was a 3X state champion from Waukee, IA and was also a 2X Fargo AA and a Folkstyle National champ and has done a fine job for UNI since he came in a few years ago.
Brennan Swafford (174) def Dajun Johnson (UNI) 6-1
Two-time Wisconsin high school state champion at 170 pounds as senior and junior in 2020 and 2019 ... double Fargo all-American
Two-time Wisconsin high school state champion at 170 pounds as senior and junior in 2020 and 2019 ... double Fargo all-American
165 1st Place Match Harold Nicholls: Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) over Austin Yant (Northern Iowa)
This was at the Harold Nichols. Yant was a 4X placer and 1X finalist. He was also a Folkstyle National Champ. He was a National Qualifier at 165 for UNI last year.
This was at the Harold Nichols. Yant was a 4X placer and 1X finalist. He was also a Folkstyle National Champ. He was a National Qualifier at 165 for UNI last year.
Thanks for doing all of these. Appreciate them very much. 😎
Okay, but what's the skinny on Jack McClimon? All I know is he was an Illinois runner-up. Maybe he'll be the next Dan Dennis and solve our 157 problem.
It appears he was a 1 time runner-up and a state qualifier before that. Went 3-2 at Fargo in Freestyle and 1-2 in Greco.
Went 1-3 at the UNI Open. Got a ways to go to hit Dan Dennis status, but I'm all for it.
@PinDoxRico maybe you’ve addressed this before, but have you seen a difference your brothers wrestling since he has been in the Iowa room?
Pat looks great from neutral, can ride when needed, and looks just fine on the bottom. Such a high pace as well. He will be great to watch the next 4 years. Would push for a title this year and will be even better next year. I think he could be my favorite Hawk to watch next year.
Yeah, probably so. I don't remember all the particulars, but IIRC Dennis got thrown to the wolves pretty early, but he was scrappy from the start.Dennis' record as a true freshman wasn't so hot so he's right on track
Yeah, if I remember right he was definitely thrown to the wolves and took his lumps but at the same time you could see the tools and that he was a goer. Is there a better program developmental story than Dennis?
Cullen looks like Penrith with those effortless-looking sweep singles. Can't wait to see him at Midlands against top competition.
Oh yes… noticing different things every time I see him wrestle. The “NAIA to D1” transition with Brennan is most certainly a process and its unraveling in a manner that is straight up exciting for us.
1.) To start.. the gas tank. Coming into this season with the Hawkeyes, if there was one thing I was a little bit worried about with Brennan, it was his gas tank. He has generally been a great “first two periods” wrestler, but has a history of dying in the 3rd period… and if he doesn’t die, he coasts… he surely doesn’t bring some of his fire that he has in the first two periods. And after the first week of competition, I can’t get over how good of shape he’s in. Brennan is extremely dangerous and can be explosive… holy cow is it nice seeing him wrestle with that same explosiveness in the 3rd period. Brennan told me last week, “holy cow, I keep catching myself thinking in the 2nd and 3rd period, ‘what the heck?! How is this person gassed?! I feel fine!” And then he followed this by saying, “this is awesome, I’m never going to compete unless I am 100% in shape again now that I know what it’s like!” So yeah that’s been nice.
2.) Another thing is he has a better defense now. His entire career all the way until he got into the Hawkeye room, he’s been aggressive, almost to a fault… and with that said, if it’s an area where he’s taken lumps, it’s when he’s run into guys who are also aggressive, for his defense lacked a bit because his offense was so prevalent that he never really had to develop a defense. And once he got into the Hawkeyes room, it was the first time where he was up against guys who are MORE aggressive than he is… so he found himself in a situation where it was “develop a defense of just get killed for the remainder of his career,” because he learned very quickly that he isn’t going to be competitive in that room by simply imposing his aggressive nature like he has in the past… the first couple weeks in competition (Luther Open and Harold Nichols), it was almost as if he had become a bit gun-shy due to the total 180 he’s had to adjust to in the Hawkeyes room and last week at UNI, it’s starting to become evident that he is finding his balance there.
3.) Now what I’ve been noticing in his game that he didn’t have before is he is constantly going “forward-forward-forward.” And he’s not even thinking about it, it’s like he’s conditioned himself through how the staff trains them to be that way. No matter what position, scramble, etc. he is moving forward forward forward. Even if there is a break in the action, he’s going forward and attacking until the whistle sounds. He didn’t have as much of that mindset before Iowa.
Here are a couple examples of what I mean… in the highlight reel below, at the 1:50 mark vs. Jared Simma, there’s a moment on their feet where Simma is trying to create angles via forcibly turning Brennan’s body away from him so he can presumably take an open shot… and he does turn his body for a second and has Brennan backing up, but instead of bailing out of the situation and regrouping when he feels it, he instead decides to go forward and hits him with a nasty fireman’s carry… last year Brennan would have just bailed out. I was pumped when he did that.
Another example in that highlight reel is at the 3:40 mark when he’s wrestling Sean Harman from Mizzou. They have a moment where they are going out of bounds and Brennan does a complete flip over the kids body and when he lands, one would assume that he would land with his feet facing away from the kid and would take the out of bounds call since that’s what the way the momentum seemed to be shifting, but instead he landed on his feet with his feet body facing towards the guy and that is something new for Brennan and 100% a product of how he is being trained to wrestle….
Lastly, another example is at the end of the match from the Harold Nichols vs. Dajun Johnson of UNI. If you go to the very end of the match, they are on their feet with about 3 seconds left and Brennan is up by a point or two when Dajun accepts defeat and stops wrestling and presumably expects Brennan to ease up himself for the last 2-3 seconds and just take his win… but instead, Brennan shoots in and scores another takedown when the kid quits wrestling and tacks on a couple more points that he didn’t need to win the match, but took anyways because that’s how he’s being trained to wrestle now. We didn’t see stuff like that from Brennan before Iowa.
4.) His set-ups and counter-attacks are 10X better than they were before he came to Iowa.
It is a process and the changes, adjustments and improvements aren’t always going to be noticeable right away, but holy cow is he gradually making gains there… He’s at the right place! The Hawkeye staff is PERFECT for him!
That’s an awesome comparison! I always thought Cullan reminded me a bit of Juergens and Drake had flashes of McGinness, but I think that’s a better comparison!
@PinDoxRico, thanks for all the detail. Your brother is beating good wrestlers who have been in a D1 room for a lot longer than him. Very impressive.
No problem! Lol I’ve obviously spent my share of time trying to pinpoint things with him. Was glad someone asked as sad as that sounds! 😆 Very excited and even if things derail a bit, I’m still happy with the positive inpression the place has had on him already!
