Illinois wrestling chat: 11 a.m. Friday
Friday, March 6, 2009 - 11:00am
Talk with WDWS wrestling expert Brian Moline on the eve of the Big Ten meet.
Talk with WDWS wrestling expert Brian Moline on the eve of the Big Ten meet.
Welcome to our second wrestling chat of the year. Looking forward to answering your questions and following the Big Ten Championships this weekend!
Brian
Mr. Moline,
How do you see the team finishing in the B10 and NCAA's?
How does Illinois replace the seniors it loses this year? Those guys have been starters for 3-4 years now and thats hard to replace I know.
Shaw,
Two good questions. Iowa will be very tough to beat this weekend. Unless they stumble badly, they will win Big Tens this year. If the Illini have a good weekend, I can see them finishing as high as second. That would probably require championships from Poeta (likely) and Kennedy (a tougher task), plus the other wrestlers in the lineup at the very least wrestling to their seeds, if not exceeding them. A more likely scenario has the Illini in the mix between third and sixth. It's very bunched in the middle of the conference this year.
As for replacing the seniors, Poeta is obviously the guy they'll miss the most. It's not easy replacing a multi-time All-American in your lineup. There are a lot of young guys in the mix at 157 for next year. As for 165 and heavyweight, those replacements appear to be a bit more clear. Clayton Polz should be able to step in at 165 after redshirting this year. The same for Pat Walker at heavyweight. The little that I've seen of those guys in the practice room, I've been impressed.
Brian,
What Illini wrestler has the best chance of winning a national title?
Dan,
I would say Mike Poeta has the best chance. He's been an All-American the past two years, including runner-up last season. Plus, he appears to be peaking at the right time and fully healthy, which wasn't necessarily the case the last two years. Jimmy Kennedy is in the mix at 133, but that weight class is absolutely stacked this year. If Jimmy can win Big Tens, and the top 5 guys in country will be there this weekend, I may change my mind. But right now, I say it's Poeta.
Before I post another question, I realized I didn't answer Shaw's question about Illinois' finish in the NCAA's. Shaw, I think the Illini will be doing well to finish in the top ten this season. That is certainly possible, but they'll need guys like Wise, Dergo, Blanton and Smith-Bergsrud to wrestle well to accomplish it.
Brian
Can i get tickets to the ncaas in St Louis. Is there a place to sit with other Illini fans?
Phil,
Tickets are available. You can find more information online at the link below:
http://www.stlsports.org/wrestling/index.php
As far as sitting with Illini fans, I know there is usually a group sitting together. I would ask someone with the ticket office for more information on how to sit with them.
how is mike poeta's knee?
Skywalker,
His knee looks good. In fact, I think it's the best it has been in a couple of years. No matter how he finishes this season, I don't think his knee will have an impact.
What does the recruiting look like for next years freshman?
Any inside track to the following years guys they are interested in?
Shaw,
At this point, I believe the Illini have two wrestlers signed for 2009. Both appear to be very talented. Sam White is from Massillon, Ohio, should wrestle at 133 for Illinois. The plan is for him to redshirt behind Kennedy next year, then step into the lineup as a redshirt freshman.
The other signed recruit is Tony Dallago of Harrisburg, PA. He placed third at NHSCA Junior Nationals last year, and will likely wrestle somewhere in the upper weights for the Illini. I haven't heard too much buzz about what other kids may be coming in.
As far as 2010 goes, again, not hearing too much there. The coaches really can't talk about it, and I haven't been able to glean too much info from message boards, etc. Wish I could be more help.
Brian, What can we expect from freshman Jordan Blanton in his first postseason with the Illini? If his high school exploits are any indication, he should be fun to watch.
Howard,
Jordan has been a joy to watch and interview this season. He brings maximum effort with him to the mat every time out, and that motor along with his talent will take him very far in his college career. He'll have to wrestle exceptionally well to place higher than fourth this weekend, as the top three guys in the country are all from the Big Ten, including the last two national champions.
As for nationals, I think Jordan has a real chance to be an All-American this year. He'll certainly have to wrestle well to do it, but he's continued to improve throughout the season.
Brian
Do you know if the Big Tens are on TV?
Barry,
The finals will be televised on the Big Ten Network on Sunday at 1 pm central time. You may be able to find a video feed of the earlier rounds online. Try Penn State's website at gopsusports.com.
Is there a conference in America that boasts the kind of star power of the Big Ten? This has to be the premier conference tournament in the nation.
Sean,
In a word, no. Just to give you an idea of the Big Ten's dominance in the sport, the number of national automatic qualifying spots for each conference were recently announce. The Big Ten was awarded 61 spots. The next conference, the EIWA, was awarded 38. The Big 12 was next with 37. The only weight classes where the Big Ten doesn't have the most qualifying spots are at 149 and at 197. They're tied with the Big 12 for the most at heavyweight. There's a reason that at times ten of the eleven teams in the conference have been ranked in the top 25.
Looks like that will be a wrap for today. Thanks for all the great questions. I'll try to update my blog with news and notes from the Big Ten Championships this weekend. As always, drop me an e-mail if you have any other questions.
bmoline@wdws.com