Wrestling Blogs - Fas Qayyum
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How good are the Hawkeyes?
March 4, 2008
This very question reverberates throughout Iowa City today and as Big Tens/NCAAs approach I'm sure many others are curious.
First off, it comes down to an issue of team mentality and none appear to be stronger than that of this year's Iowa squad. The boys in black and gold have bought in to Brands' philosophy of utter domination and what many like to call "The Iowa Style". With a aggressive style and a focused approach the Hawkeyes have almost controlled the rankings for the entire season and are looking to finish the job in March. Brands and Co. have compiled a lineup with evident stars and what looks like to be the "Murderer's Row" of old from 133-149. Weight by weight Iowa is strong and with a look at each individual once can determine where the Hawks will live and die come tourney time
125 Charlie Falck:
Falck has shown throughout the season that he can adapt to and stick to his offense with nearly any style. His ability to close out the close matches and never falter in his fundamentals has lead him to his #2 ranking. This #2 ranking was caused by someone though and that ominous being is Jayson Ness who has beaten Falck rather convincingly to remain unblemished. In my opinion Falck is ready for his potential rematch at Big Tens and his blue collar approach will pay off as he turns some heads and gets fired up for NCAAs.
133 Joey Slaton:
Slaton's rough and tumble style breaks opponents down as he's left most opponents feeling like they've tied up with a 165 pounder. However, he leaves himself vulnerable against "slicker" opponents as is evident by his losses to Scott,Kennedy,and Grey but it is his conditioning and wear-down style that will set him apart come tourney time.
141 Dan LeClere:
There is no doubt in my mind that LeClere can wrestle and wrestle well but, it is his inability to stay consistent against the top wrestlers that holds him back. Just like Slaton, I feel that his gas tank will run down opponents and he will pull out some big matches. I understand this is his first Big Ten tournament but I expect him to wrestle well and end his season with an AA finish.
149 Brent Metcalf:
I know I'm not the first to say this but I am buying what Brent Metcalf is selling. Metcalf has managed to decimate opponents as he seems to be thirsty for bonus points in every match. Iowa fans are excited because it appears Metcalf is the prototype of that very "Iowa Style" mouths foam over. Of course, he has yet to wrestle second ranked O'Connor of Harvard or even Schlatter, but as his pace has shown, it appears he has no intention top his ways. This is his first wrestling post-season but I, and the rest of the world, expect big things.
157 Ryan Morningstar:
Ryan Morningstar adds a diversity in styles this Iowa lineup as his quick, low shot oriented, style brings with it some trouble as he seems to be out-muscled by many in his matches. This is to take nothing away from his technique but he seems to have trouble finishing at times. Morningstar has been in big matches and shown flashes of brilliance and I have total faith that he will peak at the right time this post-season,take some unexpected wins for himself, and contribute greatly to his squad.
165 Mark Perry:
I'm hoping by now Mark Perry has had proper time and training to recuperate from his injury. Coming in fresh at Big Tens will be a blessing and a curse for Perry as he will be hungry for a match but his time off may hinder his abilities. Perry has to come back to a tournament where Eric Tannenbaum of Michigan waits for an upset win to gain momentum going into NCAAs. Perry has been here before and as long as injuries don't play a role throughout the rest of the season, I see no one standing in Perry's way of getting his second title.
174 Jay Borschel:
To be honest, Borschel was a big surprise for me this season. He has been a force amongst the top 174 pounders all season and he is fully capable of wrestling well against the best. He is very aggressive and always looking to score more points which can only help in the following tournaments.I believe if he can win his third match up with Steve Luke of Michigan at Big Tens he will have the momentum to make a big run at NCAAS.
184 Phil Keddy:
Keddy has shown flashes of brilliance this year and has been consistent for his team which has helped him reach a #7 ranking. He's been in the circle with the "top dogs" and mostly kept it close so these coming weeks for him are going to come down to closing out matches and being able to score when he's down. Nonetheless, Phil Keddy looks like a definite All American to me this year but don't be surprised if he drops some jaws at the big show.
197 Chad Beatty:
I think it is obvious to everyone that Beatty is by no means a natural 197 pounder. He is a 174 pounder wrestling way up. The funny thing is that this does not deter Beatty, his strength, and belief in himself as was evident in his 2-1 victory against Michigan to put Iowa the Hawkeyes into the lead. To be honest, I could see Beatty getting an All American at a lighter weight class but he is doing his best to contribute to his team and the hunt for a National Title.
285 Matt Fields:
This is a bit of a tough judgment call on my part. I can say many have been waiting for a sense of urgency from Fields throughout the season as this is his final season. As of yet, he has remained somewhat consistent for the Hawkeyes but lacks any real dominant performances to set himself apart from the pack. He is capable of beating many of the top men at Heavyweight but a great start for him will be making a statement in his potential match up with top ranked Fox of Northwestern at Big Tens. Fields has to wrestle with reckless abandon in his final tournaments. but he has been here before, which will help him focus on putting in a good performance and closing out his career with a bang.
Now I'm sure this is bias to most but in my eyes the Iowa Hawkeyes have a great chance at taking both the Big Ten and NCAA tournament this year. This team is highly conditioned, highly motivated, and most importantly, they have bought in to a system that has brought them to the top, and has not failed them thus far.
First off, it comes down to an issue of team mentality and none appear to be stronger than that of this year's Iowa squad. The boys in black and gold have bought in to Brands' philosophy of utter domination and what many like to call "The Iowa Style". With a aggressive style and a focused approach the Hawkeyes have almost controlled the rankings for the entire season and are looking to finish the job in March. Brands and Co. have compiled a lineup with evident stars and what looks like to be the "Murderer's Row" of old from 133-149. Weight by weight Iowa is strong and with a look at each individual once can determine where the Hawks will live and die come tourney time
125 Charlie Falck:
Falck has shown throughout the season that he can adapt to and stick to his offense with nearly any style. His ability to close out the close matches and never falter in his fundamentals has lead him to his #2 ranking. This #2 ranking was caused by someone though and that ominous being is Jayson Ness who has beaten Falck rather convincingly to remain unblemished. In my opinion Falck is ready for his potential rematch at Big Tens and his blue collar approach will pay off as he turns some heads and gets fired up for NCAAs.
133 Joey Slaton:
Slaton's rough and tumble style breaks opponents down as he's left most opponents feeling like they've tied up with a 165 pounder. However, he leaves himself vulnerable against "slicker" opponents as is evident by his losses to Scott,Kennedy,and Grey but it is his conditioning and wear-down style that will set him apart come tourney time.
141 Dan LeClere:
There is no doubt in my mind that LeClere can wrestle and wrestle well but, it is his inability to stay consistent against the top wrestlers that holds him back. Just like Slaton, I feel that his gas tank will run down opponents and he will pull out some big matches. I understand this is his first Big Ten tournament but I expect him to wrestle well and end his season with an AA finish.
149 Brent Metcalf:
I know I'm not the first to say this but I am buying what Brent Metcalf is selling. Metcalf has managed to decimate opponents as he seems to be thirsty for bonus points in every match. Iowa fans are excited because it appears Metcalf is the prototype of that very "Iowa Style" mouths foam over. Of course, he has yet to wrestle second ranked O'Connor of Harvard or even Schlatter, but as his pace has shown, it appears he has no intention top his ways. This is his first wrestling post-season but I, and the rest of the world, expect big things.
157 Ryan Morningstar:
Ryan Morningstar adds a diversity in styles this Iowa lineup as his quick, low shot oriented, style brings with it some trouble as he seems to be out-muscled by many in his matches. This is to take nothing away from his technique but he seems to have trouble finishing at times. Morningstar has been in big matches and shown flashes of brilliance and I have total faith that he will peak at the right time this post-season,take some unexpected wins for himself, and contribute greatly to his squad.
165 Mark Perry:
I'm hoping by now Mark Perry has had proper time and training to recuperate from his injury. Coming in fresh at Big Tens will be a blessing and a curse for Perry as he will be hungry for a match but his time off may hinder his abilities. Perry has to come back to a tournament where Eric Tannenbaum of Michigan waits for an upset win to gain momentum going into NCAAs. Perry has been here before and as long as injuries don't play a role throughout the rest of the season, I see no one standing in Perry's way of getting his second title.
174 Jay Borschel:
To be honest, Borschel was a big surprise for me this season. He has been a force amongst the top 174 pounders all season and he is fully capable of wrestling well against the best. He is very aggressive and always looking to score more points which can only help in the following tournaments.I believe if he can win his third match up with Steve Luke of Michigan at Big Tens he will have the momentum to make a big run at NCAAS.
184 Phil Keddy:
Keddy has shown flashes of brilliance this year and has been consistent for his team which has helped him reach a #7 ranking. He's been in the circle with the "top dogs" and mostly kept it close so these coming weeks for him are going to come down to closing out matches and being able to score when he's down. Nonetheless, Phil Keddy looks like a definite All American to me this year but don't be surprised if he drops some jaws at the big show.
197 Chad Beatty:
I think it is obvious to everyone that Beatty is by no means a natural 197 pounder. He is a 174 pounder wrestling way up. The funny thing is that this does not deter Beatty, his strength, and belief in himself as was evident in his 2-1 victory against Michigan to put Iowa the Hawkeyes into the lead. To be honest, I could see Beatty getting an All American at a lighter weight class but he is doing his best to contribute to his team and the hunt for a National Title.
285 Matt Fields:
This is a bit of a tough judgment call on my part. I can say many have been waiting for a sense of urgency from Fields throughout the season as this is his final season. As of yet, he has remained somewhat consistent for the Hawkeyes but lacks any real dominant performances to set himself apart from the pack. He is capable of beating many of the top men at Heavyweight but a great start for him will be making a statement in his potential match up with top ranked Fox of Northwestern at Big Tens. Fields has to wrestle with reckless abandon in his final tournaments. but he has been here before, which will help him focus on putting in a good performance and closing out his career with a bang.
Now I'm sure this is bias to most but in my eyes the Iowa Hawkeyes have a great chance at taking both the Big Ten and NCAA tournament this year. This team is highly conditioned, highly motivated, and most importantly, they have bought in to a system that has brought them to the top, and has not failed them thus far.
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