2022-23 Oklahoma State Wrestling

Cowboy Insider: Smith Wants To See Offense Rewarded More

Cowboy Insider: Smith Wants To See Offense Rewarded More

John Smith wants to see more scoring in college wrestling and he thinks the rules need to be adjusted to reward those who attack.

Feb 23, 2023 by Adam Engel
Cowboy Insider: Smith Wants To See Offense Rewarded More
John Smith wants his guys to wrestle. Not stalemate out and restart.

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John Smith wants his guys to wrestle. Not stalemate out and restart.

College wrestling rapidly evolves. Smith knows that well and as a former member of the NCAA Rules Committee, he tracks the sportโ€™s latest development.

Scrambles are becoming prevalent and a lot of matches can be won in those positions. 

โ€œPeople are getting in on legs and your baseline defense seems to be somewhere else,โ€ he said. โ€œPeople are jumping over the top out scrambling and doing some things. I really don't think we've stayed up with that and have awarded points. Instead, we're ending up in stalemates and guys have one leg and I'm behind two arms, and we're not given points very easy, you know.

โ€œWhat people want to see is they want to see points on the board, so our rules committee really needs to focus on creating the rules where we can put more points on the board. We donโ€™t want to see 3-2. We donโ€™t want to see 2-1. Some of our guys across this country, weโ€™ve noted thereโ€™s less shooting, less penetration, and a lot of thatโ€™s due to the scrambles. If we can create an environment where weโ€™re scoring those points a little bit easier โ€” especially for the offensive guy whoโ€™s actually taking the shot.โ€ 

Here are some other notes during the #12 Cowboysโ€™ off week before the Big 12 Championships.

Confusing Case Of Carter Young

To characterize Carter Youngโ€™s season, look at his matches last week.

Bedlam last Thursday. 

Heโ€™s aggressive from the start. Patient offense led to two second-period takedowns and a 5-3 ranked win over Oklahomaโ€™s Mosha Schwartz. A highlight in OSUโ€™s 26-6 stomping over the Sooners.

Revenge from Youngโ€™s 8-6 loss in December. A loss in which Smith called Young โ€œbraindead.โ€

โ€œI thought for the most part it was one of his complete matches,โ€ Smith said. 

Weeks ago, Smith teased Young about his losing record. He often takes light-hearted shots at his sophomore 141-pounder in media availabilities. 

Despite the win, Smith said he hasnโ€™t seen a different attitude from Young. 

โ€œHeโ€™s just kinda la la,โ€ Smith said. โ€œJust get angry with me. Maybe even push me. Heโ€™s a good kid. I just think to get the best out of yourself, I want him to feel pain when he loses. I want him to feel disappointment. I want him to be driven off of those losses. I think he does it in a quiet way a little bit but not as much as I want.โ€

But then Sunday happened. An 11-0 loss to Iowaโ€™s Real Woods. One match is not like the other.

โ€œThat may have been the worst Iโ€™ve ever seen Carter get beat,โ€ Smith said on his weekly radio show. โ€œIโ€™ve seen him get beat a lot.โ€

Youngโ€™s success could be crucial to OSUโ€™s postseason success. At #13, he will be the fifth-highest-ranked Big 12 141-pounder at the conference tournament.

Gfeller Chasing Third Big 12 Title At Third Weight

Kaden Gfeller, OSUโ€™s 157-pounder, keeps opponents close with deep underhooks and strength in the tie-ups.

Heโ€™s a scrapper, a fifth-year with tape on his right wrist and left knee. A symbol of physical wear but a career not without its struggles.

He won a Big 12 championship as a freshman but bumped into obstacles. Gfeller overcame various injuries and off-the-mat issues that hindered his performance.

โ€œI was winning,โ€ Gfeller said in December 2021. โ€œSo, off the top of my head, I thought I could get away with it. You know, I thought I could get away with drinking, partying, like you know, things that you canโ€™t be doing if you want to be a successful wrestler.โ€

He won a 2022 conference title at 149 pounds and could win at a third weight class on March 5. 

Gfeller hasnโ€™t lost since Feb. 3, a 3-2 tiebreaker to Michiganโ€™s Will Lewan. Gfeller enters the Big 12 Championships with four ranked wins since. On Sunday, he outlasted Iowaโ€™s Cobe Siebrecht in the first tiebreaker, 3-2.

โ€œHe does some crazy stuff, too,โ€ Gfeller said before the Iowa dual. โ€œHe (Siebrecht) is a wrestler who will go out there and try to throw you. Exciting wrestler. I like wrestling those type of guys.โ€ 

Second-ranked Jared Franek of North Dakota State will be the highest-ranked 157-pounder in Tulsa.