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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Matt Schein added to this discussion on March 22, 2025
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125. Killkerry? Mccrone again?
133. Davino. Is Bouzakis still in consideration?
141. Mendez.
149. Brown?
157. Cannon? Was he at 149 this year?
165. Is this Birden’s spot to lose? Paddy? Does he go back to 157?
174. Chase? Transfer?
184. Welch
197. Shumate/Geog/Rogotzke
285. Feldman
Could Bouzakis go to 149? He has the skills, just can’t put it all together
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Jim Kessen added to this discussion on March 22, 2025
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Can Herman or Shaw make 149 or would Herman make 65 and Birden 74.
Bucks need to hit the portal.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Drew Taylor added to this discussion on March 22, 2025
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A lot of holes. Birden isn’t ready and I doubt we see Kharchla.
But no need to worry. Nick Lecklider has analyzed all the projected lineups and insists we’ll finish first or second at nationals.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on March 22, 2025
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Quote from Drew Taylor's post:
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"A lot of holes. Birden isn’t ready and I doubt we see Kharchla.
But no need to worry. Nick Lecklider has analyzed all the projected lineups and insists we’ll finish first or second at nationals."
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Ouch.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Sean Koran added to this discussion on March 22, 2025
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Someone on here previously posted that there is a good chance we get McNeil from UNC, who has gone 4, 6, 5 the past three years. No idea how accurate that is, though. If true, would make us very solid at 133-157, 184, and 285. Need someone to emerge at 197 and would anticipate one of the three to transfer. 165 hope that Paddy or Birden take a step forward. Transfer unlikely but possible. 125 McCrone is a 1-2 win guy at NCAAs. Don’t anticipate a transfer unless it’s an AA level guy. 174 is ?????. Think they have to bring in a transfer, even if he’s not elite. No idea what happens to Bouzakis. Transfer possibility as well.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on March 22, 2025
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125: Kilkeary
133: Davino
141: Mendez
149: Herman
157: Cannon
165: Gallagher
174: Birden
184: Welsh
197: Shumate
285: Feldman
???
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Jason L. Jackson added to this discussion on March 22, 2025
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Hank posted the best lineup based on guys on the current roster. Need upgrades at 125, 149, potentially 165 (unproven) and 174 for sure.
Facundo (165) would be a great addition, as would McNeil (149). That fills 2 holes.
I want to give Birden a chance, but I can't watch him be another guy who refuses to shoot.
I've always thought Kilkeary was the better option at 125 to win more matches, but McCrone is the better option to get bonus points. Regardless, I'd like to see an upgrade at that weight.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Drew Taylor added to this discussion on March 22, 2025
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As frustrating as this weekend and season were, I’d like to see Kharchla and Paddy back next season with more time passed since their knee surgeries.
Bring back Hepner as well. And keep Bouzakis out of the portal.
The Bucks are absolutely in no position to run off quality wrestlers.
People were ready to move on from D’Emilio after last season. What a mistake that would’ve been.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Jack Muni added to this discussion on March 22, 2025
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I get frustrated with Bouzakis when he loses in the blood round to Knox, who he beat 17-7 in Vegas, and is now out of the tournament. Yet he only lost to NCAA Champ Lucas Byrd in the dual in SV overtime 8-5. How does that happen? Just when it looks like he is turning the corner. About Kilkeary, where has he been all season, I didn't see him in any of the opens except Clarion? McCrone is so one dimensional, zero offense.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Jared Ball added to this discussion on March 23, 2025
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Everyone can get better, that’s certainly a doable, but some of these guys have been in the room for three or four years now and do not appear to be making progress. McCrone has gotten exponentially better, but cannot generate offensive leg attacks on his own. He’s a homerun hitter in duals but in the national tournament he’s not going to sneak up on people and pin them in a cradle. That’s a low percentage chance at success. Bousakis seems to have some sort of mental barrier that paralyzes him in matches. His match against Drake Ayala was not an isolated example of him failing to make mid match adjustments. He has done that repeatedly throughout his career. He tried to overpower his opponents and that will not get it done against great guys. He’s good but not great. Paddy was a number one overall. He’s been a bust, plain and simple. Hepner, Geog, heck you could even throw Feldman in there. Where is the progression? I know it’s a very pessimistic view, but when you see Ohioans like Bryd, Blaze, and freshman like McDanel make the podium, it’s hard to ask why aren’t the Buckeyes developing people at the same level? The 20-teens represent the apex of OSU wrestling, and it’s likely we are on the back side of that apex currently. There’s a reason guys like Marcus Blaze, Bo Bassett, and Jax Forrest passed on OSU. Don’t kid yourself into thinking it was about NIL.
I won’t end on a negative. On the optimistic front to have a guy like Jesse Mendes as the face of your program with two titles is immense. He’s likely to be in the mix for a hodge next year, but Messenbrink will be a load to surpass. I’m excited to see what Davino is able to do in a pretty wide open weight class, and I would like to see what Kilkeary is capable of if he is given a chance to start. I think the Bucks are just scratching the surface with Cannon. I really think he was capable of a top five finish this year. The return of Welsh can’t be understated, but 184 will be a bear again next year even with the loss of some of the elites. The staff needs to bring in additional recruits like the Raney’s, stay healthy, and hopefully see some dudes make some jumps. Will Feldman compete this summer?
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Drew Taylor added to this discussion on March 23, 2025
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Andre Gonzalez I’d think is in play for 149. He’s been around for a while and is solid.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on March 23, 2025
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Drew Taylor--If you were Carson Kharchla, why would you come back for a 7th year? I wouldn't. Regardless of the reason for his disappointing finish, at some point it's time to move along.
Of course, I sort of thought the same thing about D'Emilio.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Drew Taylor added to this discussion on March 23, 2025
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Hank, I wouldn’t. I’d be gone. But if Carson wants to return the staff shouldn’t stand in his way.
More quality wrestlers is better than fewer quality wrestlers.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Jared Ball added to this discussion on March 24, 2025
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Carson is a great wrestler. But his history of injuries dates back well into high school. He was already on a match count this year not wrestling until second semester. Time to move on for him and the program. Seven years of college wrestling is just crazy. It would be one thing to do it if your body could hold up. If he’s going to continue to wrestle it should be in freestyle. That seemed to always be his better and preferred style anyways.
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Discussion Topic: 2025-26 Buckeye lineup
Drew Taylor added to this discussion on March 24, 2025
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Jared-if not Carson then who? Birden isn’t ready and Hepner is rarely available. It’s easy to tell him goodbye, much harder to identify a superior replacement.
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