Finishing with a 4-11 record after nine straight losses isn’t easy and it isn’t fun, but in Arizona State’s case this season, it is reality.

The Sun Devil program is coming off a stretch of winning six Pac-12 titles in the past eight seasons, and coach Zeke Jones built a 92-48 record in the past 11 years. But injuries at varying times throughout the season at just about every weight class, coupled with an arduous Big 12 schedule, sent ASU reeling and winless since Jan. 12.

The way Jones sees it, the postseason is looming with a fresh start. 

“I think we just remain grateful for the opportunity to get to compete,” he said. “I tell the kids I'm gonna love them no matter what. I think they're actually realizing that now, because generally kids that have lost so many times in a row, they tend to duck for cover — a lot of blame game and things — but we're not doing that. 

“I actually am really proud of some of the kids who have stepped up into the lineup, up a weight with little to no experience and never having wrestled at the Division I level before. They went out there knowing that their backs are against the wall, and they're at least going out there and fighting. I appreciate that because most people would say, ‘Hey, Coach, I didn't sign up for this.’”

Neither did Jones, the World champion wrestler and former U.S. national team coach. 

“I've never lost this many matches in my whole life, so it's a new experience for me, and I'm actually grateful to have it,” Jones said in his typical spirited fashion. “It's a good reminder that people do go through stuff like this. I personally haven't, but now I have, so now I know what it feels like.”

The Postseason Peak

The Sun Devils are set for their first Big 12 tournament March 8-9 in Tulsa and practice sessions remain rugged.

“The benefit of (having been) the national team coach is watching Tom (Brands), Cael (Sanderson), John (Smith) … coaches that have coached at the highest level, on how they taper their athletes getting ready for a World or Olympic Games,” Jones said. 

“I've witnessed a lot of different tapers, and I’ve got my own style and strategy to it, and we're still doing work. I really believe the long, slow taper doesn't usually work as well as the quick, fast taper to get the results you want to have, but each kid's a little different. You’ve got to give some a little more rest than others, based on years in the program and, really, by some of them just having been there and doing this. We're still training. We are giving more recovery time, but when we get in there, we are banging heads, we're still competing.”

Jones cited defending NCAA  125-pound champ Richie Figueroa and four-time All-America heavyweight Cohlton Schultz as knowing what they’re doing. 

“Just get out of their way, hand them their meal money and their hotel key, and then just get them to the arena to take care of the rest,” he said.

Can Richie Figs Repeat and Schultz Place A Fifth Time?

The key for Figueroa’s postseason, Jones said, is for the 125-pounder, ranked #2 at 125 and #14 in Flo’s pound-for-pound ratings, to continue to do what he's doing. 

“I mean, he's competing light-hearted. He's got a great mentality. He's on a mission. When it's time to be relaxed, he's relaxed; when it's time to get focused, he's focused,” Jones said.

“He knows how to get himself ready. He's been winning his whole life. He's got a routine, so it’s just continuing to let him stick with his routine of getting ready and prepared and still challenging him a little bit. He's made it look pretty easy lately. And I just think, let Richie continue to be Richie.”

Schultz, currently ranked #6, can become ASU’s only five-time All-America. He was upended by Lehigh’s #5 Owen Trephan 4-2 last Friday.

“Cohlton took an L, which he's not accustomed to, but I still think this is the best he’s been physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually,” Jones said. “I've seen him melt down after losses before, but not this one. He goes, ‘Man, I should have pulled the trigger earlier.’”

Lineup Not Quite Set

Jones said wrestle-offs will occur to determine starters at 184 and 197, but Julian Chlebove, Jesse Vasquez and Nicco Ruiz are set at 133, 149 and 165, respectively, despite late-season injuries. 

Kaleb Larkin, however, is a no-go and ASU will pursue a medical redshirt. 

“He’s almost ready to go, so the good news is he’ll be ready for the U.S. Open (April 23 in Las Vegas),” Jones said. “We're gonna get to see him in the summer, so we're excited about that, and I know he is too.”

Ruiz lost an NCAA qualifying spot for the Big 12 at 165 because he hasn’t competed in 30 days. “I’m not a big fan of the 30-day rule,” Jones said. “He missed it by two days; it’s unfortunate.”

Freshman Pierson Manville (149) wrestled last weekend at Lehigh and West Virginia and beat veterans Malyke Hines (5-3) and Sam Hillegas (5-1), but Jones said his redshirt would be preserved.

“He did a nice job,” Jones said about the Pennsylvania grad from State College High. “He’s an extreme competitor; I thought it was pretty impressive.”

Just Let It Fly

That’s the attitude Jones wants to see in Tulsa.

“In reality, some kids may never get this opportunity again, and so they should really enjoy the opportunity to compete with the ASU singlet,” he said. “The Big 12 Championships can be a life achievement that will be fun, one you can tell your family about someday, so go out and compete hard, and you just never know what will happen.”