Badger Recruiting Class

[billymurphy]

I am pleased with the recruiting.  The Badgers finally being able to get the top Wisconsin wrestlers is a great indication of
something going right with the program.  But at nationals the Badgers finished as the 8th best Big Ten team.
Can we do better next year or is finishing just outside of the top half of the conference going to be the norm?

[Ghetto]

If Paul Konrath is wrestling 132 already I presume he will be at 133 (or higher) in college.

Konrath weighed 130.3 at USAW Nationals. Not sure what that means, exactly, but if he was cutting, I'd think he'd be closer to right on 132.

[Manty77]

I am pleased with the recruiting.  The Badgers finally being able to get the top Wisconsin wrestlers is a great indication of
something going right with the program.  But at nationals the Badgers finished as the 8th best Big Ten team.
Can we do better next year or is finishing just outside of the top half of the conference going to be the norm?

Oh, I am sure everyone on this forum is so, so happy that you approve of the recent recruiting class.  Yippee.

And, nice spin on their finish. Instead of your backhanded criticism of them finishing 8th in the Bigs how about pointing out they finished 13th overall out of a total of 76 D1 programs??

[leg turk]

I am pleased with the recruiting.  The Badgers finally being able to get the top Wisconsin wrestlers is a great indication of
something going right with the program.  But at nationals the Badgers finished as the 8th best Big Ten team.
Can we do better next year or is finishing just outside of the top half of the conference going to be the norm?

Oh, I am sure everyone on this forum is so, so happy that you approve of the recent recruiting class.  Yippee.

And, nice spin on their finish. Instead of your backhanded criticism of them finishing 8th in the Bigs how about pointing out they finished 13th overall out of a total of 76 D1 programs??

You are happy with 13th?  Really?

Having those top in state recruits is great, but we still need some blue chippers from other states to finish in 4th - 8th in the country.

[Dale Einerson]

That would be ideal assuming he could make the cut. I wasn't sure if that was possible with him wrestling 132 this year. I assumed in 2 years he wouldn't be any smaller...or it would be a tough cut.

Why don't the Badgers recruit the very best senior 113 pounder out there? Recruiting some guy who is going to have to suck down (on his best day) to 125 is a losing proposition - we have seen it multiple times here at the UW. Having a kid cut hard to make the light weights is a recipe for failure. If you can't get the premier senior 125 pounder out there who is lifer at 125, so-be-it. But it does no one any good to bring in a 133 pounder and try to suck him down - on his best day he will simply be a journeyman. Better off to bring in a "lesser" wrestler and try to develop him into a reasonable DI wrestler.

A kid that weighs 113 as a senior is too small for a college 125.  You are better off recruiting a 120 or 126.  Bet the top 125s walk around weight is 135+.  A 113 in HS would have to be a freak to compete in college.  Montini had a really good 113 about 3 years ago go to Stanford, I have yet to see him in the line-up.  They have a Freshman 125 this year in that spot who I think coincidentally was also from Ill.

Maybe we are suffering from different assumptions. I am thinking a senior 113 pounder will likely show up on campus the next fall walking around at about 130-135 (I was a 119 pounder in my senior year and showed up in the fall at 142). Put him in a redshirt year and he comes back at a solid 135. That would seem to be a reasonable cut to me; any more and we start seeing images of the walking dead like the Kelihers. I think my point is that getting one of the really good 120 pounders that will stay at 125 for a couple of years is tough to do (they are going to some of the best programs), and the Badgers have demonstrated a willingness to have a kid cut like crazy to make a weight...and then fizzle. Better off getting a smaller kid and let him grow into the weight, IMO.

I totally agree with your view npope.  I only gained 3" and 55# the year after I graduated from high school...  it might come down somewhat to length/height.

[wrastle63]

I am pleased with the recruiting.  The Badgers finally being able to get the top Wisconsin wrestlers is a great indication of
something going right with the program.  But at nationals the Badgers finished as the 8th best Big Ten team.
Can we do better next year or is finishing just outside of the top half of the conference going to be the norm?

Oh, I am sure everyone on this forum is so, so happy that you approve of the recent recruiting class.  Yippee.

And, nice spin on their finish. Instead of your backhanded criticism of them finishing 8th in the Bigs how about pointing out they finished 13th overall out of a total of 76 D1 programs??

You are happy with 13th?  Really?

Having those top in state recruits is great, but we still need some blue chippers from other states to finish in 4th - 8th in the country.

O you mean like the Wick brothers, Konrath who is a National Champ, and Hilger a top HWT prospect. You mean those guys?

[leg turk]

I am pleased with the recruiting.  The Badgers finally being able to get the top Wisconsin wrestlers is a great indication of
something going right with the program.  But at nationals the Badgers finished as the 8th best Big Ten team.
Can we do better next year or is finishing just outside of the top half of the conference going to be the norm?

Oh, I am sure everyone on this forum is so, so happy that you approve of the recent recruiting class.  Yippee.

And, nice spin on their finish. Instead of your backhanded criticism of them finishing 8th in the Bigs how about pointing out they finished 13th overall out of a total of 76 D1 programs??

You are happy with 13th?  Really?

Having those top in state recruits is great, but we still need some blue chippers from other states to finish in 4th - 8th in the country.

O you mean like the Wick brothers, Konrath who is a National Champ, and Hilger a top HWT prospect. You mean those guys?

Yep, that's what I mean, but I don't know if they will add enough to get us to 4th - 8th in the country.  Hope so, but dought it..... Go Bucky!

[Ghetto]

There are some very good kids coming through. They have nothing to do with the past. Let them forge their own legacy. So sick of the complaining. How good is Konrath going to be next year? Dude doesn't even have a high school team to practice with. Yes he's working out at a club, but imagine his trajectory next year. Both Wick's are going to be amazing, and Hillger is going to be a heck of a heavy. Add to that we have Christiansen and Ritter as young bigs who should make strides.

[aarons23]

There are some very good kids coming through. They have nothing to do with the past. Let them forge their own legacy. So sick of the complaining. How good is Konrath going to be next year? Dude doesn't even have a high school team to practice with. Yes he's working out at a club, but imagine his trajectory next year. Both Wick's are going to be amazing, and Hillger is going to be a heck of a heavy. Add to that we have Christiansen and Ritter as young bigs who should make strides.

"should make strides" is the key phrase there.  I hope they do but have my doubts... and its not because of the wrestlers.

[wrastle63]

There are some very good kids coming through. They have nothing to do with the past. Let them forge their own legacy. So sick of the complaining. How good is Konrath going to be next year? Dude doesn't even have a high school team to practice with. Yes he's working out at a club, but imagine his trajectory next year. Both Wick's are going to be amazing, and Hillger is going to be a heck of a heavy. Add to that we have Christiansen and Ritter as young bigs who should make strides.

Exactly a lot of people are negative. When was the last time the Badgers had this much talent coming into the room. They have some of Wisco's best and some out of state studs(Wicks, Konrath, Hilger, etc.) This team is extremely young and we will take some lumps next year because of it in my opinion. The competition that is created in the upper weights is going to be exactly what this team has lacked. Look at 74, 84, and 97 next year -Christensen, Ritter, Robertson, Reinhardt, Covaciu, Peissig(Who was just our starter at 197 a year ago), and then Krattiger coming the following year.

[wrastle63]

The recruiting classes haven't looked like this for quite awhile. Especially getting higher quality recruits. Does that mean they will be studs? No. I agree the next 4 years will be very interesting!

[leg turk]

The recruiting classes haven't looked like this for quite awhile. Especially getting higher quality recruits. Does that mean they will be studs? No. I agree the next 4 years will be very interesting!

More of the same.

[wrastle63]

The recruiting classes haven't looked like this for quite awhile. Especially getting higher quality recruits. Does that mean they will be studs? No. I agree the next 4 years will be very interesting!

More of the same.

First they can't get Wisconsin's top kids. Then they can't get top blue chip kids from out of state. They finally do both and you think it is going to be exactly the same.

[wrestle03]

Wrastle63.....................being a blue chipper or top in state talent don't mean a hill of beans.  Certainly doesn't mean you will be an All American or better than average Big 10 wrestler.  This coaching staff has proven that they do not take good to very good wrestlers and make them great.  Every year its the same song and dance....."oh, man, wait til these next 4 years with these guys we have coming in!"  Its the same thing over and over again.
Couldn't agree more with aarons23.

[leg turk]

The recruiting classes haven't looked like this for quite awhile. Especially getting higher quality recruits. Does that mean they will be studs? No. I agree the next 4 years will be very interesting!

More of the same.

First they can't get Wisconsin's top kids. Then they can't get top blue chip kids from out of state. They finally do both and you think it is going to be exactly the same.

Yes I do.  They still have the same head coach developing these fine young men.  Just look up the NCAA team placement for the Badgers over the past 20 years.  Just alot of average results, with the exception of when they finished 4th I believe, and I think that is when St Donny was here if I remember correctly.  

This is the last I will comment on the issue.... I wish nothing but the best for the Badger wrestlers, but keep drinking the kool Aid, and you will be disappointed over and over again... Peace.