Daktronics Open

[TheWombat]

During a recent radio show, Coach Caldwell ran through the DI teams that he expects to be attending the open this weekend. I, as usual, have way too much free time, so I thought I would dive into some rosters and take a look at what we may be able to expect this weekend. I'm going to provide a top eight in the order that logic would dictate, removed from any kind of opinion that I might have (more of projected seeds than predictions) and I'm honestly not going to spend a ton of time on to ordering. Please keep in mind that there are lots of reasons not to wrestle in an open tournament, so we can be sure that not everyone listed will show up.

Teams: SDSU (full team), NDSU (half squad), Minnesota (non-starters), Nebraska (full team), UNI (full team), Iowa State (full team)

125.
#7 Brody Teske UNI
#17 Liam Cronin NEB
Kyson Terukina ISU
Kyle Golhoffer UNI
Tanner Jordan SDSU
Corey Cabanban ISU
Bailey Roybal SDSU
Colby Evans NDSU

133.
HM Kellyn March NDSU
Jack Skudlarczyk UNI
Kyle Biscoglia UNI
Alex Thomsen NEB
Boo Dryden NEB
Tucker Sjomeling NEB
Ramazan Attasauov ISU
Vance Vombaur UMN

141.
#8 Chad Red NEB
#11 Clay Carlson SDSU
HM Zach Redding
HM Dylan Droegemueller NDSU
Cael Happle UNI
Ethan Basile UNI
Brent Jones UMN
Sam Stuhl NDSU


149.
#11 Ridge Lovett NEB
#24 Zach Price SDSU
HM Triston Lara UNI
Jarrett Degen ISU
Brock Hardy NEB
Kevon Devenport NEB
Dan Kimball SDSU
Blaine Brenner UMN

157.
#1 David Carr ISU
#9 Jarod Franek NDSU
#12 Peyton Robb NEB
Cael Swenson SDSU
Cayd Lara UNI
Colin Realbuto UNI
Jack Thomson SDSU
Robert Weston UNI

165.
#6 Luke Weber NDSU
#20 Tanner Cook SDSU
Austin Kaisser ISA
Austin Yant UNI
Cael Carlson UMN
Bubba Wilson NEB
Issac Judge ISU
Pat Schoenfelder UNI

174.
#5 Mikey Labriola NEB
#19 Cade DeVos SDUS
Lance Runyan UNI
Bailee O'Reilly UMN
Joel Devine ISU
Austin Brenner NDSU
Riley Habish NDSU
Jared Simma UNI

184.
#4 Parker Keickeison UNI
#10 Taylor Vens NEB
#21 Marcus Coleman
Nathan Haas NEB
Sam Kruger SDSU
Tate Battani SDSU
Cody Fisher ISU
Deanthony Parker NDSU

197.
#11 Eric Schultz NEB
#16 Owen Pentz NDSU
Yonger Bastida ISU
Tyrell Gordan UNI
Nick Casperson SDSU
John Gunderson UNI
Cody Connelly SDSU
Rowan Mogan UMN

285.
#13 Christian Lance NEB
#17 Carter Isley UNI
#23 Brandon Metz NDSU
#24 AJ Nevills SDSU
HM Sam Schuyler
Cale Davidson NEB
Landon Brown NEB
Juan Mora NDSU

This tournament has the possibility to be absolutely insane. I'm sure that about a quarter of these guys won't be in the bracket and a good chunk will forfeit out after a few matches, but I don't think we can avoid seeing some very good matches this weekend. There are also a handful of ranked individuals at surrounding DII schools who could make an impact if they show up. If you're in the area, you should go, and, if you're not, you should watch it on flo. People are going to be talking about these results all year long.

[bennymj171]

It is going to be a fun tournament, some pretty solid weights

[opinionsaremyown]

I hope ASU sends their wrestlers. Had not heard that.

[TheWombat]

I hope ASU sends their wrestlers. Had not heard that.

I actually misheard. It's actually Iowa State not Arizona state (though they had gone in the past). Iowa State actually posted their projected participants on Twitter. I'll update my original post.

[Cheyenne]

Wombat, what are your takeaways from the results?

[TheWombat]

Takeaways:

125. Tanner Jordan wrestled a good tournament taking 4th with a win over #17 Liam Cronin losing to two very good wrestlers. Roybal got a tough draw and went 0-2 losing to Terunkina (eventual winner) and Eisch who he had beaten at the bison last week.

133. The Jacks 133s didn't look especially great. Trayton Anderson lost two matches that he could have been expected to win. Gross went 1-2 with some more understandable losses. Cardinal did make some significant progress, beating mega-recruit Dom Serrano twice while losing two pretty understandable matches to Iowa State's starter and 3X qualifier Drew Mattin.

141. Clay Carlson was an adept towel tapper and corner coach as he sat out this tournament. No Jacks competed here.

149. Zach Price does not look good in my opinion. When he is up against a big 149, he just can't seem to compete physically. He lost to two wrestlers that I had never heard of on his way to 4th place while he did win very close matches to Kimball and Martin. Kimball went 2-2, losing to AA Jared Degan and Price. Martin showed major improvement, beating NQ Tristen Lara before losing to Price and Javon Parrish of Nebraska.

157. O'Neil and Swensen shared 5th place as Thomsen finished one match short of placing. The only real match of note here is O'Neil's win over Thomsen on the back side which should further cement his spot.

165. Tanner Cook died by the sword this weekend, losing to a surprisingly game Michael Caliendo from NDSU and Iowa State's starter. Of course, he also racked up 4 pins. Richner and Gaynor both went 0-2

174. Marshal Hauck went 0-2 as Cade DeVos sat out. Judging by DeVos's absence at the duel, I suspect he is actually hurt.

184. Schoon went 1-2 including a loss to Battani who went 1-2 including a 12-2 loss to Kruger who went 3-2 placing 5th.

197. Casperson looked good here taking second without having any marquee wins. Donnelly didn't perform like he did last week getting beaten badly in both of his matches. Conspicuous in his absence is Roman Rogotzke who we have not seen yet.

285. Nevills sat out. McConville had a descent showing taking 4th and only losing to Gorden to UNI who is pretty good heavyweight.

Implications:

We didn't see Hunter Marko this weekend and it's seeming that he is SDSU's best option at 133. I suspect that they aren't making him cut down every weekend to try to keep him healthy.

149 is a weight of concern, there's a type of wrestler at 149 who Price is going to struggle with. Kimball has improved and Martin looks good in redshirt, but I am worried about getting any kind of production out of this weight at big 12s knowing that there are going to be bigger 149s in the bracket who are going to be landmines for Price. I think we'll see Kimball in some duels this year.

I would love to see Kruger's redshirt pulled. He is clearly the best option at the weight right now and it could easily be his last real chance to start on this team with Cade King ahead of him and big recruits coming in next year. Give the kid a shot, he's got three more years to redshirt.

I think that Jacob Schoon should go ahead and cut down to 174. He's not a bad wrestler, but he is getting out-muscled consistently and just looks small out there. He's out of the fight for the spot at 184 and it's not doing him any good developmentally.

Overperformers: Tanner Jordan, Derrick Cardinal, Alek Martin, Sam Kruger

Underperformers: Trayton Anderson, Tanner Cook, Jacob Schoon, Cody Donnelly

[KSjack]

If you think oneils win cements him over Thomson I think you might wanna watch that match again. Very even back and forth with a questionable takedown call to end it. Would of preferred them to keep going into ride outs. Agree with Kruger’s redshirt being pulled until Casperson moves down. Kruger looked solid and could be his only chance to start.


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[bennymj171]

Kruger’s redshirt will not come off unless everyone else gets hurt, we are not competitive for a team trophy and he isn’t ready to compete for a national title yet, a dual with little significance isn’t a reason to burn a redshirt, Casperson is highly unlikely to be back down to 184 again, the cut didn’t go well last year

[TheWombat]

Kruger’s redshirt will not come off unless everyone else gets hurt, we are not competitive for a team trophy and he isn’t ready to compete for a national title yet, a dual with little significance isn’t a reason to burn a redshirt, Casperson is highly unlikely to be back down to 184 again, the cut didn’t go well last year

I think you're right, the coaching staff has taken kind of a hard line on that this year. I disagree with that call and I think it would be better both for him and for the team to give him a chance to compete in these early duels. It could be that he's not interested in starting but, if he is, it's kind of messed up to hold back a local walk-on who earned his spot so that he can sit behind a string of big board recruits until he graduates never having had the chance to hear his name called over the loud speaker at Frost.

[bennymj171]

I think you're right, the coaching staff has taken kind of a hard line on that this year. I disagree with that call and I think it would be better both for him and for the team to give him a chance to compete in these early duels. It could be that he's not interested in starting but, if he is, it's kind of messed up to hold back a local walk-on who earned his spot so that he can sit behind a string of big board recruits until he graduates never having had the chance to hear his name called over the loud speaker at Frost.

I can see that but as well as he is wrestling in his redshirt and he keeps improving at this pace there is a good chance he claims a spot next year, confidence is so huge at this level and if we throw him to the wolves when he isn’t quite ready, we might see his progression start to take a hit, kid has been really impressive and a great surprise, looking forward to watching him compete for the next 5 years