2025 Wrestlers movement; portal

Dat5091

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I liked Ryder a lot from what I saw of him. We didn’t need Welsh, but he wanted to be here and came on his own without NIL incentives. He wanted to train with the best to be the best. If that’s his mentality, I’ll take him all day long. Ryder had a decision to make and he made it; you can’t fault him either way, whether it was to stay and compete or leave for whatever his reasons were. We have plenty of top end guys in the upper weights and I don’t see this having an impact in the short or long term.
Totally fair take. They have both used a redshirt which means they both want to wrestle full seasons now. Think it makes sense for Ryder to move as he has a long relationship with DT. Much like DT had a long relationship with cael which is why he ended up committing to Penn state. DT is in a very similiar spot to coach cael 15 years ago. Guys have trained w him and look up to him
 

KJB32812

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Ryder did have a choice. He could have stayed and won the spot. Him transferring tells me that he probably got a very good offer from Ok. St. and that he didn't think he could beat Rocco. If he thought he would be the starter, I think the would have stayed.
I don't know, I didn't like it from the start. There's always more than meets the eye, but sometimes guys just want to feel the love...especially if they've been good soldiers. Don't feel the love AND get a bag? Not sure I'd stick around either.
 
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EDHOLLAPSU

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Jul 8, 2024
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Some whispers the Ryder parents weren’t happy about Welsh being brought in. They feel bringing in Welsh was a betrayal. I don’t know I personally think this was a rash decision. Did Ryder meet with Cael before entering is what I want to know. Also, how much control of this decision did the parents have Idk. I don’t know what to believe since the Ryder side will definitely want to make it seem like they were wronged and had no choice (which is b$).
 

KJB32812

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Some whispers the Ryder parents weren’t happy about Welsh being brought in. They feel bringing in Welsh was a betrayal. I don’t know I personally think this was a rash decision. Did Ryder meet with Cael before entering is what I want to know. Also, how much control of this decision did the parents have Idk. I don’t know what to believe since the Ryder side will definitely want to make it seem like they were wronged and had no choice (which is b$).
No one can say if it was BS or not, that's totally fan speak. Coaches are paid to put together the best team they can and protect their own interests. Athletes should go where they feel they have the best chance to succeed while also protecting their own interests. Even if it were to be a fact the Ryder was leaving before Welsh, so be it if he thinks it's what best for him.

Maddening when people jump all over athletes who do what they feel is best for themselves or their families.

Notice how Ryder is such a hot topic but other guys leaving weren't? What if Davis or Nagao bolts? We going to berate them too? Of course not. They're viewed as unnecessary so people just wish them well.
 
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KJB32812

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BTW, this may not be the end of the bleed. Kind of surprised BWI doesn't talk about it.
 

KJB32812

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What do you mean?
In football or basketball, they put stuff out. Speculation, hints. They don't do that for wrestling. I don't know if it's because they don't have the manpower, the contacts, or just don't want to get on the wrong sode of the wresrling program. There's been nothing that I've seen.
 

WV lion

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Oct 17, 2021
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BTW, this may not be the end of the bleed. Kind of surprised BWI doesn't talk about it.
There is just no room in the inn for some of these kids. It will depend if they what to be like bearclaw and Neville, stick around for your degree (being a backup) then portal after graduation or leave immediately like Beard.
 
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BleedB-W

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Nov 1, 2021
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Always interesting the double standards board members apply given the context. When our coaches leave & top recruits follow(basketball), the board lights up with disenchantment about lack of loyalty. When a RB coach leaves & recruits reaffirm their commitment to the University, the board celebrates & praises the character of the young men. Yet when a coach recruits over a top commit who followed the outline & patiently waited in the wings as directed, some board members justify it by citing “all is fair” when chasing excellence. I disagree & revert back to a great man named Joe who always believed you had to win but you also had to do it the right way. We want kids of a certain character & committment and those kids deserve the same in return.
 
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Shpsu

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May 14, 2024
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Always interesting the double standards board members apply given the context. When our coaches leave & top recruits follow(basketball), the board lights up with disenchantment about lack of loyalty. When a RB coach leaves & recruits reaffirm their commitment to the University, the board celebrates & praises the character of the young men. Yet when a coach recruits over a top commit who followed the outline & patiently waited in the wings as directed, some board members justify it by citing “all is fair” when chasing excellence. I disagree & revert back to a great man named Joe who always believed you had to win but you also had to do it the right way. We want kids of a certain character & committment and those kids deserve the same in return.
Cael doesn’t promise anything other than the opportunity to compete in the best wrestling room in the world. Welsh wanted in to compete in the room and get better. Same reason you see kids inexplicably commit to PSU at a weight class that is stacked at PSU. With NIL and the portal kids can hone their craft in our room and transfer later for a bag and/or compete in freestyle.
 

Karl_Havok

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Oct 6, 2021
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While this one certainly feels different than others in the past (even though they've done things like this before) I also believe that if you're the best guy at the weight it doesn't matter who else is in your room. I trust that Cael knows what he is doing considering he has never let us down.
 

El_Jefe

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Oct 11, 2021
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Regardless of any unknown back story, perception matters & these are the objective facts: Ryder - 6th ranked recruit in his class. Picks PSU because told he will shirt, wrestle unattached, & then be in line to take Carter’s spot for 4 years. He moves to State College. Does everything they ask him & waits his turn, & does great in world tournament. Rocco enters portal & we take him. Leaving Ryder with no choice. Totally not a PSU move & you can bet David Taylor & others will retell this story a million times. Looks bad even if a back story.
Cael did not recruit Welsh. Welsh recruited PSU.

Ryder had a choice -- he could've tried to win the job. Like Facundo did last year when Levi grew.

And anybody remember how much PSU recruiting suffered because of Tbomas Haines? Oh wait -- it didn't.
 

El_Jefe

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It's anyone's guess what goes on outside the public eye. Maybe Ryder was already considering OkSU before Welsh announced his move. Maybe Cael knew this and felt he needed to fill that hole. There are always things we don't know.
Insider on another board said this is not true.

Also, if it were, hard to explain Carter's tweet.
 

El_Jefe

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Rightly or wrongly, the optics will be used in recruiting. Maybe there’s a backstory we don’t know. Maybe T Boone Pickens money was too much to pass up for Ryder. Who knows? This just doesn’t feel like a PSU move.
Pickens died over 5 years ago.
 

El_Jefe

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Always interesting the double standards board members apply given the context. When our coaches leave & top recruits follow(basketball), the board lights up with disenchantment about lack of loyalty. When a RB coach leaves & recruits reaffirm their commitment to the University, the board celebrates & praises the character of the young men. Yet when a coach recruits over a top commit who followed the outline & patiently waited in the wings as directed, some board members justify it by citing “all is fair” when chasing excellence. I disagree & revert back to a great man named Joe who always believed you had to win but you also had to do it the right way. We want kids of a certain character & committment and those kids deserve the same in return.
Joe openly told recruits that he would recruit their replacements and it was their job to make the lineup.

If you think Joe wouldn't have utilized the portal, you're delusional. He was as competitive as it gets, within the rules.
 

manatree

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Oct 6, 2021
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I disagree & revert back to a great man named Joe who always believed you had to win but you also had to do it the right way. We want kids of a certain character & committment and those kids deserve the same in return.

Recruiting never stopped under the Paterno regime, it's just that player movement was very restricted compared to now. You are also forgetting the annual list of football players that 'chose not to use their last year(s) of eligibility' which was code for 'we no longer had room for them on our roster.'
 

El_Jefe

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Getting spicy

IMO this is half correct. History says Cael would've accepted Welsh anyway.

Not the first time I've heard about Taylor tampering with Cael's roster.

Also not the first time I've heard of PSU people being angry at Taylor. Aaron thinks Taylor leaked the drug test results in order to back door his way into the Olympics. Bo thinks Taylor sabotaged his shot at the U23 spot one year. Carter also isn't a fan.
 

BriantheLion

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Nov 27, 2023
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IMO this is half correct. History says Cael would've accepted Welsh anyway.

Not the first time I've heard about Taylor tampering with Cael's roster.

Also not the first time I've heard of PSU people being angry at Taylor. Aaron thinks Taylor leaked the drug test results in order to back door his way into the Olympics. Bo thinks Taylor sabotaged his shot at the U23 spot one year. Carter also isn't a fan.


Dave has chosen to become our adversary… fair enough, he should do what he’s hired to do…game on!

Right now it’s easy for him to poach any of our second best guys… they’ve all trained with him!

But a year from now, 20% of our roster won’t know him any more than any other rival coach… two years from now, 40%….

Five years from now he’ll have no advantage over any other rival coach.
 

NoSoup4U

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Oct 14, 2021
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For Gundy.

Pickens Money isn't what got Taylor hired either.
Well i'm sure Okie has items/processes in place to move money from one bucket to another if they want.... and its says athletics so one big pot for the AD to Divy up any excess that is not specifically stated

1743697577525.png
 

KJB32812

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IMO this is half correct. History says Cael would've accepted Welsh anyway.

Not the first time I've heard about Taylor tampering with Cael's roster.

Also not the first time I've heard of PSU people being angry at Taylor. Aaron thinks Taylor leaked the drug test results in order to back door his way into the Olympics. Bo thinks Taylor sabotaged his shot at the U23 spot one year. Carter also isn't a fan.
I've heard for a while that DT wasn't winning any popularity contests while in SC. Shrugged it off since dudes like him.often have an edge about them, which is understandable.

Any thoughts on rumors elsewhere re: Davis or Kasak? Think we're solid with Duke?
 

psufan07

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Nov 10, 2021
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I've heard for a while that DT wasn't winning any popularity contests while in SC. Shrugged it off since dudes like him.often have an edge about them, which is understandable.

Any thoughts on rumors elsewhere re: Davis or Kasak? Think we're solid with Duke?

Davis wouldn’t surprise me. I would be shocked if Kasak or Duke leave. One of them redshirts this year and no one loses a year.

2026
157 - Kasak/Duke
165 - Mitch
174 - Levi

2027
157 - Kasak
165 - Duke
174 - Mitch
 

KJB32812

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These optics have been used in recruiting ever since Bubba Jenkins left, yet somehow the program has survived.
I do think this time is different because of Taylor having the shiny new toy feeling to it. He's going to be able to recruit short term. After that, it's going to be about results. oSu being the darling of NCAAs with Hamiti and Hendrickson after years of futility doesn't help. We need to hold serve in head to heads with guys like Ryder and Facundo and we will be fine. But if we don't, I think there's a legit chance the gap could be closed rather quickly. His troops are coming, he just needs to bridge the gap and recruit like a madman.
 

El_Jefe

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I've heard for a while that DT wasn't winning any popularity contests while in SC. Shrugged it off since dudes like him.often have an edge about them, which is understandable.

Any thoughts on rumors elsewhere re: Davis or Kasak? Think we're solid with Duke?
Kasak isn't going anywhere. Duke isn't likely to either.

Davis probably isn't leaving either, but who knows if that changes with Ono. He does still have a shirt year. There is no sign of him being affected by the Ono announcement.

One thing to remember about the M2 guys: most of them trained there only during the offseaaon, and not necessarily all the time then. Kasak and Desmond trained primarily at Red Hawk, and supplemented with M2.
 

WV lion

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Kasak isn't going anywhere. Duke isn't likely to either.

Davis probably isn't leaving either, but who knows if that changes with Ono. He does still have a shirt year. There is no sign of him being affected by the Ono announcement.

One thing to remember about the M2 guys: most of them trained there only during the offseaaon, and not necessarily all the time then. Kasak and Desmond trained primarily at Red Hawk, and supplemented with M2.
Kasak was at M2 alot. Sister at psu. And family has close ties to community.
 

J.E.B

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I’m sure there were some signs that Ryder was talking to DT all year… just a hunch and Cael tested his loyalty or was told he’s leaning. Time will tell. Love ZR but Rocco is top 3 at 184 next year.
 

SurgeOne bOne

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Regardless of any unknown back story, perception matters & these are the objective facts: Ryder - 6th ranked recruit in his class. Picks PSU because told he will shirt, wrestle unattached, & then be in line to take Carter’s spot for 4 years. He moves to State College. Does everything they ask him & waits his turn, & does great in world tournament. Rocco enters portal & we take him. Leaving Ryder with no choice. Totally not a PSU move & you can bet David Taylor & others will retell this story a million times. Looks bad even if a back story.
OR, was told no one has a locked spot. We are going to bring in The Best, Period. Be ready to compete and defend your spot.