As If Buckeye Fans Need Something Else to Cheer—Something Big Is Brewing In the Wrestling Room

Ohio State Wrestling has enjoyed a thrilling rise to prominence and fans have noticed as large crowds have started to witness Buckeye wrestling meets. Still, while no one would expect wrestling to rival football or basketball in prominence, what has been happening is still flying under the radar for fans who, if they experienced what is going on, would embrace and enjoy the sport as we figure out how to entertain ourselves in this long winter.

Before an introduction to this year’s team, consider a few reasons why wrestling is worth your time as a fan. First, wrestling itself is enjoying a fascinating re-birth. Almost banned from the Olympics, the sport re-made itself and in the process has cast aside the trappings of tradition and set out a course of making the sport a much more enjoyable fan experience. Wrestling excitement also accrues as a by-product of the growth of MMA—the most successful UFC and Belator fighters are often former wrestlers. The collegiate wrestlers of today are likely the international MMA stars of tomorrow. Indeed, Ohio State national wrestling greats Kevin (the “Monstah) Randleman (an NCAA champion) and Lance (“The Party”) Palmer (an NCAA runner-up) have been among the brightest of MMA fighters.

Closer to home, Ohio has long been one of the best amateur wrestling states in the country, including strongholds in Columbus, Dayton and the belt running from Toledo to Cleveland. Better yet, Ohio State coaches are finally keeping Ohio’s best wrestlers at home: head coach Tom Ryan, an NCAA finalist at Iowa, Lou Rosselli (also head coach at the Ohio Regional Training Center—which was responsible for more than half of the 2013 National Freestyle Team members) and J. Jaggers—himself a two time Buckeye NCAA champion (see JJ win his fourth Ohio High School Championship here). To top it all off, the Buckeyes have turned themselves into a national power, and incredibly, Buckeye junior Logan Stieber (Norwalk, Ohio) is on pace to become only the fourth person in history to win four NCAA titles. More on that in a bit.

But, haha, a cautionary note is in order. In 2013-14, the road to potential greatness will probably take a detour. For reasons unique to each individual wrestler, several key contributors to the would-be Buckeye bullet train are taking a redshirt year, including Logan’s brother Hunter—ranked #1 most of last year before finishing third at the NCAA tournament in Des Moines. Also, several very talented recruits, including junior world champion Kyle Snyder, will not arrive on campus until next season. So 2013-14 is likely a season to watch individual achievements and growth, as we all prepare for what looks like a super-fun 2014-15.

So what do you look for this winter? Let’s start with Logan Stieber. Buckeyes everywhere need to know we are witnessing greatness. It doesn’t come around that often—cheat yourself at your own peril. From Late 2011 to late 2013, Urban Meyer and Logan Stieber had exactly the same number of losses, which is to say, zero. Logan has won the NCAA title as a redshirt freshman and sophomore at 133 pounds, first over rising national freestyle star Jordan Oliver of Oklahoma State and then over combative and feisty Tony Ramos of Iowa (here is Logan’s 2013 win against Ramos—you cannot help but also love Iowa Coach Tom Brands– ). Like Urban, Logan lost late in 2013. In Logan’s case, the loss came shockingly to Penn State freshman Zain Retherford in Logan’s first B1G match at a new weight—141 pounds. All credit goes to Retherford. He resisted Logan’s attempt at a pinning turn (with the assist of a dangerous move call by the referee) and Retherford seemed to wear Logan out with a second period ride-out on the strength of a bold and punishing figure four leg hold that Logan probably never saw coming. But one has the feeling Logan will learn from that overtime loss to come back stronger than ever—and I mean strong in all respects—Logan is pound for pound perhaps the strongest athlete in the country. Logan Stieber projects as one of the very best wrestlers in the world (a junior world runner-up himself)—expect him to grow into his new weight and regain his place at the top of the podium on an historic run.

To my mind, the most intriguing wrestler of all is 149 pound senior Ian Paddock. Ian is a wrestler you cannot help but root for from the bottom of your heart. A two time All-American, injuries and personal near-tragedy sidelined Ian, who was then beaten out by Stieber high school classmate, Cam Tessari. But before last year’s B1G tournament, Tessari was suspended (he has since transferred to Hofstra) and Ian found himself pressed into emergency service. He responded with an emotional win over Michigan’s highly regarded (and sometimes highly boorish) Eric Grajales. If wrestling matches lasted no longer than 2-1/2 minutes, Ian might well be the best wrestler in the country at any weight. For whatever reason though, Ian consistently fails to take his overpowering first period effort into the second and third periods. There are two months before the B1G tourney starts. Ian is capable of greatness if he can find that later period gear that has escaped him. Hopefully it will be fun to watch him do just that.

The most pleasant surprise of this young season has been the emergence of 133 pound red-shirt sophomore Johnni Dijulius. Winner of the Cliff Keen Invitational (watch this quick but crazy amazing pin) in Las Vegas and otherwise off to a great start, Johnni has come back from his red-shirt year a new man and has rocketed to a surprising #5 national ranking. After watching his dominating performance at Penn State, one has to think the ceiling for Johnni is not in sight. He will be a fun young man to follow.

Finally for this installment, let me point out the self-proclaimed dark horse, the irrepressible senior, Nick Heflin. You always know when Nick is wrestling—no matter how intense or large the crowd, somewhere you can hear the Heflin family cheering section put forth an encouragement that must do justice to the rebel yell. Nick has moved up not one but two weight classes, now performing in the 197 pound class. Last year at 174 pounds, the separation between Nick and a national championship was negligible—eventual champion Chris Perry edged Nick 3-2 in overtime. Nick then went on to score a dramatic cross-face cradle pin for fifth place over tough, trash talking, chest pumping and 70’s mustachioed Mike Evans of Iowa. Nick is ranked fourth this year, is unbeaten (other than three medical defaults) and win or lose is one of the most entertaining wrestlers to watch. He always gives everything he has and is not afraid to take a shot even to his peril, as once happened in overtime against Evans in the dual meet with Iowa last year (meet the Darkhorse, an obvious Buckeye warrior, after his last match against Evans).

This is the first of a series of articles kicking off the Ohio State run to the B1G tournament. In dual meets the Buckeyes are 5-1. The Buckeyes do not return home until January 17 against Northwestern. They then face Nebraska at home the next week and on January 31 they host Michigan, a meet up which always mirrors the intensity of the gridiron rivalry. Although the Buckeyes submitted a sub-par performance in their B1G opener against defending national champion Penn State, one has the feeling that even if this is a year when the team takes its breath before daring to take huge steps, these young men are on the rise. It will be fun while watching various individuals grow and compete. But it will also be worth the effort just to watch one Buckeye in particular as he attempts to stride into history.