184
Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2021 1:02 pm
Whether we wish to admit it or not, Covid has had a significant impact on our wrestling team over the last year. As I mentioned earlier, there was only 1 wrestler who was not under Covid protocol at least once. For many it was several times.
The biggest casualties to what transpired are true freshmen. I happen to think that last year's recruiting class was quite outstanding. Only the bluest of the blue chips can make the transition from HS to Div 1 seamlessly and typically only if they come from a high powered HS program. The vast majority of our recruits did not.
These freshmen missed the summer training that is so important in the transition. Fall practices began and within a week or so was shut down for 5 weeks. Even during the January/February time periods, individuals were put on protocol and then of course there are the injuries that always seem more prevalent when training is haphazard.
With all the being said, 2 of those freshmen are at 184# in JT Davis and Caden Wright. Davis was 2-3 with a MD before his injury. Wright was 3-4 with a pin. I'm not here to predict that either will be an All-American right now but I think both are only at the beginning of their developmental growth curve. Both have, I suppose a possibility of 5 years to fulfill that development and I'm looking forward to see how it plays out.
The biggest casualties to what transpired are true freshmen. I happen to think that last year's recruiting class was quite outstanding. Only the bluest of the blue chips can make the transition from HS to Div 1 seamlessly and typically only if they come from a high powered HS program. The vast majority of our recruits did not.
These freshmen missed the summer training that is so important in the transition. Fall practices began and within a week or so was shut down for 5 weeks. Even during the January/February time periods, individuals were put on protocol and then of course there are the injuries that always seem more prevalent when training is haphazard.
With all the being said, 2 of those freshmen are at 184# in JT Davis and Caden Wright. Davis was 2-3 with a MD before his injury. Wright was 3-4 with a pin. I'm not here to predict that either will be an All-American right now but I think both are only at the beginning of their developmental growth curve. Both have, I suppose a possibility of 5 years to fulfill that development and I'm looking forward to see how it plays out.