The bad news is the Buckeyes finished the day about where you would have predicted. Logan Stieber and Nick Heflin are alive in the championship bracket and all but one of their other wrestlers are still alive for placement in the consolation bracket. In a day that saw a number of jaw popping upsets, the Buckeyes are still looking for their own. The good news is that while currently sitting in sixth, if the two guys at the top can complete their mission and if a couple of the other guys could go on breath-taking tears through the consolation bracket, this could yet be a tourney full of individual and team glory.

Logan Stieber is so good we get spoiled. He makes it look so easy, you say, hey why can’t everyone just do what he does? And he has been doing it from the day he got to Ohio State, so you wonder why can’t all the young guys do the same? And he learns from each match and gets better and you expect everyone else to get better at the same rate.

But any of that fails to recognize how truly advanced he is. After a pin and a tech fall Stieber advances to face Todd Preston, a Harvard 10 seed at 141. Assuming that goes well he would come up against Zain Retherford of Penn State Friday night. Retherford has struggled a tad in his first two matches. Stieber avenged his earlier loss to Retherford in the B1G finals but Stieber is certainly not taking Retherford lightly.

At 197, Nick Heflin got his second straight medical default as his would be Stanford opponent was not able to go at all. Nick will face unseeded Cody Reed of Binghamton who scored a few minor upsets over the 8 and 9 seeds. A win would propel Nick into a night match against the winner of fifth seed Kyen Gadsen of Iowa State and fourth seed Scott Schiller. Many experts have called for Gadsen to upset both Schiller and Heflin. Whatever—I will believe it when I see it—Nick has had a hard time convincing people—but the only thing that keeps Nick off the top of the podium is just bad luck—which can always happen (the shocker was in the lower bracket where three seed and B1G runner-up Morgan McIntosh was beaten by 14 seed Chris Penny of VaTech, clearing the path for two seed J’Den Cox of Missouri).

Johnni DiJulius battled gamely at 133 but David Thorn of Minnesota was too tough, taking a 2-0 decision. Every time DiJulius would work his hands free and try to stand for the second period escape, Thorn was ready to put a tough leg ride in. I don’t see Johnni losing his next two matches, setting up a possible showdown with six seed Mason Beckman of Lehigh—a win there could set him up against Jonathan Morrison, a four seed who was bitten by the upset bug.

Kenny Courts came out and went on a take down tear en route to a 6-3 first period lead over Kevin Steinhaus of Minnsota, but the Gopher came back strong to win going away. Courts faces a tough wrestle back from Domenic Abounader of Michigan. Abounader ate Courts alive at the B1G, so there is no sense talking about Kenny after that—if he can turn it around, we can talk about who he would face (that would be a winnable match—as would the following match—but he has to turn around his effort against Abounader first).

Nick Roberts came back at 125 to handle David White of Binghamton. His next two matches would be with seeds ranging from 11 to 14 so just a little pick up for Nick could land him just one more match from at least an eight finish.

Mark Martin gave it his all in his wrestle back and was rewarded with a close win over a WVU opponent. Mark is very capable of winning the next three matches, so he now turns into a target of hope. He has been bothered with a bad knee all year, but if he can muster the strength, the path to All American is there for him to take.

Nick Tavanello was the only wrestler with two wrestlebacks—both wins and both pins, the second over a B1G foe from Nebraska. If Tavanello keeps winning it would be against 12 and 13 seeds, so the path for Big Tav to run awhile is also there.

It seems to me the Buckeyes got the message that Coach Ryan was disappointed in the urgency. The losses were very hard fought against tough opponents and the Nicks came out with hustle and energy. If that carries over to tomorrow the end of the year could be very satisfying.

Another ending that was anything but satisfying was the elimination of Ian Paddock at 149. It can now be said that Ian struggled with neck and back injuries that will likely end his wrestling career. A strong, hard fighting wrestler, the injuries just took a toll on Ian’s development and fitness. What started out as a loud and promising career ended quietly in a corner of a gym in Oklahoma against a wrestler from the University of North Carolina. Knowing how Ian suffered and what he went through, that ending is heart breaking, but what he went through and what he gave to others will reward him the rest of his life.

I am going to dribble out pieces in the next week in preparation for the NCAA Wrestling Championships March 21-23 in Oklahoma City. I hope no one takes offense—I am not in the wrestling room and these are only musings from a distance. I do tend to focus on the positive—we are talking about young men here competing in the hardest sport imaginable. No matter how it sounds or how wrong I might be, I always have great respect for wrestling and the people involved.

Johnni DiJulius, photo courtesy of photo.theozone.net

Let me start with a commentary provoked by the commentary on another website. I just read someone else’s take on wrestlers whose stock is either down or up, and one cited for being down was Buckeye redshirt sophomore Johnni DiJulius The observation was that after some eye-popping wins early, Johnni’s ceiling had been capped, with a mediocre B1G season and a three loss B1G Tourney showing. The ultimate conclusion was that Johnni’s style does not match up well with others.

If I had hair statements like that would make me pull it. Any style can work, but DiJulius is particularly blessed with the style he has. I truly don’t know what Johnni is thinking, but my guess is that he has won with that scrambling type of crazy style so much that he has the confidence to just dive in and go with the flow. I have always thought that most people who win at the highest level go in with a game plan they want to enforce and know what their contingencies are. They enforce the script until they have to vary and then know their escape routes. So planning and going with your strengths while limiting the exposure of your weak spots is critical.

I’m just guessing that Johnni is young and still has not put his style to its best strategic use. Young guys need to adjust to the fact that college is different—they are not wrestling high school kids who often do not adjust to a style, but are wrestling grown men who watch, learn and implement to stay ahead.

I think it may be true that Johnni could benefit from realizing his style may in fact hurt him in precise moments even as it is usually his biggest asset. For example, from the bottom position, DiJulius likes to instantly turtle and then either rip hands and stand up or try to pull an arm over and dig back in. The formula works, but with a skilled rider, it can take a lot of time. Johnni lost an overtime match against Michigan where he needed an escape, but his style is one that can take too long for the 30 seconds of an overtime. That certainly suggests he needs another plan, but for that limited sort of instance.

But outside of specific instances, the DiJulius way is a gift others usually don’t have. Some diversification would help but I am willing to bet Johnni is one guy who could really benefit from game panning his match so that he puts his style in play on purpose rather than happenstance. Precisely what that means I cannot say because really only the wrestler knows what he is capable of and how he can best position a match to use it to his advantage.

DiJulius actually had a rebound in the B1G Tourney from his dual meet season. He lost two very close and tough matches that could have gone either way. The truth is that his trajectory is what you like to see at this time of the year. Yes he got beat up in the 5th place match but all wrestlers, especially young ones, get deflated after a big loss. I don’t read much into what happens in a 5th place match in a conference tourney where the NCAA bid was locked up. True, he should get up for every match, but human nature sometimes takes over.

Johhni has that intangible style that is instinctive and cannot be taught. He should add tools, but those are the teachable things. I quite disagree that Johhni is capped—in fact with a plan, more discipline and probably adding to his arsenal on a strategic basis, there is no reason he will not be wrestling for a national title next year (though looking at the seeds, if he can close the small gap on Minnesota’s David Thorn and duplicate his beat down of No. 1 Seed Joe Colon of Northern Iowa–he could arrive a year early).

The Buckeyes put in a strong fourth place finish in the 100th B1G Wrestling Championships this weekend at the Kohl Center on the University of Wisconsin campus. Although a constant creep by Illinois, Nebraska and Wisconsin, and a sprint by Michigan made it look as if the Buckeyes’ hold on that spot was tenuous, in the end the Buckeyes had enough firepower to comfortably put all comers away, primarily on the strength of their two leaders throughout the year, Logan Stieber and Nick Heflin. Fourth in the powerful B1G may translate to a top 6 or 7 national showing.

In a match that had much of the nervous anticipation and ups and downs of Stieber’s 2013 NCAA title victory over Iowa’s Tony Ramos, Logan revenged his only loss in over two years to Penn State’s freshman Zain Retherford 7-3. Stieber’s loss to Retheford in December was attributable to a punishing second period ride out by Retherford and an ankle pick in overtime that caught a tiring Stieber off guard.

There would be no takedown surprise on Sunday—when Stieber is on guard, he is virtually unassailable from his feet. He is just too strong and compact to be taken down. Instead, he hit a lighting quick double leg for a first period takedown and then went on earn over a minute of riding time. The first period ended after a Retherford escape.

When the coin flip went Stieber’s way he chose the neutral position, which is usually a surprise when it happens because choosing down is the most reliable way to earn an extra point with an escape. But Logan had an effective 3-1 lead counting the riding time. Not only would choosing down give Retherford a chance to wipe out the one point, Stieber faced the potential of a punishing Retherford ride yet again. The wisdom of the strategy was immediately apparent when Logan hit a second takedown, stretching out to an effective 5-1 lead.

Stieber then succeeded in a daring tilt to his own back exposing Retherford for two near fall points. At that point the outcome seemed secure. But just as in his match against Ramos, as two takedowns had staked Logan to a commanding lead, Retherford completed a third period reversal on the heels of more daring turn tilt acrobatics from the Buckeye, (Ramos had executed a second period takedown after a daring attempt by Stieber to avoid a takedown by diving to the mat for a Ramos ankle) and like Ramos, Retherford looked ready to put Stieber in deep near fall trouble.

But something must go off in Logan’s brain that causes his body fibers to explode if his back is in danger. His extraordinary strength just dismissed the attempt. Retherford did put in his punishing leg ride and in his maniacal fashion contorted Logan who simply waited it out, kept his riding time and claimed his third B1G title, and first at 141.

Given how effective and impenetrable Logan is on his feet, it is hard to see how Retherford can match up with Stieber if they meet in the NCAAs (they might either face each other in the semis or Retherford may have to go through Edinboro’s Mitchell Port to get to Logan in the finals). Retherford did execute his ride hard again—he is going to have to get to the second period without Stieber leading and then hope he can get another chance at a second period ride. But this match felt like it does with all of Stieber’s opponents. With a healthy and prepared Stieber, Retherford must have felt this was a different force entirely then the one he faced in December. At times it felt Stieber was just simply too strong. The mental calculus for the approach to the rubber match would be a fascinating one to learn, but there is no doubt each no knows what he is in for.

In the case of Nick Heflin, the growth has been taking place right before our eyes all winter. Nick was hurt a good part of the early season and no doubt he was adjusting to a jump of two weight classes. A weight-lifting freak and nutrition major, Nick spent all his time until this weekend building a body that finally was ideally suited for his new weight class. Coach Ryan had no doubt of Nick’s readiness and bit by bit the evidence started to bear itself out.

Nick is always prone to having a very close match—“like watching paint dry,” as Coach Ryan puts it. That is because Nick has a history of defensive wrestling which manifests itself in him not shooting from his feet, but simply countering shots. And much of his defensiveness seemed to relate to a mental block of shooting. But through the season, Nick demonstrated he could shoot effectively, sometimes racking up overpowering wins. In indeed, he hit a big last 15 second takedown in his semi-final win against Scott Schiller of Minnesota.

Nick seems to have evolved to the perfect blend of aggressive vs defensive takedown attitude. If one thinks Logan is impenetrable from his feet, Nick is doubly so. He is now so strong, when others attempt a double or single leg he just swats them away, or if the opportunity presents itself, pounces in response to earn a takedown. So I like Nick’s approach at this point—why expose yourself if you can stop anything they throw at you—just be patient and wait for the opportunity.

And so it was on Sunday. I would say Nick’s wrestling is how people who have been in combat describe what it is like—long hours of tedium punctuated by moments of extreme terror—or in Nick’s case, exhilaration. After a scoreless first period, Nick started the second position up and was reversed by number 1 seed Moran McIntosh of Penn State. Nick quickly escaped and went back to the same pattern of parrying a few attempted shots. Heflin was down to start the third period, again quickly escaped and most of the third period was spent as the first two were except toward the end McIntosh got caught in a shot. Heflin squeezed his head in a vice grip that must have sobered up McIntosh something special. Nick then spun around completing a would be match winner just after the period ended. The match ended predictably in the second sudden victory period by Nick pouncing after a McIntosh shot.

Anything can happen, and the group is close, but I just don’t think anyone else has the power to hang with Nick. If he continues to play smart and to his strengths I just do not see anyone beating him.

I will address the broader team in the two weeks heading to the NCAA championship in Oklahoma City. But just for the record, the highest finisher other than the two champions (Ohio State’s two champions tied Nebraska and overall team champion Penn State for most—in the team standings, Iowa finished second and Minnesota finished third) was Kenny Courts’ 5th place at 184. Nick Roberts and Johnni DiJulius finished sixth at 125 and 133 respectively and Ian Paddock and Mark Martin finished 7th at 149 and 174 respectively. Heavy (285 actually) Nick Tavanello scored one of the most dramatic wins of the tournament with a late thundering slam of a takedown against number 1 seed Adam Coon of Michigan. Nick went on to finish eighth, locking up one of the nine tournament bids for the B1G’s stacked 285 class.

The team earned 7 automatic bids to the NCAA with at large bid to be expected for Ian Paddock. After an heroic and seemingly unjust loss to Dylan Alton of Penn State on Saturday night, Randy Languis wrestled two more matches, technically finishing 9th. Those two wins may have earned him an at large bid—the weight class was awarded eight qualifying spots but Dylan Ness medically defaulted into the sixth spot. If Ness is unable to go, presumably Languis would be in line to pick up the last spot—and if not, he may have done enough to qualify for an at large—which would be the Buckeyes’ ninth NCAA bid—a very decent result.

Between the first and second round of Saturday, Coach Ryan was obviously agitated with the team’s then standing at about sixth place. Without making an excuse for his team because of all the firepower red-shirting this year, he said, “this is Ohio State—we should not have to rebuild.” Despite the red-shriting, despite the youth on the one hand and inexperience on the other that dot the line-up, he was unhappy the next man up was not capable of pulling the upset or turning close losses into wins.

Then the Buckeyes went out and saw huge wins by Tavanello, Courts, Martin, Stieber and Heflin. When Roberts and DiJulius picked up their own dramatic wins, this young team was no longer in fact rebuilding—they were arriving. Yes, some results before and after were difficult for all, but this young team is learning to win and to adjust.

The irony of it all is that in the first 90 years of the B1G tourney, no Ohio State wrestling coach has been successful. Coach Ryan, who attributes whatever he achieves to the fact he is his own biggest critic, has delivered to such a remarkable extent in his decade or so here that his own success is all that makes the less successful years seem as though they are not acceptable. The results achieved this weekend would have been cause for great celebration before Coach Ryan. The good news is that the team rose up and delivered results to make any coach proud. Even tough critic Tom Ryan. And as he says—“we still have two weeks.”

After day 1 of the B1G Wrestling Championships the Buckeyes sit in 4th place. Now to many of you that might sound like so what, but in wrestling, the B1G is what the equivalent of the “mirage” of SEC football is, except this is actually real and you’d have to put the SEC football mirage on super steroids to even match it. I will save my argument to the end, but if you love Ohio State sports, do me the honor of reading it. But let me put this in perspective. For a “down” year, 4th in the B1G is like the football team beating LSU by 20 in the Capital One Bowl.

Day 1 was delicious. Logan Stieber continued his march with decisive wins including a 9-0 sacking of third seed Chris Dardanes of No. 1 Minnesota. Now he goes to the finals to face Zain Retherford, undefeated from PSU and the only person to beat 2 time national champ Logan in over 2 years. It’s on BTN at 2 EDT. It’s an epic match so don’t miss it.

Buckeye senior Nick Heflin electrified the crowd with a dramatic takedown to oust former No. 1 Scott Schiller. Nick now joins Logan in tomorrow’s finals. Nick Heflin is simply a man on a mission. The National
Champ at 197 will come from the B1G. Nick is a guy who lifts with the football linebackers (as Coach Ryan jokes, “he doesn’t lift with guys who think they’re strong, like the wrestlers. He lifts with the guys who really are strong”). Nick is a guy you can’t help but root for.

The Buckeyes have six other wrestlers going for places, including Johnni DiJulius, Nick Roberts and Kenny Courts who all could battle for as high as third. Coach Ryan expressed pride in the way each performed. They lost tough quarterfinal matches to highly ranked opponents and then came back with two impressive wins each. It is clear all three came to wrestle, especially young Nick Roberts (they’re all young) who escaped a match ending takedown to walk away with his second wrestle back win.

Coach Ryan saved special praise for three individuals: “I cannot tell you how proud I am of Joe Grandominico and Randy Languis. The way Joe kept shooting when he was down.” Capturing a little Rudy flavor he added, “if I could get some of my best wrestlers to attack like that…” And the obvious was left hanging.

Randy Languis seemed to be the victim of poor clock keeping and bad referee review. To make a long story short, he lost to highly regarded Dylan Alton of PSU by a mere 1 SECOND of riding time that appeared falsely earned. Randy then went on to win an exhibition that, coupled with the strong showing against Alton, will hopefully earn him an at-large birth in the NCAA tourney.

Coach Ryan saved his most emphatic praise for heavy Nick Tavanello of Wadsworth. Nick has wrestled gamely all year. In CBus he took number 2 ranked Adam Coon of Michigan to overtime before losing in sudden death. Facing now No. 1 seed Coon in the B1G, Nick hit a late takedown on a dramatic and definitive slam to get the upset. The arena erupted. Beaming, Coach Ryan said, “Nick grew up today. He is learning how to beat really tough guys.” Which in the B1G is saying more than most of us know. Nick also has locked up an NCAA tourney bid (the Buckeyes have 7 for sure and will wait on Paddock and Languis as at-larges ).

Ian Paddock will wrestle for 7th (as will Mark Martin and Tavanello) but because his weight only got 6 bids, he will have to await a possible at-large.

On the whole, a Buckeye fan could only leave Kohl Arena elated.

So here is my thing. No one could be a bigger Ohio State football fan than me. At least no one reasonably attached to reality. As for BB, I have had OSU BB tix for a long time and loved it. Then I had Golden State Warrior season tix for years and there is nothing like Oaktown for excitement. As much as I love both, neither matches the drama and sheer adrenaline for wrestling. It’s like bungee jumping for fans. It might take a little investment of time to completely understand, but if you love FB. If you love boxing. If you love MMA. Give wrestling a chance and you will have enriched your sporting life in a way you cannot now know.

Ohio State will contend for a National Title next year. As many as 3 could be favored for National titles and 5 or 6 could compete for the same. Do yourself a favor. This is a fun bandwagon at your doorstep. Jump on.

Seems like the flight from San Diego in route to Madison, WI is a good time to offer up some observations on the B1G Wrestling Championships I am about to enjoy. But first let me direct you to some excellent detailed previews of the tourney. First is Dan Vest’s complete breakdown at landgrantholyland.com. I cannot really quibble with any of Dan’s OSU perspective. I do think Logan Stieber revenges his lone loss to PSU’s Zain Retherford and I agree that a commanding decision is very possible. This is a very highly anticipated match–if you cannot get to Madison, find BTN on Sunday and don’t miss this one. I also agree that Johnny DiJulius and Ian Paddock have the potential to break through but both have not exactly lit up the B1G this year, so if they do shoot to a high finish it will mean they surprisingly showed something they have not for several months. Which would be really cool because these are two very talented and likable young men who are easy to root for.

My quibble is not so much with Dan’s discussion of Nick Heflin, but I will go one better and predict Nick wins his first B1G championship. I agree that any one of three competitors including Nick could win the B1G and the NCAA titles. I also agree that Nick’s win over Minnesota’s Scott Schiller was closer than it looked because of a five point throw. But Nick was not the one who got thrown, he is the one who pulled it off–it’s not a fluke. And here is the thing. Nick has clearly gotten over the fear of shooting from his feet, something that has caused his matches to be close. I actually think Nick is the best athlete of the group—so once he threw off his mental block he has been a bit of a wrecking ball. A third place finish is entirely possible for Nick, but his trajectory has been steep and forceful. Our boy is on a mission and I expect that to continue.

Also, please enjoy a round table from Dan and a few other of his cohorts for both the lighter and heavier weights.

Ok, we have also said, ad nauseam perhaps, that this is a year in which Ohio State sits on its firepower as several high performers redshirt, including defending B1G champ at 141 and third place NCAA finisher Hunter Stieber. Oh, and the studs that arrive on campus next year are headlined by current junior world champ Kyle Snyder.

But there are many reasons to be interested in, and still believe in the team potential of Ohio State this year. First, let me draw a parallel between this tourney and international soccer leagues which, because of their habit of relegating the least successful teams to lower divisions for the following season, and promoting successful teams from lower divisions to higher ones, create excitement at the top and bottom of the “table” (to use the cute phraseology of the Brits).

What am I babbling about? This:

“This” is the NCAA allocation of NCAA Championships by conference. There will also be a few at large bids extended (which make for some interesting non-placing exhibitions at each conference tourney) but it means for example, that in the 149 weight class, the top six finishers in the B1G Tourney will receive a bid to the big dance, to borrow from college basketball.

Ok, I have said this before, but if you step on any mat with an Ohio State singlet, you are one of the best wrestlers in the country competing in far and away the best conference (see the allocation of 74 NCAA slots to the B1G compared with 47 for the number two conference). So don’t feel too sorry for the likes of Randy Languis at 157 or Joe Grandominico at 167. Despite their lack of success within the B1G dual meet season these are two very good wrestlers who competed well and fought very well. I am sure Coach Tom Ryan bursts forth with respect and gratitude for the efforts these guys have been giving. Joe is not going to derail Ohioan David Taylor of Penn State from becoming the next four time B1G champ, but it will be exciting to watch him and Randy compete for one of the eight tickets in their respective brackets to Oklahoma City in two weeks.

The same can be said for Ian Paddock as he competes to squeeze into one of only six spots at 149. The B1G enjoys a whopping nine slots at 285 where the competition is fierce. Nick Tavanello has really competed well this year and I expect him to make a fun run to pick up an invite for himself. So obviously the point is—don’t just look at the championship matches—points can be scored, meaningful matches can be won, respect can be earned and lifetimes of satisfaction can be enjoyed with what is happening up and down the brackets.

Take a moment and listen to this short interview with Tom Ryan. It is impossible not to like Coach Ryan. He is an intense and thoughtful man enlightened and hardened by the trials of having given all he had while competing: and enjoying and suffering the highs and devastating lows the sport has to offer (this is a guy who gave up a full ride at Syracuse to walk onto Dan Gable’s Iowa Hawkeyes, where he had a brilliant career, losing a National Championship in the final seconds of his bout with Oklahoma State’s Pat Smith). He is speaking with love for his wrestlers but there is also a hope and frustration that fairly leaps out between the lines. I had written with high hopes of the strides which the Buckeyes could take over the recently concluded B1G dual meet season. Frankly, with the exception of Nick Heflin throwing off the doubt, growth was not apparent and in fact some backsliding was disheartening to see. Obviously Logan Stieber continued to motor on—these comments are largely directed at about half the team, the half which has the potential to burst through but never really showed much during the dual meet season. Comparing results to potential, one has to be disappointed, but still hopeful, and my guess this is what weighs on and encourages Coach Ryan.

Now things can be misleading. If for example a wrestler says, “look, my target dates are mid-March. I am going to work my ass off every day, including days before and maybe even days of dual meets. Maybe that means I’m a little out of gas for a dual, but I cannot afford to take any days off getting ready for March.” I want to think that has been happening, but human nature is to want to be ready for every match. I suspect what we saw with this portion of the team is where they are. And to me, Coach Ryan is speaking to the same disappointment.

There is a point here and it is at times a subtle one—one needs a mental commitment to winning. On the one hand that sounds too much a cliché—certainly the guys want to win and I am guessing they train to win. So fighting hard with determination is almost a given. But the opponents at this level come with the same intensity. Invariably one will wear the other down and when the crushing starts, the aggressiveness gets wiped away, heads fall and energy gets trumped by a stronger opposing energy. It has been Ohio State wrestlers who have too often this year had their attitudes set back by their opponents.

Former Buckeye great JD Bergman once said at a certain point he just decided, in tough matches he was no longer going to settle for losing by a point. If he loses by a point, why not win by one. That sounds more like a conclusion than a strategy—a conclusion that can be countered simply by an opponent who is determined not to let you write your own conclusion. It is kind of like saying, “ok, I am going to make myself invisible.” Nice to say, but how are you going to do it? How do you make this more than words? But to anyone who has gotten to a similar point and made the same determination, it is a state of mind that resonates and can translate into a meaningful difference.

To decide to win is not a conclusion, it is a process. The process starts with being as fit as the other guy, working hard and competing hard and staying determined but it is more. But more importantly, guys who make this determination, as suggested by former Buckeye great Reece Humphrey, go in with a plan and they make that plan stick. They know where they are strong and where they are weak. It is not so much about the other guy, though knowing tendencies, strengths and weaknesses is important. But the bigger key is to know your game, what works, what doesn’t and how to game manage the two (William Sherman once said about Grant, “I’m a damn bit smarter than him but where he beats me and beats me soundly is he doesn’t give a damn what the enemy is doing out of our sight and it scares me like hell”).

That winning mindset means fighting hard to make the match go as you want it to, fight for a lead and defend that lead so that you can continue to wrestle your match. It is a subtle distinction about how to turn a match in your favor. It involves being disciplined about what you have to do and fighting to enforce that. And as Logan Stieber says, it is about not making little mistakes. At this level, the guys are good enough to make their own things work if you give them any opportunity to do so.

No, this is not as strong as a Tom Ryan team can be, but it has the talent to be a very successful team if each member of the squad can tell himself he has earned the right to win by a point.

The Buckeyes lost 28-12 to the Huskers. I suppose one could be disappointed by that but the truth is, there was much for a Buckeye fan to be pleased with. Certainly a lot for a wrestling fan to be pleased with. That’s a curious observation but I think it speaks well to what a marvelous sport wrestling is.

Why is that? Well first, I wish the sport were called something else because it is nothing short of fighting in the most basic human way—much like the 100 yard dash is running at its essence. True, punches and kicks are mostly, but not entirely, disallowed, but once two combatants have a hold of each other, around the world, the fight quickly becomes what wrestling is: two individuals trying to inflict maximum harm on each other. But of course done with the utmost of sportsmanship. Usually.

In the crucible of the fight experience you get the passion that people associate with other fight venues—boxing, or MMA. I think of the Iowa team that mirrors their seemingly half crazed coach, the always entertaining but thoroughly likable Tom Brands, himself an Olympic gold medalist. You cannot help but love the sheer fun of the despotism a team like Iowa brings any time they are on the mat.

But as a sport you get the best of all worlds. If the team is great, that means the team has very strong wrestlers up and down the lineup. But even if the team is not great, it can have individual wrestlers that can scale the heights and provide all the excitement a school partisan could want. I think of a few years ago when a Harvard wrestler stood on top of the podium at the NCAA tournament. Crimson partisans had a blast that weekend, and that fun centered around just one fighter.

Once you become a fan, you simply root for other wrestlers. One of my favorite Buckeye fighters is the currently red-shirting Josh Demas who wrestled at 157 last year. Josh did great, but in following him I could not help being a fan of the harrowing style of Northwestern wrestler Jason Welch. So when Welch ascended the elevated stage in the NCAA finals, I felt as if I had a wrestler in the finals and it was as fun as rooting on a Buckeye—it would have been a lot more fun if a faux one point penalty had not been assessed against Welch for a hand lock.

Ohio State is a GREAT program. It is a little down this year due to red-shirting, but next year when those wrestlers return and new super star recruits show up on campus, Ohio State fans will have all they can handle in excitement. But even this year, in the midst of a 28-12 loss to a very strong Nebraska team, there is much to be thrilled about. Wrestling is truly a sport where the Ohio State focus is on the March B1G tourney and the NCAA tourney. Ohio State is not stacked up and down the line-up this year. Rather it has one fighter, Logan Stieber, shooting to become one of the iconic figures of all-time, and supporting cast members in other weight class who are either a rung below or who seem on the verge to elevating themselves in status.

Let me also say something about the coaches. Head coach Tom Ryan has said in a self-deprecating way that Ohio State fans should feel blessed that Stieber and his red-shirting phenom brother Hunter decided to come to Ohio State. True, but they are there because of Coach Ryan and his incredible staff of Lou Rosselli and Buckeye great and sartorially magnificent J Jaggers. Ohio is one of the greatest fighting states in the country but until Coach Tom arrived, Ohio State coaches had not been able to keep much of the in-state talent at Ohio State. That has all changed. So, long after the Stiebers have taken their talents to the world stage, Buckeye coaches will be establishing a dynasty for all Buckeye fans to enjoy.

So let’s do a post-mortem of Nebraska as we head to a deliciously fun rivalry match against Michigan at St. John’s Arena next Friday. While I believe some of the brightest moments occurred in the matches with the darkest results, let’s start with the winners.

All Buckeye conversation starts with 141 pound Logan Stieber and rightfully so. People should know, for all his greatness, Logan is simply the nicest, most decent kid you will find in sports. He is not comfortable in the spotlight and rejoices only when the conversation turns to his teammates, a quintessential Ohio trait. In the month of January, Logan has not needed to go past the first period. Last night in the time it took me to tweet out a brief note on the previous match, Logan had drained all the blood from talented Colton McCrystal’s shoulders and pinned him neatly to the mat. The only bad thing about Logan is, right now, if you show up to see him, you better not blink because your viewing time is limited to about 120 seconds.

197 pound Nick Heflin never disappoints. Even when he loses, which is only once so far, he powers through his matches with the consistent drive of a steam engine. Nick says he has a mental block about shooting for takedowns and that was in evidence last night. He took 20th ranked Caleb Kolb to overtime but spent the entire third period on the defensive. That was not a particularly bad tactical move—I contend that Nick is such a good athlete that he can defend any shot and likely scramble for the takedown. Sure enough, Kolb shot and Nick pounced, but unfortunately ran out of time, sending the match to overtime.

Dan Gable once famously said, “I shoot, I score. You shoot, I score.” Nick has the second part down, but after seeing him aggressively hit the takedown to win in sudden victory I tweeted that I don’t know why Nick would ever be afraid to shoot. He may have just seen the weakness he wanted or he just decided what the heck. Now it is really true, especially at the heavy classes, a missed shot can put you on your back. But the better fighters learn how to recover from a bad shot and usually have a back-up in mind. I was proud of Nick for throwing caution to the wind in overtime—he has done it before—but if Nick would only bring that sort of confidence earlier in the match, is there anyone who could challenge him?

At 133, Johnni DiJulius was the only other Buckeye winner. The match should not have been close, but Johnni is coming off an injury. Maybe that accounted for the narrow 2-1 win. Johnni was in control the entire match, even though he was tied 1-1 with a point waiting to be awarded because he had over a minute of riding time advantage. But, if you let an opponent hang around, bad things can happen and they almost did. When Husker Shawn Nagel went for a third period takedown DiJulius found himself in a fix that most wrestlers do not overcome. But DiJulius is obviously one of those wrestlers who is comfortable in a scramble. Time and time again I have seen him wriggle out of impossible looking dilemmas. And, as per his usual, he did it again, staving off the takedown to preserve a win. I don’t have a problem with Johnni’s tactic here—he is a guy who knows how to shoot and he was protecting a lead, but his loved ones must have suffer many near heart attacks as they watch him compete.

184 pound Kenny Courts has lost twice now to talented TJ Dudley, but there is no doubt in my mind Kenny is the better wrestler. I was only afraid of an early mistake and that happened. Kenny executed a lightning quick ankle shot which Dudley countered by locking in a cradle that led to a pin. It happens. Kenny’s task is to use that as a teaching moment to protect himself as he continues to take advantage of his quickness. Beating Penn State’s Ed Ruth is a tall order, but short of that, Kenny, like Nick Heflin is capable of making it to an NCAA final. Yes, the loss must have been painful, but it was a loss borne out of exactly the correct aggressive frame of mind.

At 125, No. 16 Buckeye Nick Roberts had a big task to bring down a really tough and aggressive 9th ranked Tim Lambert but coming out of the first period, Roberts had a 5-1 lead, counting riding time. But then a problem emerged which would haunt the Buckeyes the rest of the night—the inability to escape from the down position in the second period. Now this is no small tactical issue—it takes a very strong wrestler to ride out another at this level—so it does speak to a difference in class. To elevate in class, several Buckeyes will have to at least start with a change in mindset to expend the energy necessary to get out—the failure to do so is simply too tiring as accomplished fighters will beat the tar out of an individual who cannot escape from the bottom position. Nick simply got wore down and pinned. But this kid is not far away and once he elevates in class he can become a terror.

The story is much the same at 149 with Ian Paddock. Ian fought 5th ranked Jake Sueflohn tough for the first period, ending at 4-4. I did not sense a loss of energy for Ian even as he was put on his back in the third period. He was up against a very tough opponent. But again, he just could not free himself in the second period. Ian is a senior but it has been three years since he has had the benefit of the grind of a full season as a starter. He has the requisite wrestling ability if he just continues to increase his mat stamina throughout the match. If there is one Buckeye I tab for a surprise breakthrough it is Ian.

Mark Martin never got it going against Robert Kokesh at 174, but that’s just a difference in toughness. Kokesh is a talented grinder. Mark is very smooth but until he develops into a more brutish force like Kokesh, he is going to have a bit of problem with exactly that type of opponent. But Mark is young and there is ample time to hit the weight room and throw around a similar kind of force.

Nick Tavanello at heavy started strong but also got punished a bit in the second period and was obviously off his game from that point. That happens too—if you let the momentum swing in the other guy’s favor it is very hard to remember you can still come back and reassert control. Keep grinding Nick and don’t get lulled into thinking a bad change of momentum has to dictate your result—you have the quickness and conditioning to make things happen.

The Buckeyes had a key match with Courts go against them, and in a big way for a pin. They also may not have expected Nick Roberts to win at 125, but they certainly were not expecting him to be pinned. But still they lost each of what might have been considered the toss-up matches, including at 125 and heavy. They also lost the third toss-up at 165 when Joe Grandominico was thoroughly dominated by Austin Wilson. Wilson is very good, don’t get me wrong, but I really had thought Joe would make this a close match—it was not, so “on paper” did not reflect the Husker advantage that actually unfolded.

Finally, in some respects Randy Languis showed what fighting, in the sport we call wrestling, is all about. Again, on paper, Randy had no business competing at 157 against No. 1 ranked James Green, but Randy battled tough throughout. Green pushed his way to a major decision but was never close to extending that to a technical fall precisely because Randy, though likely going down to defeat as the third period went on, kept up his own determined heat as he took valiant shots from his feet and nearly took Green down on a couple of occasions. Coach Ryan posted a Randy Couture quote the other day:

”Bravery has never and will never mean you are not afraid. Bravery is going forward even when you are terrified.”

Randy has been around long enough that I am sure he was neither terrified nor afraid, but facing James Green certainly had to be an unpleasant task. Randy stayed game throughout and managed to deliver his own sting, and that was fun to watch.

To sum up, even in a year of pause, this Buckeye team has a handful of wrestlers with the potential to go deep in a tournament, and that is what a season is all about. So soon enough what seems like a lackluster showing could well prove to be very satisfying.

As mentioned, the Buckeyes face none other than Michigan, a team on a roll, having bested no. 2 Minnesota last week. More on that later.

After more than a month, the 10th ranked Buckeye wrestling team returns to campus Friday night, January 24, to face 7th ranked B1G foe Nebraska, a team that matches up very tightly with Ohio State.

The first thing I do for every match is to see what is in store for seniors Ian Paddock at 149 and Nick Heflin at 197. Ian had struggled in certain respects, primarily with match fitness, but that is looking like a thing of the past. He did wrestle very poorly at Penn State in early December, creating doubt he could regain his All American stature from a few years back. Whether it was just a matter of healing his injured body or whether he took the Penn State loss to heart, Ian has come back from the break to wrestle very well. His 2-1 January record belies the fact that he has regained a third period gear. He did lose to Northwestern’s fourth ranked Jason Tsirtis, but he wrestled him tough. This week he goes against 5th ranked Jake Sueflohn. While I give Sueflohn the edge, that is only because they wrestle this week. Based upon what seems to be Ian’s obvious progression, if this were March I think we would see a different result, and we may yet this Friday. I expect Ian to give Sueflohn a tough match, and Jake has his own energy problems in the third period. This could be a Buckeye upset.

At 197, Nick Heflin faces Caleb Kolb, who happens to be the son of four-time Steeler Super Bowl Champ John Kolb. Although unranked, Kolb is a tough kid who is not afraid to mix it up. As I’ve noted, and it is no secret, Nick tends to be defensive on his feet. Kolb may be tough but Nick is the better athlete meaning Kolb’s aggressiveness could get him in trouble with Heflin. However, Nick came out and scored four takedowns against a game Northwestern opponent. So my hope is that Nick continues to pick up his offensive game and take chances—if he shoots and only gets in a scramble, chances are Nick is going to win that scramble. Yes, he risks a little danger, but at this point, Nick has the goods to focus more on what it takes to stand atop the podium in March.

Another power match-up is at 184 pounds where eighth ranked Kenny Courts goes against the Huskers’ 11th ranked TJ Dudley, an impressive red-shirt freshman. These two guys have similar styles, and they are both unafraid to take risks. But I don’t even see this one being close. Kenny is the stronger wrestler from start to finish. Unless he gets in trouble early, by the time the third period rolls around I expect Kenny to be punishing the Nebraska wrestler.

The Buckeyes should not struggle at 133 and 141. That is not to say the Nebraska wrestlers are not strong. At 141 Colton McCrystal is a four time Iowa finalist and two time state champion who gamely fought and lost to a ranked Iowa wrestler. But he is no match for Buckeye Logan Stieber. Much the same could be said at 133 where I expect Buckeye Johnni DiJulius to overpower his Nebraska opponent.

Two Buckeyes face extremely stern tests: Mark Martin who goes against the fourth ranked, grinding Robert Kokesh at 174 and Randy Languis, who has a huge mountain to climb against number 1 ranked James Green. Green (whose training partner is none other than the best wrestler in the world, former Husker, fellow New Jerseyite Olympic gold medalist and internationally undefeated Jordan Burroughs) just took it to defending national champ and previously undefeated Derek St. John. I always think Mark Martin has a chance to win, so don’t assume that one away, but Randy, for all his talent and determination, will do well to make his match competitive.

At this point, on paper at least, the Buckeyes would seem to have a 4-3 match advantage, leaving three pivotal matches. The first could occur right at the start when No. 16 Nick Roberts will tangle with No. 9 Tim Lambert of Nebraska. Nick has his work cut out for him—Lambert is an aggressive fighter who seems to pick up steam as the match progresses. This will be a good test of where young Nick is at this point. If we start with a pivotal match, why not end with one: Buckeye Nick Tavenello? This freshman continues to impress—he is quick on his feet and shows good match stamina. He wrestled fourth ranked Mike McMullan of Northwestern very tough. If the three Nicks can go 3-0, the Buckeyes win this meet going away.

Finally, at 165 Buckeye Joe Grandominico goes against Austin Wilson. This match is just too close to call. Wilson can wrestle with anyone though he lets himself get lulled to sleep on his feet, and gives up takedowns that he seems positioned to defend but just does not seem to see the attack coming in time to respond. Joe is a well-schooled and smart wrestler who should match up well against a determined Wilson.

This will be an exciting fight—go see it on a Friday night. The fun starts at 7 PM at historic St. Johns Arena (you can also watch live on the Big Ten Network). I don’t think you will be disappointed.

The Buckeye wrestling team finished the weekend with a very strong effort at Illinois despite the fact that Johnni Dijulius did not go once again at 133. And this was a meet that had everything–individual and team drama. Trailing by a team score of 16-9, the Buckeyes rallied to find themselves down 16-15 with a heavyweight match tied 1-1 after regulation. In the opening sudden death overtime period, with time about to expire, Buckeye redshirt freshman Nick Tavanello (Wadsworth, Ohio) countered a takedown attempt with a sweet and lightning quick single leg which he worked down to an ankle and finished with a match ending dump for the overtime win. It was a marvelously fun match as both heavies were quick on their feet, explosive and in great shape throughout the match. With big Nick’s win, the Buckeyes departed Champaign with a hard fought 18-16 team win over 10th ranked Illinois.

As was true at Wisconsin, much went well for the Buckeyes, even in some losing efforts. Logan Stieber completed his less than six minute effort over the weekend of long travel with a first period pin and Ian Paddock followed with another strong effort in beating 16th ranked Caleb Ervin. Ian has come back from the break looking healthy and showing a dominance throughout his matches that suggests he may be ready for an exciting run in the last two months of his collegiate career.

At 125 pounds, Nick Roberts rebounded from Friday night by taking defending national champ Jesse Delgado to the very end before surrendering a last second takedown for an 11-7 loss. At 157 and 165 pounds, Randy Languis and Joe Grandominico also competed in very tight and competitive matches against ranked opponents. The disappointment of the day was at 174. Mark Martin, appearing with a heavily bandaged left leg was in seemingly in control until a riding mistake in the third period led to a succession of points for opponent Tony Dellago. A clearly fatigued Martin hung on as best he could in overtime, and dodged a few bullets, but in the end just did not have enough left in the tank, losing by a point.

Kenny Courts started the comeback at 184 pounds. Clearly in control late in the match, Kenny displayed courage and fearlessness as he risked his own match in an attempt to secure potentially vital extra team points. With a third period ride-out looking like a clear possibility to put away the match at 6-1 with riding time, Kenny secured a tight arm lock on his opponent and then proceeded to actually perform several do or die headstands in an attempt to use his leverage to expose his opponent to his back for near fall points. After several such daring attempts he succeeded but unfortunately there was only enough time for a two point near fall, rather than the three he was seeking—leaving him with a win, but at 8-1, just that one point short of a major decision and the extra team point it would have garnered.

Nick Heflin bounced back for a win at 197. The exchange was spirited in a scoreless first period, and then Nick rode his opponent Jeff Koepke for almost a minute and a half in the second period. After Nick’s three second escape in the third period, the score stood at 1-1, but with more than a minute of riding time advantage, Nick effectively had a 2-1 lead. Nick parried a desperate Koepke for the rest of the period, mixing in enough shot attempts to avoid a stall point, and won by that 2-1 score. Nick Heflin is a very technically sound, tough and well-conditioned wrestler. Although Nick’s matches are often too close for comfort, I give him a real decent chance to wrestle for a national championship. When you consider the possibilities that Roberts, Dijulius, Paddock, Martin and Courts present, if the Buckeyes just continue on this path of nailing down the finer points of their respective games, this could well turn into a fun Ohio State post-season.

That brings me to a final point. Much of this part of the season is about addressing the little things, getting a little stronger and getting in better match shape. But others are fighting a different battle—not unlike the kind of battle a back-up quarterback fights in football—lots of hard work, lots of support to more recognized teammates and little personal acclaim. As noted, Johnni Dijulius, while making the trip, did not go in either match this weekend. In his stead was Kyle Visconti, a red-shirt sophomore at 133 from North Reading, MA. Kyle lost twice this weekend, but no one steps on the mat in competition for Ohio State wrestling unless he is one of the very best wrestlers in the country. Of the thousands of kids who have journeyed along the same path, and of the many of them who have gone on to be champions in their career, only a few have the ability to fight through to gain even a back-up role at an Ohio State.

Last year Kyle filled in well for an injured Logan Stieber and this year he fills in for a highly ranked Dijulius. Experiencing little of the limelight and no doubt providing the best practice competition to their more recognized teammates, unheralded competitors like Kyle (who, as a sophomore, has his best wrestling ahead of him) are at the top of their sport and pay handsome dividends to their team in performing one of the most demanding roles in sport. In a closely contested match, that effort, even in a loss, can be the difference for his team looking to claim a win. And that was true today. While Kyle lost, he avoided a 6 team point possibility for the Illini (and by staying off his back he avoided a 5 point possibility as well), enabling the Buckeyes to escape with the 2 point win. Winning a meet takes ten very talented individuals giving their best, even those who battle in vain for the win.

The Buckeyes return “home” Friday night for a 7:00 meet against Northwestern. The meet will actually be held at Cincinnati Moeller High School.