Tyrel ToddRevWrestling.com talked to Todd about his knee injury and how it has affected him, the move up to 197 pounds, how Andy Hrovat has helped him, what he needs to finish on top of the podium at 197, his future aspirations, and much more.
Tyrel, you suffered a knee injury earlier this season at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. How has your knee injury affected your wresting?
Todd: It changed the course of my season a lot. For a couple weeks, I was off the mat … trying to get the swelling out of it. Then getting used to wearing the brace has been a huge adjustment. I lost a match at the National Duals because I was trying a different style, avoiding my leg attacks, and really focusing on attacking the upper body, high-level attacks. I've been effective with them in the past, but I took an aspect of my game that I really need out of it … and I ended up losing the match due to that. I learned that I can't really change my style too much. I just need to keep attacking like I always have … using a single leg attack, constant pressure, moving forward, and really trying to smother my opponent with my offense. So I learned that I need to keep that style going despite not having the mobility that I would like to have.
It has really come back, though. Toward the end of the Big Ten season, the last weekend, I wrestled without my brace and felt great. Unfortunately, at the beginning of this past week I had a setback. I was only able to get on the mat (Friday), actually, so I was just trying to get the swelling out of it again and control that. Once the swelling gets out of it, after a couple more days, I'll be good to go again. I'm looking to peak for the Big Tens and then be in the best position possible for Nationals.
You moved up from 184 pounds to 197 pounds this season. What has been the biggest adjustment for you moving up to 197 this season?
Tyrel Todd was an All-American at 184 pounds the past two seasons, but moved up to 197 pounds for his senior season (Photo/Michigan Sports Information)Last season, you were upset in the second round of the NCAA Championships. I heard you say in an interview that you really let the atmosphere get to you when you lost. How do you prevent that from happening again?
Todd: It has a lot to do with having more experience and more confidence going in there. I definitely have a lot more confidence this year, even with the knee injury I have going into the tournament this year. Even though I haven't been able to do all the training that I would like to have done, just knowing that I have the tools to win that national title and put together a great tournament, the best tournament of my life, and beat all these opponents. I have wrestled many of the top guys. I beat Jake Varner two years ago at National Duals. I beat Max Askren in freestyle a couple times. So I've competed with many of the top guys. It's just a matter of being mentally in the game and really thinking about the right things. All about that positive reinforcement. Visualizing winning. Visualizing great attacks, great offense, and great scoring holds. That's what I'm trying to do now … and that's what I'll continue to do into the tournament. I think that will really help limit any other distractions. The tournament got to me a little bit last year, but more than anything last year, I made some errors in that match. When you make errors, you lose. That's what happens. I think it has more to do with the errors … because I was able to come back and win from there. So I'm not really worried about mental issues at this point, especially as my game has improved this year, if not physically, it has mentally for sure.
Tyrel Todd works out regularly with 2008 Olympian Andy Hrovat (Photo/Michigan Sports Information)Todd: Andy being on staff has been a huge benefit to me. Just being able to compete with one of the top guys not only in the United States, but in the world, everyday, has built my confidence. I know that if I can go with Andy, I should be dominating these guys that I'm wrestling in college. That has been a huge aspect … not only the physical challenge and the physical development that I've had, but mentally, too, just the confidence that I've built from working with Andy has been a huge advantage.
You have two straight wins over Jake Herbert of Northwestern in freestyle. You have also defeated Mike Pucillo of Ohio State a couple times, once by pin. Both Herbert and Pucillo are NCAA champions. Do you ever feel like you should already be an NCAA champion because of some of the wrestlers you have beaten in your career? Or are those things you have just put in the past?
Todd: Yeah, I have kind of put those things in the past. Both those guys are great wrestlers. They've had their day in the sun. There's no question. I don't really like to think about the could'ves, would'ves, and should'ves. The NCAA tournament is all about that weekend. It's just the event. Working out with Andy … there are days when I have really taken it to him. It just so happened that at the Olympic Trials he had his day and won the tournament. That's the art of wrestling, trying to come to that peak at the right time. I feel like Jake and Mike have done that in the past. I'm just doing everything I can to try to achieve that now. I was third last year, falling short of the national finals and winning that title. But that's in the past. Through the journey, I've learned so much that is going to help me in freestyle career and later in life.
You compete at 84 kg/185 pounds in freestyle. Now that you're competing collegiately at 197 pounds, do you think it's going to be quite a bit tougher to get back down to 185 pounds for freestyle?
Todd: I'm not too worried about. Naturally, I'm just a little over 200 pounds. When we're working hard, like right now, I'm having a hard time keeping my weight up to 197. I'm not too worried about coming back down. With surgery and everything, I'm going to be rehabbing and doing a lot of upper-body strength training, not trying to put on bulk, just trying to lean down, stay trim and strong. So I'm not too worried about that. It's day before weigh-ins. It's a different ballgame in freestyle. Freestyle is really my game. I love freestyle. That's what I've wrestled ever since I was a little guy. I love the game. And I'm really looking forward to taking my freestyle to the ultimate level, to the best level that I can possibly take it.
Tyrel Todd has built a record of 18-1 this season and is ranked No. 5 in the country at 197 pounds (Michigan Sports Information)Todd: Well, this year it's not very important. I'm not even going to be competing this year. I'm getting knee surgery right after the season. I'm getting my ACL repaired. I feel that in order to really continue my career and have the success that I want, I need to have a sound knee and get this ACL repaired and rehabbed back. Unfortunately, that's a slow-coming-back surgery. It's six to nine months rehabbing and pretty rigorous. So that's what I'm going to be doing for the next six to nine months after the season. I'm taking some classes this spring. And I'm actually student teaching next fall, so it works out with my academic schedule because I'll be able to rehab while I'm student teaching. And then after that one semester, I'll be able to really wrap up my freestyle training before the U.S. Open and hopefully wrestle in the Dave Schultz tournament next year.
I know you have talked about wanting to pursue a coaching career. Have you put a timetable on how long your plan to compete in freestyle? Or haven't you really put much thought into it?
Todd: I have. I really want to focus on my training and be a World champion and then an Olympic champion in 2012. And then after that, I don't really have any guarantees. But I see myself moving toward teaching. I'm an education major. Or coaching at the college level. I'm going to cross that bridge when I get there. I'm really focusing on the 2012 Olympics. After I come back from this knee surgery, I'm really going to do everything I can possibly do, whether it be training at a university, moving to Colorado Springs, or whatever it may be, to make myself the best freestyle wrestler I can be.
Being that you're a senior and two-time All-American, are you putting more pressure on yourself to win that NCAA title in your final season?
Todd: Something that I've learned through the years is that you always have that pressure. But I would say that I'm not putting as much pressure on myself. I mean, the pressure is constant. My goals are set. My goals are to be a Big Ten champ and national champ. There is enough pressure as it is. My plan is to take it match by match and really focus my energy … and wrestle each match for what it is … and put everything I can into that match, avoid the positions I need to avoid, stay on my offense and do the things I want to do. And it will work itself out. I have found that when you start putting too much pressure … there is enough pressure as it is, especially in that atmosphere where there are so many people. It's all about pressure there. So I'm trying to limit that by taking it one match at a time and, like I said earlier, reinforcing the right type of thinking, focusing on winning, having success, and the right kind of thoughts going through your mind. Those negative thoughts pile up quickly if you let them.
You have yet to face Jake Varner of Iowa State this season. How much are you looking forward to a potential matchup at the NCAA Championships with Varner?
Todd: I really am. I really believe that he's going to have to wrestle really well to get to the national finals. There are a lot of guys at 197 that are close. He has lost to Dallas Herbst already this year. No one has really separated themselves at 197 this year. So he's going to have to wrestle hard. But absolutely, there's no question that I would love to wrestle with him in the finals … if it comes down to that. And who knows, it just may. But his style is hard. I've wrestled with him several times. He's real defensive. He's a hard individual to score on. I'm really looking forward to meeting up with him or whoever it may be through the course of the tournament.
You and Steve Luke came to Michigan the same year and have been in the lineup together for four seasons. Describe your relationship with Steve and what it has been like having him as a teammate.
Todd: He and I were roommates our freshman year. I wouldn't say we are the closest of friends, but we have a tremendous amount of mutual respect for each other. We share different interests. That guy spends a lot of time in the library, which is good. He should do that. He's not really into outdoor life. He doesn't really have too many outdoor hobbies, like I do. Interest-wise, we're a little bit different. But as far as wrestling goes, I mean, we both have a lot of respect for each other. I've learned a tremendous amount from him … and I would say that he's definitely learned some from me. There's a competition aspect between us too, coming in the same year, both of us having successful careers, and neither of us having achieved our goals of being national champs. The heat is on a little bit. It's a great relationship and we will be lifelong friends. There's no question. Steve Luke is going to be a national champ at 174 this year. You can quote me on that.
Tyrel Todd will more than likely enter this weekend's Big Ten Championships as the No. 2 seed at 197 pounds behind Wisconsin's Dallas Herbst (Photo/Michigan Sports Information) Todd: I feel great about it. I really feel like, despite the setback of my injury and the bumps in the road, I'm at the top of my game. Sometimes I even to think to myself, 'I shouldn't be having this much confidence because of what I have gone through.' I really believe it has a lot to do with my spiritual relationship with the Lord, just staying strong with that, and having confidence that even though I can't go through the training that I would have liked to, I'm going to be ready at that time, on that day, and I'm going to be a warrior and no one is going to compete with me at that time. I think that has really helped raise the level of my competition. It has helped me compete better through the Big Ten season. And I believe it will help me compete better in the Big Tens and Nationals.
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now