Q. How did you guys come up with the outdoor match, who got that going?
TOM BRANDS: It was very much a team effort with administration, and it was our brainchild, but we're not the originators. I mean, people have been wrestling outside since the beginning of time, and just so happens it's the first time it's been done in Division I. It's a big deal because it's about two storied programs and a rivalry that continues, and these rivalries are getting tougher to schedule just because of the Big Ten getting bigger, and so that's how it came about.
Q. You have a bunch of heavyweights; are you happy with them so far?
TOM BRANDS: Sam Stoll is doing a good job. He's going to have a learning curve. The biggest thing that he has to realize is that it is about being at your best every time out, and if he can do that, he has a chance to be a real good heavyweight.
He's got some pretty good credentials from high school to back it up, and he certainly also has some good credentials internationally at the senior level in Greco-Roman, and he's just got to do things that are consistent with what got him to those standards, but now it's got to carry over to collegiate wrestling.
Q. Where did he make the most progress in his redshirt season?
TOM BRANDS: Maturity; realizing what it takes more than anything. That's what we like to see, too. You're going to get better with your skills. You're going to get better at the things that you do, but it's about realizing that it's time to grow up and things aren't going to be as easy as they used to be, and he's realized that. He's putting together some good workouts now and it's not just the last week or so but over the summer, and even last year he did a good job. It's just a matter of every day getting better and maturing.
Q. What do you see in your leaders this year? You've got your seniors and upperclassmen?
TOM BRANDS: That's a good question because one of the things I wanted to address -- you talk about Nathan Burak, he's a senior; Brody Grothus is a senior, as well. Those two guys represent us very well. But Nathan Burak is a two-time All-American. He's a senior; he's a 3.8 student. He's everything you want your program to be looked upon as. A lot of times he's not maybe given enough attention, not that he's seeking the attention anyway, but when you talk about leadership, you talk about an example of what to look for in a student athlete, he's a wrestler that embodies that and represents our program very well.
And then the other All-Americans, Gilman and Clark and Sorensen, but also you've got Meyer and Sam Brooks who are very capable. I mentioned Brody Grothus. We've got some young guys that can do a good job of leadership, as well, but they've got to develop a platform for leadership. People don't tend to listen to somebody who's got a goose egg under the W column. They listen to people that got a lot of notches on their belt, so to speak, or on their weapon, in the W column, so to speak.
Q. Talk about the Big Ten this year; how do you feel you guys are sitting, and Ohio State, Penn State?
TOM BRANDS: We're in the conversation, and I don't know really where we're ranked in specific rankings. I know we're in the three, four range nationally, and three out of the four are Big Ten schools.
And actually probably four out of the five, I mean, with Michigan, Iowa, Penn State and Ohio State. So nothing has changed. We're after winning a national title, and we're after winning individual titles, and those goes have been good in the past, and the same usual suspects are good this year, as well. Virginia Tech, they have a team that they're proud of, so there's a top six or seven that are real relevant in the landscape. We've got to be ready every time out.
Q. How do you see things developing at 141?
TOM BRANDS: We're going to wrestle those guys this weekend, and we're looking for someone to emerge, and this guy right here that you're looking at has been looking for someone to emerge throughout the fall. That hasn't really happened, and we need someone -- and we'll see. When the lights are on, maybe guys are better in the competition arena. Last year I talked about Topher Carton last year, talked about how he's matured and come around, and he really has had some opportunities to do very well, and he's been slowed a little bit here and there for other reasons, injuries and other reasons, and he needs to assert himself if he's going to be the guy. The same with Logan Ryan. I'll tell you what, we've got a true freshman in there, Vince Turk, who's relevant in the conversation, as well. So all three of those guys will be competing this weekend, and we'll see how it shakes out, and that will be the determining factor. Not the sole factor, but that'll be something we look at for who's going to be on the mat in Kinnick.
Q. Is it the same kind of deal at 157 and 165?
TOM BRANDS: A little bit. Maybe not so much competition right now but maybe where you have a couple names there that can do a good job for us. When I say I feel good about our guys, I mean, those guys are -- those weight classes are -- I feel good about them, but you want someone to emerge and be the world beater. We like world beaters, and we have some ways to go before those guys prove that they're world beaters. They all want to be, but you know, you mentioned those are the three weight classes that -- we've got to have some firepower out of those three weight classes.
Q. Where do you see Brody fitting into the lineup?
TOM BRANDS: Right now he's still coming back from a repair he had done, and he's doing a good job. He's getting more and more on the mat. He's been on the mat for a couple weeks now. Every day it's more and more. He wants to push the envelope. We have a great medical staff with Jesse Donnenwerth and our team doctors that are making sure we do the right thing. You have a guy right here that has a pretty good pulse on what's going on, and we're not going to let him have free reign, but that's a good sign. I mean, any time a guy wants to push the envelope, we're fine with that, but we're going to be smart there and patient, because we want to make sure that we don't go backwards, and he hasn't gone backwards at all. And a lot of times when you have a rehab situation where guys are going forward, forward, forward, forward, and are patient, that's when you have the best chance to keep that repair strong, not only for their season or their career but for their entire life, and that's what we're looking for. We're looking out for his best interest for our team, for the weight class that he's going to represent, and then also for his longevity with that joint.
So there's a lot there, but I like that he's got the bit in his mouth and he's pulling on those reins. I like that.
TOM BRANDS: It was very much a team effort with administration, and it was our brainchild, but we're not the originators. I mean, people have been wrestling outside since the beginning of time, and just so happens it's the first time it's been done in Division I. It's a big deal because it's about two storied programs and a rivalry that continues, and these rivalries are getting tougher to schedule just because of the Big Ten getting bigger, and so that's how it came about.
Q. You have a bunch of heavyweights; are you happy with them so far?
TOM BRANDS: Sam Stoll is doing a good job. He's going to have a learning curve. The biggest thing that he has to realize is that it is about being at your best every time out, and if he can do that, he has a chance to be a real good heavyweight.
He's got some pretty good credentials from high school to back it up, and he certainly also has some good credentials internationally at the senior level in Greco-Roman, and he's just got to do things that are consistent with what got him to those standards, but now it's got to carry over to collegiate wrestling.
Q. Where did he make the most progress in his redshirt season?
TOM BRANDS: Maturity; realizing what it takes more than anything. That's what we like to see, too. You're going to get better with your skills. You're going to get better at the things that you do, but it's about realizing that it's time to grow up and things aren't going to be as easy as they used to be, and he's realized that. He's putting together some good workouts now and it's not just the last week or so but over the summer, and even last year he did a good job. It's just a matter of every day getting better and maturing.
Q. What do you see in your leaders this year? You've got your seniors and upperclassmen?
TOM BRANDS: That's a good question because one of the things I wanted to address -- you talk about Nathan Burak, he's a senior; Brody Grothus is a senior, as well. Those two guys represent us very well. But Nathan Burak is a two-time All-American. He's a senior; he's a 3.8 student. He's everything you want your program to be looked upon as. A lot of times he's not maybe given enough attention, not that he's seeking the attention anyway, but when you talk about leadership, you talk about an example of what to look for in a student athlete, he's a wrestler that embodies that and represents our program very well.
And then the other All-Americans, Gilman and Clark and Sorensen, but also you've got Meyer and Sam Brooks who are very capable. I mentioned Brody Grothus. We've got some young guys that can do a good job of leadership, as well, but they've got to develop a platform for leadership. People don't tend to listen to somebody who's got a goose egg under the W column. They listen to people that got a lot of notches on their belt, so to speak, or on their weapon, in the W column, so to speak.
Q. Talk about the Big Ten this year; how do you feel you guys are sitting, and Ohio State, Penn State?
TOM BRANDS: We're in the conversation, and I don't know really where we're ranked in specific rankings. I know we're in the three, four range nationally, and three out of the four are Big Ten schools.
And actually probably four out of the five, I mean, with Michigan, Iowa, Penn State and Ohio State. So nothing has changed. We're after winning a national title, and we're after winning individual titles, and those goes have been good in the past, and the same usual suspects are good this year, as well. Virginia Tech, they have a team that they're proud of, so there's a top six or seven that are real relevant in the landscape. We've got to be ready every time out.
Q. How do you see things developing at 141?
TOM BRANDS: We're going to wrestle those guys this weekend, and we're looking for someone to emerge, and this guy right here that you're looking at has been looking for someone to emerge throughout the fall. That hasn't really happened, and we need someone -- and we'll see. When the lights are on, maybe guys are better in the competition arena. Last year I talked about Topher Carton last year, talked about how he's matured and come around, and he really has had some opportunities to do very well, and he's been slowed a little bit here and there for other reasons, injuries and other reasons, and he needs to assert himself if he's going to be the guy. The same with Logan Ryan. I'll tell you what, we've got a true freshman in there, Vince Turk, who's relevant in the conversation, as well. So all three of those guys will be competing this weekend, and we'll see how it shakes out, and that will be the determining factor. Not the sole factor, but that'll be something we look at for who's going to be on the mat in Kinnick.
Q. Is it the same kind of deal at 157 and 165?
TOM BRANDS: A little bit. Maybe not so much competition right now but maybe where you have a couple names there that can do a good job for us. When I say I feel good about our guys, I mean, those guys are -- those weight classes are -- I feel good about them, but you want someone to emerge and be the world beater. We like world beaters, and we have some ways to go before those guys prove that they're world beaters. They all want to be, but you know, you mentioned those are the three weight classes that -- we've got to have some firepower out of those three weight classes.
Q. Where do you see Brody fitting into the lineup?
TOM BRANDS: Right now he's still coming back from a repair he had done, and he's doing a good job. He's getting more and more on the mat. He's been on the mat for a couple weeks now. Every day it's more and more. He wants to push the envelope. We have a great medical staff with Jesse Donnenwerth and our team doctors that are making sure we do the right thing. You have a guy right here that has a pretty good pulse on what's going on, and we're not going to let him have free reign, but that's a good sign. I mean, any time a guy wants to push the envelope, we're fine with that, but we're going to be smart there and patient, because we want to make sure that we don't go backwards, and he hasn't gone backwards at all. And a lot of times when you have a rehab situation where guys are going forward, forward, forward, forward, and are patient, that's when you have the best chance to keep that repair strong, not only for their season or their career but for their entire life, and that's what we're looking for. We're looking out for his best interest for our team, for the weight class that he's going to represent, and then also for his longevity with that joint.
So there's a lot there, but I like that he's got the bit in his mouth and he's pulling on those reins. I like that.
