Lee, who is coming off an ACL repair last spring, lost a controversial semifinal match against Ronnie Bresser (Oregon State) last weekend at the Midlands Championships.
Though a surprising loss, Coach Brands saw something that gave him confidence that Lee could compete in the Big Ten right away. No question Lee is a top-eight finisher at the Big Ten Championships, but can he get the better of Nick Suriano or Nathan Tomasello? How about two or three times in the first three months wearing the black singlet?
Those are some big questions for the little guy to answer, but Coach Brands (who doesn't get these decisions wrong very often) and much of Hawkeye nation think that Lee can both be the guy at the weight and help their team compete for an NCAA team title with Penn State and Ohio State.
I'm not certain on either of those points, but Lee's character and now-legendary toughness demands that he be given the chance to make both those things a reality. Lee is a tough SOB and it doesn't benefit Iowa to keep that type of momentum-creating talent locked on the sidelines when he could be center stage leading your program to the podium in Cleveland.
I like the call.
To your questions …
Shakur Rasheed gets his hand raised after winning a Southern Scuffle title (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com)Q: Penn State has a good problem at 197 pounds. Coming into the season it seemed like Matt McCutcheon's spot. Then Anthony Cassar emerged as the man. Then Shakur Rasheed ran through Southern Scuffle in dominant fashion. How will Cael and staff handle this situation? When do you think it should be finalized? Who do you see getting the spot?
-- Mike C.
Foley: I'm not Cael Sanderson, but you absolutely play the hot hand.
That said … it's important to consider that Shakur was hitting the same move again and again, something that is concerning when it comes to taking on opponents next week and the week after, and the week after that. Coaches scout, and a cross face cradle, while exceedingly dangerous, is something that most will prepare their athletes to defend.
Also, I have to assume that Cassar has already figured out the crossface cradle, making it difficult (or at least less certain) that Shakur would squeeze by another wrestle-off, or two.
No matter what happens, Shakur's performance was legendary and the way it mixes up 197 for the Nittany Lions will force fans to keep a watchful eye on the team's social media accounts.
Q: Do you worry about the future of the sport that it's turning into a super niche sport? Even in PA it has really taken a nose dive. In the AA class very few teams can now even field a full dual meet team. A common comment being made around the coaching circle is that the kids are either super good or super bad. There is not much in between. It seems like the sport is no longer the lower-middle class sport it was. It is now a middle-upper class sport. Looking at the InterMat high school team rankings and there are not many public schools. It is kind of like basketball with the AAU/catholic schools taking over. The top kids now go to all these club teams like Young Guns in the same way basketball kids have AAU. I see the future of the sport like swimming. A few super great kids. Instead of Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, it will be kids like Mark Hall and Spencer Lee. It's only getting worse.
-- Steve M.
Foley: Are there definitive rates for forfeits? Are they shown to be increasing? Is there any data on the shift of top talent from public to private school?
I ask because there is often a visualization of nationwide problems built off a mixture of anecdotes, nostalgia and access to social media.
Let's assume that there are more forfeits in dual meets, participation is down and that the top athletes are following the top coaches, who are all coaching in expensive clubs and private schools. What is the solution?
First, we need to promote the two-piece uniform. Next, we need to continue supporting coaches who focus on creating all-around athletes and an enjoyable experience rather than winning a "national championship" for third graders.
The other component might be to embrace some contraction. Sloughing off 2-4 weight classes would help smaller schools fill out a whole team, and possibly push talented athletes to stay in the public school rather than go chase a starting role on a dynastic program. There are positives and negatives to contraction, but with the correct guidance from our national leadership we could create a culture of competition, rather than one of avoidance or forfeiting.
Q: Nathan Tomasello is returning to Ohio State's lineup this week. He's expected to wrestle against Maryland on Friday, but sit out on Sunday against Rutgers (Nick Suriano). Does it bother you that Tom Ryan is holding him out against Suriano? Or do you think that is the right move?
-- Mike C.
Foley: I have full faith and confidence in Tom Ryan's coaching ability. While I disagree that any wrestler should be held out purely for seeding purposes, it is arguable that an injured wrestler looking to get his mat conditioning back may want ease back into the lineup.
As an athlete, I was never concerned with seeding (not an issue for a 4-loss wrestler), but I do remember taking matches off after I returned to competition following a knee injury.
Also, though I sympathize with the contention that athletes should always compete, we do need to recognize that there are simply too many matches in a season. If you go full throttle for five months and rack up 40-plus matches heading into the postseason there is not much chance that you'll be in peak physical or emotional shape come conference and NCAA's.
Fewer matches and a shorter season would guarantee that more top-level wrestlers are competing in a high percentage of their team's dual meets.
Cue the NCAA's new single-semester format for the collegiate season …
Q: The Midlands and Southern Scuffle seemed much more watered down this year, probably in large part because of new events like the South Beach Duals and Oklahoma State vs. NC State in Italy. Do you think all these new events are good for the sport? Or do you think having Midlands /Scuffle stronger is better for the sport?
-- Mike C.
Foley: Building on the above post I think that there isn't much chance these tournaments continue as mid-season festivals. With a new single-semester format these midseason tournaments could be re-imagined as an opening weekend for the season. The idea works well if only because it splits the nation well while also allowing to-be-familiar opponents to avoid each other and travel to opposite regions.
Q: What is the reasoning for all the teams sending backups then scheduling other competitions? For example, South Beach Duals. These tournaments are obviously still incredibly tough, but could definitely have more depth. I mean, I understand taking the holiday season low key and letting the team rest, but it seems these tournaments have lost some prowess. Just an observation. Curious about your insight.
-- Alex C.
Foley: Again, college coaches have shifted their thinking about midseason competitions in order to favor periodization for success in March. Top guys can't always maintain the grind for five months, so it falls on the backups to get reps at these winter tournaments. As you mentioned they are often as tough as starters, but it does leave the fan wanting to see the top guys.
MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME
Comeback Wrestler of the Year: Jordan Burroughs
Outstanding Performance of the Year: Helen Maroulis
Q: Now that we're well into the season, and redshirts are being pulled, who are your predicted finals match and champ at each weight?
-- Jared W.
Foley: I'm going to take a pass on answering this question until I see a few more Big Ten dual meets and see just how many redshirts get pulled.
Q: What are the differences between NAIA, Division I, Division II, and Division III wrestling? Are they able to offer scholarships at all three levels?
-- Gregg Y.
Foley: Division I athletes tend to receive full athletic scholarships. Division II athletes can receive full athletic scholarships, but mostly see partial athletic scholarships. Division III athletes cannot receive athletic scholarships. Also, Division I schools must sponsor seven men's sports and seven women's sports, while Division II must sponsor five men's sports and five women's sports.
The NAIA is a wholly different association of colleges and universities with the ability to grant partial scholarships.
There is much more to the distinction (and ways to receive a fully paid education) at each level, but in broad terms the amount of athletic scholarship and spending is the biggest distinguisher.
Q: Maybe I don't understand the rules, but aren't unattached wrestlers supposed to pay their own way to tournaments and have to get coached by a non-staff member? If so, why do they all travel together? Daton Fix would have been better suited going to Midlands and checking out where he is against his two biggest rivals (Spencer Lee and Nick Suriano) than going to Scuffle. Barring injury to Nick Piccininni, Coach Smith isn't pulling Daton's redshirt. Why would he burn a redshirt on maybe getting 3 more team points at NCAAs when his team is at best a third-place finisher this year? It just strikes me as odd that redshirts wouldn't go to the best scenario for them personally. What am I missing?
-- Anil C.
Foley: The NCAA changed the rules a few years ago and allows redshirt wrestlers to travel with their team to tournaments. I don't think that the coaching rule has changed. Though, the dumbest rule to have ever existed is regarding redshirts and coaching in that they are not allowed to challenge calls in tournaments.
That one makes absolutely no sense and was the reason that Spencer Lee was not afforded a challenge against Ronnie Bresser at the Midlands.
As for Fix wrestling at the Southern Scuffle, I have to think that Coach Smith wanted Fix to get wins under his belt rather than grinding it out for what could have been a fifth-place finish. As you saw, Fix didn't compete and it's unlikely they will pull his redshirt, so the point is mostly moot.
Q: Any chance that InterMat would put in redshirt athletes into the college rankings? A few thoughts. First, this would separate the InterMat rankings from other rankings. Second, InterMat takes into account NWCA All-Star Classic results, which are not official. Third, wrestlers that are not redshirting their freshman year will be dropped from the rankings for a year and only the die-hard fans go back to look at previous year's results/rankings. Finally, someone who has yet to wrestle a match come January 1 should not be ranked No. 1, while someone who is redshirting but beating ranked wrestlers is not. It might be hard to do preseason/early season. Maybe make some criteria as in a redshirt athlete must beat at least one ranked wrestler prior to Jan. 1, etc. Or even a one-off redshirt rankings. Also, this would only lead to more fan speculation, which in turn results in more fans reading articles
-- K.K.
When it comes to criteria for rankings I think that InterMat has been consistent for several years. I'm not on the rankings committee, but having heard the process I think it tends to favor established wrestlers and only takes into account those who are currently in competition.
Though, I do like your point about creating a discussion for fans and making the redshirt qualification well known.
Q: Seth Gross is 12-0 with five pins and five technical falls. He often times gets left out of Hodge talk because of Zain Retherford, Bo Nickal, Jason Nolf, Isaiah Martinez and others. What would it take for Gross to steal the Hodge?
-- Mike C.
Foley: Is he out of the Hodge discussion? When you put away that many opponents and have a flawless season you are certain to be mentioned.
From what I've seen Gross is the type of fearless competitor we often see favored for awards like the Hodge. Also, that Gross is the leader of small school making moves and dominating opponents with headline-snatching ferocity gives him the type of emotional edge that's always been with wrestlers like Zain Retherford and Jason Nolf.
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
By Keith F.
First time writing in, and I don't get much time to watch wrestling anymore, but I tuned in so I could watch Spencer Lee. Point blank, college wrestling, and in many respects wrestling in general has got real issues with stalling and using scrambling as a form of stalling. There has to be a discussion to speed up stalling calls and force the offense in collegiate wrestling. Watching Ronnie Bresser wrestle is akin to watching paint dry. There is zero effective offense being initiated over a 6-minute match and it really is painful to watch. If there was a 10 to 20-second mental clock for refs to give a warning for stalling, whether it being attempting to turn on top, improving your position on bottom (and working for a reversal or escape), as well as initiated offense from neutral, action would follow. I also would put an end to exposing your back while technically being in control. I would propose the following:
1. Takedowns that result from a scramble or counter to someone else's initiated offense are worth a point. It should not be given the same point value.
(Foley: I strongly disagree on this point. They tried this with freestyle and it was a disaster. The shot clock ended up being the better solution.)
2. If you are in a scramble situation, whether neutral or in the top position, and you are in an exposed back situation (not one where you have the opponent on his back, like a tilt or cradle) and their back is not, and cannot get off your back in a two count, an escape and restart or back points result. (PREACH!)
3. If that garbage far ankle defense is continually used with little or no attempt to improve the position, I believe a stall warning should be given.
It is awful to watch, and the sport is becoming less and less about executions of techniques and more about latching, grabbing and rolling about. Cael Sanderson's wrestlers, much like the man himself, have the right mindset about offensive wrestling and scoring points.
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