Does anyone want to talk UM Wrestling? (If you don't, please ignore)

Submitted by Carl Spackler on

 UM Wrestling is one of my favorite sports to follow after football and BTN has shown a couple of matches over the last week.  A few takeaways:

-- I didn't realize the talent of Logan Massa.  He might end up being one of the best ever at UM.  I see he's ranked 6th on the Senior National Freestyle rankings.  Only a RS Freshman.  

--Stevan Micic seems to be the real deal as well.  

--My guess is that Joe is planning on next year to be THE year with Adam Coon back in the lineup.    

--The thing with UM is that it seems that have a hard time filling out an entire roster with AA type guys that you need to actually compete for a team championship.  I remember a few years ago when they had guys like Steve Luke and Tyrel Todd at the heavier weights they had no one at the lighter weights.  This year they have no one at the heavier weights.  Hopefully they can get a 125 guy to take the place of Youtsey for next year and put it all together for a run.  

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xtramelanin

January 24th, 2017 at 8:29 AM ^

Image result for steiner brothers

fun guys to bounce with at charlie's.  scotty was the calmer one of the two, but i think he might have had his problems since WWF days.  haven't really heard anything about robbie.  he came to wrestle at 191 and went to superheavy with the aid of some vitamins.  i think scotty wrestled at 177, but maybe WD can check my memory with his super guides.  

Joined: 12/09/2014

MGoPoints: 15439

Wolverine Devotee

January 24th, 2017 at 8:08 AM ^

Lots of injuries/redshirts this year. Next year is hopefully when the B1G title drought ends.

It's crazy how decimated the 125 is when we literally had to ask Youtsey to come back and wrestle after he opted out of his 5th year.

Joined: 06/29/2009

MGoPoints: 31528

TheTeamTheTeam…

January 24th, 2017 at 10:13 AM ^

As far as 125 goes, next year Assad will hopefully be injury free and they already have the kid from Delta, Drew Martin, coming in currently a 2-time champ seeking his 3rd. Problem is Zac Hall hasn't panned out as of yet and we have had some recruiting set backs in the past few years. Next years line up will probably look something like this 125-Assad 133-Micic 141-Fisher 149-Pantaleo 157-Amine 165-Massa 174-Amine 184-Abounader 197-Striggow HVY-Coon

Joined: 06/16/2016

MGoPoints: 1547

TheTeamTheTeam…

January 24th, 2017 at 12:42 PM ^

With all due respect, we are years away from contending for a B1G Title in wrestling. We will have potential All-Americans in Micic, Massa, Amine, Abounader and Coon but unless we throw some major upsets (which is possible), we are looking at 3rd/4th in the B1G at best. Next year OSU has potential returning all Americans in Rodriguez, Tomasello, Pletcher, Jordan(Micah), Jordan(Bo), Martin, and Snyder with Tomasello, Bo, Martin, and Snyder all being favorites/returning champs. Add in Penn states Nolf, Nickal, Suriano and Basically everyone on Iowa and we don't really have a realistic shot at top 3. Not saying we don't have good individuals but this team is not a good tournament team

Joined: 06/16/2016

MGoPoints: 1547

Everyone Murders

January 24th, 2017 at 8:13 AM ^

People tend to forget what a great program Michigan has traditionally had, and it sure does not get much media coverage.  In some ways, it does not help to have perennial powerhouse Iowa in the same conference, although net-net I'm glad to have them as they are a great measuring stick most years.

I loved wrestling (very little bullshit in that sport compared to some others and the best workouts of any sport I've done), and if the OP or others want to post about it, I will read with gratitude.

Joined: 12/14/2010

MGoPoints: 65552

Carl Spackler

January 24th, 2017 at 8:22 AM ^

the only "real" conference for wrestling.  Iowa, Penn State (now that Cael is coach), Minnesota, and OSU always have national champion wrestlers.  If you look at the the rankings, the top ten is predominately Big Ten guys. For example the current team rankings:  

 

1 Oklahoma State      
2 Penn State      
3 Ohio State      
4 Iowa      
5 Virginia Tech      
6 Missouri      
7 Nebraska      
8 Minnesota      
9 Lehigh      
10 Michigan      
11 Cornell      
12 Illinois      
13 Arizona State      
14 Wisconsin
 

 

Joined: 08/01/2008

MGoPoints: -99999299

M Ascending

January 24th, 2017 at 12:28 PM ^

Not to throw too much cold water, but under Joe we are always good but never good enough.  The problem is that we tend to perform great in dual meets, but never put it together at the major tournaments.  We generally finish lower at the big tourneys than our national ranking at the time would predict. (Not sure how to verify this, but it seems anecdotally accurate to me.)   For some reason, other teams come together when it counts and outperform their rankings (as is generally the case with OSU), but we never seem to have the right mentality to grind through as a team. 

I've been wondering for a few years whether it's time for a change.  Joe has been our HC for 17 years now.  But I still love Michigan wrestling and attend as many meets as I can.

Joined: 09/14/2016

MGoPoints: 21355

mGrowOld

January 24th, 2017 at 9:00 AM ^

When I was a Senior back in 81 one of my fraternity brothers was the B1G heavyweight wresting champion.  He was a great guy (we went to several matches to support him) but the truly amazing thing was to watch him eat.  That dude (who was all muscle) ate something like six full meals a day AND drank two insanely high calorie protein shakes every night before bed.  We would literally place bets on how much food he could consume in one sitting.  It was impressive.

His name was Eric (sorry cant rember his last name right now) and he's last guy on right second row.

http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/i/image/image-idx?id=S-BHL-X-bl003910%5Db…

 

 

Joined: 10/04/2010

MGoPoints: 212939

JFW

January 24th, 2017 at 9:24 AM ^

are insane. Between that and a 20 something metabolism...

It would be interesting to compare (not sure how you would) But I'd bet most wrestlers would rank pretty high in conditioning compared to the other athletes. 

Joined: 10/20/2010

MGoPoints: 15285

trustBlue

January 24th, 2017 at 10:58 AM ^

I've had this argument a few times (I was a high school wrestler) and always came to the consensus that wrestlers and distance running had the best conditioning of any athletes.

There's really nothing that compares to using every muscle in your body at maximum force for up to 6 minutes.

Joined: 04/14/2014

MGoPoints: 8169

Wolverine Devotee

January 24th, 2017 at 8:34 AM ^

He's been training for a couple weeks now because of Assad's injury forcing us to forfeit at 125 every meet since Maryland.  

Sunday was his first match back and he won at Northwestern.

Joined: 06/29/2009

MGoPoints: 31528

swan flu

January 24th, 2017 at 8:27 AM ^

I remember the Tyrrell Todd, Steve Luke, Churella brother teams... There was a lot of talent at the lower weights, but I recall those years were absolutely loaded in the big ten especially at the low weights ... Then there were a few guys who just didn't pan out for whatever reason. We should've competed for a team championship a few times but dealt with some early upsets at ncaa's. Also, member Ben Askren? I member that guy was the most fun wrestler to watch in my lifetime

Joined: 08/16/2010

MGoPoints: 9374

Carl Spackler

January 24th, 2017 at 9:07 AM ^

Actually developed his own style of wresting coined "funk style".  He did make the Olympic team and had a first round pin but lost to a Cuban in the 2nd round.  This was the same olympics that had former UM wrestler Andy "Silent H" Hrovat in it.  

I also believe that Ben attempted MMA for a while.  I'm not sure that ever panned out for him.  Also, I'm pretty sure he got the best of MMA fighter Johny Hendricks while wrestling in college.  And if you remember, UM wrestler Ryan Churella lost one of the most controversial matches in NCAA history when he pinned defending champ Johny Hendricks in the finals but the ref didn't call it.  It goes down as one of the worst ref jobs as a the phantom touchdown or the spot in UM sports lore.  

 

Joined: 08/01/2008

MGoPoints: -99999299

swan flu

January 24th, 2017 at 9:12 AM ^

Yeah the no pin call against churella was bullshit. I don't askren and hendrix being in the same weight class, hendrix and Marc Perry were, I remember those battles well

Joined: 08/16/2010

MGoPoints: 9374

BlueWolverine02

January 24th, 2017 at 10:29 AM ^

Askern was dominating at the Bellatore level for awhile. it was interesting watching him fight. he hits like a girl so he never did any damage, but he controlled his opponents so well that they couldn't do anything. basically just got a takedown and rode them out the whole round.

Joined: 09/20/2014

MGoPoints: 18473

Pete the Numbat

January 24th, 2017 at 8:47 AM ^

There is a site somewhere that lists the amount of athletes per available scholarship for every school. If you look at Michigan, last I checked we only gave out full scholarships, which is great for those kids, but hurts our depth at times.  Other schools in the Big Ten had a lot more athletes on scholarship by comparison.  Really our team this year is hurt that Taylor Massa who looked like the most can't miss kid coming out of Michigan probably ever never really panned out after a freshman year that he just missed being an AA.  That same year Jordan Thomas (189 from Greenville) came in with him and never got very far. 

Joined: 12/17/2008

MGoPoints: 18

The Claw

January 24th, 2017 at 9:25 AM ^

They both should have redshirted their first year to bulk up but Massa was just too good and Thomas was thrown in after an injury.  Thomas had to quit due to concussions I believe otherwise he'd been a good one.  Massa was one match win away from AA his freshman year.  The next year he was having too much trouble holding weight and just got destroyed by the heavier stronger wrestlers going at 174. Then injuries hit and he never came back. Very sad. Still think he would have been an AA by the end. 

In the same category Mahomes from last year is done. I think he tore his ACL or MCL. He's not listed on the team. He showed flashes of brillance. Beat Jackson from IU who was an AA. 

So yeah some holes but injuries have caused them.

Assad at 125 was highly recruited and very good. I think he'll be an AA by the end, just needs to be healthy.  Happy Conor Youtsey came back.  Would be nice if he can get to be a 3x AA.

The Amine brothers look legit.

Strigow has looked extremely competitive.

Brian Murphy is struggling a bit.  Which is sad.  I wanted him to get another AA, but right now he's getting beat by all those guys who will compete for 5, 6, 7, 8.

Hoping Dom gets to that AA podium next year. Seems to get beat in the blood round.

Coon will still have to deal with Synder next year.  So unless he wrestles the match of his life, he might not get that championship that he desires. 

Young but fun to watch. Hoping for the best with the team.

Joined: 08/25/2008

MGoPoints: 838

Mikeb

January 24th, 2017 at 8:52 AM ^

They should be real good next year.  Pantaleo, Abounader, and Coon all took redshirts this year.  Those three are AA.  Combine that with Micic, Massa, and Myles Amine and they should be tough.  

Joined: 12/19/2012

MGoPoints: 84