Johnny Cash walked the line and at the moment, so do the Missouri Tigers. A good, solid team this season, Missouri should have no problem in qualifying all 10 wrestlers to the NCAA championships. The key issue for the Tigers in 2021-2022 will be getting to the next level. They have quite a few members of their team that in my estimation are top 12-16 wrestlers. In team standings, these wrestlers need to get to the next level of being top 8.
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| 125 Noah Surtin OR Connor Brown OR Dack Punke Freshman OR Junior OR Junior Record: 29-13 OR Record: 50-22 OR Record: 41-31 NCAA: 21'NQ OR 18'NQ OR 19'NQ MAC: 21'2nd OR (BIG 12 18'5th) OR 19'4th MIDLANDS: OR 19'4th OR |
The Tigers aren't hurting at 125 lbs. With three NCAA qualifiers contending for the varsity spot, I personally feel that the best bet here is Connor Brown. In my estimation Brown is a top 12 wrestler, sitting the fence into the top 8. His most notable victory, Michael McGee, All American of Arizona State, he's also beaten other wrestlers in similar position such as Justin Cardani of Illinois and Nolan Hellickson of Ohio State.
Noah Surtin and Dack Punke measure up rather evenly. I'd give a slight nod to Surtin in terms of consistency, but head to head Punke came out on top in a 3-1 sudden victory. Both are top 16 wrestlers, that I could see top 12, but probably not top 8. Punke's most impressive victory in my opinion is a 9-5 victory over BIG 10 runner up Devin Schroder of Purdue.
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| 133 Matt Schmitt OR Trey Crawford Junior OR Freshman Record: 59-26 OR 4-4 NCAA: 18'NQ, 19'NQ, 21'R12 OR BIG 12: 18'4th, 19'4th OR MAC: 21'1st OR |
West Virginia transfer Matt Schmitt takes the spot here & I do believe he has the potential to be an All American for the Tigers this winter. I don't see Crawford pushing him for a spot, but to illustrate the depth in the room, Crawford owns a 10-3 victory of Job Greenwood of Wyoming and he pinned Oklahoma State's Reece Witcraft in the first period.
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| 141 Allan Hart OR Josh Edmond Junior Or Freshman Record: 65-22 OR Record: 10-0 NCAA: 20'NQ, 21'NQ OR MAC: 20'2nd, 21'3rd OR |
I think two time NCAA qualifier Allan Hart is again a top 12 wrestler for Missouri that sits the fence into possibly becoming a top 8. With that said, one of his greatest challenges this season will be in his own room. Josh Edmond is for real. Going 10-0 last season he defeated NCAA qualifiers Dylan Droegemueller of North Dakota State 14-5 and Chase Zollman of Wyoming 10-5. I think the spot for the 141 varsity position is going to be a fight. I'm anxious to see who gets their hand raised in this wrestle-off.
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| 149 Brock Mauller Junior Record: 83-8 NCAA: 19'NQ, 20'NQ, 21'5th MAC: 19'1st, 20'1st, 21'1st |
I can't see Mauller upending Yanni Diakomilahis of Cornell or Sammy Sasso of Ohio State, but as far as I'm concerned, he's as good as 3rd. He took NCAA champion Austin O'Connor of North Carolina into the tiebreakers last season and his only other loss was a 7-4 decision to Yahya Thomas of Northwestern, which could be turned into a win. With Missouri moving back into the BIG 12 this season, I don't see the Tigers contending for a Conference Title, but with should be performances out of the likes of Mauller, runner-up honors are well within grasp.
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| 157 Jarrett Jacques Junior Record: 67-19 NCAA: 19'NQ, 20'NQ, 21'R12 MAC; 19'1st, 20'2nd, 21'1st CKLV: 19'R12 |
One match shy of All American honors last season, I do believe Jacques gets over the hump this season and claims his first NCAA medal. In my estimation, I'm thinking somewhere in the 6th to 8th place range. Having a 14-1 loss to David Carr of Iowa State, I don't see Jacques contending for a BIG 12 title, but he should be the forerunner for runner-up.
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| 165 Keegan O'Toole Freshman Record: 19-1 NCAA: 21'3rd MAC: 21'1st |
Missouri's best bet for an individual national title this season. With the extra year of eligibility as long as he stays healthy I think O'Toole could surpass both Ben Askren and J'Den Cox as the best Tiger wrestler of all time. In 19 victories last season, 13 of them were bonus point victories. I realize that Anthony Valencia of Arizona State was injured at the time they wrestled, but still beating someone of that caliber by a 16-1 technical fall should be noted. Then he owns a 17-4 major decision of Zach Hartman of Bucknell who is no slouch. O'Toole isn't going to dominate the field this year. He'll have his close matches with the likes of Travis Wittlake of Oklahoma State who he owns a 4-3 victory over. Yet both the BIG 12 and NCAA title are winnable.
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| 174 Peyton Mocco OR Sean Harman Sophomore OR Freshman Record: 49-16 OR Record: 28-4 NCAA: 20'NQ, 21'NQ OR MAC: 20'3rd, 21'2nd OR |
No question that two time NCAA qualifier Peyton Mocco takes the spot here. Probably tired of reading me say this by now, but again a top 12 wrestler that rides the fence of being top 8. He lost a nail biter to Andrew McNally of Kent State (Now of Wisconsin) in the MAC finals last season and I think this season he helps Missouri in the BIG 12 race, as he should contend for a conference title.
Sean Harman will be a good backup in the room, with a 28-4 record, Harman owns a 6-4 sudden victory over D.J. Washington of Indiana.
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| 184 Jeremiah Kent OR Colton Hawks Sophomore OR Freshman NCAA: 21'NQ OR MAC: 21'2nd |
I think this is going to be a great wrestle-off. Like at 125 lbs, I'm anxious to see who wins this matchup and I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the two are so even that they split time, with the question of who will start at the BIG 12's not answered until we look at the finalized brackets. With that said, I think both are top 16 wrestlers, and as of now I'm going to leave it at that. Kent's most impressive wins? Pinning Rocky Jordan of Ohio State & defeating Wyoming's Tate Samuelson 6-1. Hawks? A 4-2 victory over Tate Samuelson of Wyoming.
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| 197 Rocky Elam OR Wyatt Koelling OR Canton Marriott Freshman Or Senior OR Senior Record: 23-3 OR Record: 80-40 Or Record: 62-26 NCAA: 21'5th OR NCAA: 20'NQ OR NCAA: 18'NQ MAC: 21'1st OR 19'3rd, 20'WC OR 18'3rd |
This weight class breaks my heart a little bit, it truly does. I have no doubt in my mind that Rocky Elam could be an NCAA runner-up for the Tigers this season. A dominating 9-1 win over Kordell Norfleet of Arizona State and then avenging a 4-1 loss to Jake Woodley of Oklahoma by dominating him 9-3 give merit to that belief. However it's hard to except the fact that two NCAA qualifiers of the caliber of Koelling and Marriott won't see much if any varsity action. Especially Koelling. Honestly, I wouldn't mind seeing Koelling transfer for the simple fact that he is All American material. 6-4 victory of Marcus Coleman of Iowa State, 3-1 victory over Norfleet and most notable a 10-2 major decision over All American Stephen Buchanan of Wyoming. As said, Elam takes the spot here and will be a huge point getter for the Tigers in duals, the BIG 12 and the NCAA, but it is a shame that such talent as Koelling will ride the bench this season.
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| HWT Zach Elam Sophomore Record: 53-19 NCAA: 19'R12, 21'NQ MAC: 19'3rd, 21'3rd |
I swear this is the last you'll have to read this in this article, but it is the TRUTH. Top 12 wrestler, borderline into the top 8. So many of Elam's losses are the type that just make you clench your fist and shake your head. Those 1 to 2 pointers where it's like, 'he's gonna get him, he's gonna get the takedown, he's got it...no he didn't." A 3-2 loss to Ethan Laird of Rider, a 1-0 loss to Trent Hillger of Wisconsin. I don't think I'm a candidate for lunacy in thinking that these losses can be turned into wins.
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Best case scenario for Missouri?
125 - R12, Maybe low AA
133 - R12, better chance at low AA than 125 I would think
141 - R12, Maybe Low AA
149 - 3rd or 4th place
157 - Low AA 6th-7th-8th
165 - Champion
174 - R12, Maybe Low AA
184 - NQ
197 - Runner up
HWT - R12, Maybe Low AA
Start playing Johnny Cash, cause that's how I see it as of now. Gonna be a good year for Missouri in terms of Dual victories, in season tournaments, and the BIG 12's. Could turn out to be a great year. Going to qualify all 10 weights to the NCAA's, that I'm positive of. See 4 All Americans for sure, with two in the NCAA finals, one that could win the NCAA title. 4 could be as high as 9, but 5 of them need to prove themselves top 8 before I go making that prediction.
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