I'm sure they work on finishing all the time in their minds, but based on the tape that time is spent on finishing "the right way" instead of learning to finish from broken positions when your opponent stops your first finish and that's far more important.
Searched Twitter no luck. Couldn't find anything from Drake's match either damnit
Very solid assessment. They need to be casting over almost immediately to readjust into the double leg. Too many kids are becoming very adept at catching the crotch and cutting the corner. Unless you can basically boot scoot and clear your hips almost immediately in transition, staying in front and not getting your inside arm caught inside is paramount…
There has to be a grain of truth to that. I firmly believe that Drake becomes cautious when the guy he’s wrestling starts to block off and slow the pace. If Drake was confident in his scrambling ability I think that would make him so much more consistent and dangerous.
Let's be honest, he took 2 real shots and on both he just hung on the leg instead of working to really finish. There was zero fight in him on that last shot. Whether it's physical or mental, there was something missing there and he didn't fight thru what was an advantage position.
This is very likely the case. But can you think of a program that has more nc’s or high placers as sophomores and juniors that disappeared as seniors? McDonough, Sorensen, St John, Marinelli, Kemmerer just to name recent guys. Injuries are a huge part, but seems like a running theme that our seniors are physically shot.
And the man in charge hasn't done anything to properly address the issue. Star and Bobby were fine Hawks, but it's time for a change.
The Iowa senior fade. It’s a clear issue
The problem is most of the guys that reach the main high crotch position aren’t fast enough to clear their hips going to the outside finish. So, they end up getting “crotched and cornered”. Once that happens it really isn’t about scrambling and finishing. You essentially are already in a very disadvantaged position against anyone with length…
100%. Clean finishes are tough at this tournament. The book is out on Iowa guys and it works. Refs aren’t going to call stalling when a guy blocks off, so long as they don’t run off the mat. A wrestler doesn’t have to always be on the attack any more. If Iowa wants to be the aggressive team they talk about being then work to better at creating scrambling situations and win with “dirty” wrestling. That are stop saying that you’re a fast paced offensive team.
The fat bald ref, #56 or 36 is terrible. Watched him in Hawkeye matches and different matches the last few weeks and hes terrible
Not disagreeing but for clarification MOST if not all of those wrestlers mentioned had serious injuries for their senior seasons at NCAAs which greatly hampered their championship chances.
DeSanto had the same issue as well. Which is why he got to Rby’s and Fix’s right leg 400 times and never finished once. DeSanto is classic Iowa style and he still got stymied at the National tourney.
I actually think this attitude is the biggest problem with the Iowa approach. You can't avoid scrambling. You have to be good at it. The defender is forcing that position and nobody is good enough to avoid it altogether.
As stated...this is a "room issue" on approach, imo.
Cali has plenty of years left in the room to forget all his offense
Woods still tries to corner first before trying to switch off to the double. Even guys like O’Toole have a very hard time scrambling in that position once someone locks the crotch and gets an angle.
