Way Too Early Lineup Look: 2019-20 Penn State Nittany Lions
Way Too Early Lineup Look: 2019-20 Penn State Nittany Lions
Will Penn State punt again? Who can they redshirt? A way too early look at PSU's potential lineup in 2019-20.
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Penn State won their eighth team title in nine years, their second quadpeat of the Cael era. They graduate two legends in Bo Nickal and Jason Nolf, but what other changes will there be to next year's lineup in Happy Valley?
Now is a great time to project out next year's lineups, which we will be doing for a few teams. There is a short lull in between the NCAA championships and the U.S. Open at the end of April, so there will be a little bit of content wrapping up the college season and looking ahead to next year.
Remember, this is a way too early lineup look, and is massively subject to change. For individual scenarios, please read below the projected lineup.
2019-20 Penn State Projected Lineup
125: Brody Teske
133: Roman Bravo-Young
141: Nick Lee
149: Jarod Verkleeren
157: Brady Berge
165: Vincenzo Joseph
174: Mark Hall
184: Aaron Brooks
197: Kyle Conel
285: Anthony Cassar
The last time we reviewed Penn State's lineup was in December after Robbie Howard committed. There aren't many changes, with the exception of the last three weights where they'll be looking for a bunch of sixth year starters. We also have a much better idea of where Roman Bravo-Young, Brady Berge, and Brody Teske stand in the general landscape of their weights.
125 Pounds
With Gavin Teasdale leaving, it makes room for Brody Teske to take over at the lightest weight. He'll be the favorite to beat out Devin Schnupp, who has started 23 duals over the past two seasons and was their starter this year at Big Tens. It still could be Schnupp though, as Teske wrestled 133 at both Iowa State's "Last Chance Open" as well as "Mat-Town Open II" but that might just be the coaching staff wanting Teske to get some matches and not worry about cutting weight.
133 Pounds
Back in 2015 when PSU finished sixth, they effectively "punted" on the season, but it set up their latest fourpeat. That year, they had to replace four graduates and replace two other strategic redshirts in Zain Retherford and Nico Megaludis. Next year, they have three starters with redshirts available (RBY, Lee, and Hall), and if Cenzo places Top-8 at the Open could get an Olympic Redshirt. We also aren't 100% clear on if Shakur Rasheed, Kyle Conel, and Anthony Cassar will both get sixth years AND also want to wrestle another year of college AND also if Shak and Conel are healthy enough to do so.
Beyond that, they greyshirted Joe Lee, Aaron Brooks, Michael Beard, and Seth Nevills, so there's no need to start them right away. All of that, plus Iowa's potential team (that we'll get to later this week) could add up to RBY being one of several strategic redshirts next year. But RBY just placed eighth as a true freshman, one of only four to do so, and went 25-7 on the year. So for now, let's assume he's going to wrestle and will be in the mix to place once again.
If RBY does redshirt, they'd probably have someone like Jack Davis starting. They could also have Schnupp at 125 and Teske at 133, a la Jordan Conaway once upon a time. Looking ahead to 2020-21, RBY will be there no matter what anyway, but he could allow Nick Suriano, Stevan Micic, and Luke Pletcher to graduate, and that's just within his conference.
141 Pounds
For potential redshirt scenarios, see above. Lee finished in fifth once again, but increased his scoring from 11.5 team points to 16 year-over-year. After 2018, runner-up Bryce Meredith graduated and this year's runner-up Joey McKenna graduates. That increases his shot at a Big Ten title, but what really helps his chances at an NCAA title is if both Yianni and Jaydin Eierman take Olympic Redshirts, which the latter has already confirmed he's doing. That's part of what makes this whole thing so fascinating, because the decisions of other teams will have to come into play as well. If the coaching staff felt Lee was getting fourth or fifth again, the call to redshirt is way easier than if he's making the finals and scoring 22+ points.
149 Pounds
I would say I feel the most confident of who will be the starter, as it stands now. Former Cadet world champ Jarod Verkleeren should be the man with Brady Berge moving up to 157 and taking on the unenviable task of being Jason Nolf's replacement. The wild card is if Seth Gross winds up at PSU, they could have him go 141 and push Nick Lee up to 149. However, the conventional thought right now is Verkleeren will takes over as a redshirt sophomore. He's qualified for an Olympic Redshirt, but seems like an unlikely candidate to take one.
In two years, Verk has yet to pick up a win over an NCAA qualifier. His most impressive performance came in a 10-8 loss to Micah Jordan in the Ohio State dual. His progression this summer may turn into a huge factor in the 2020 team race.
157 Pounds
Whether the weight cut affected him or not, it's hard not to imagine a more active and healthier Berge next season when he is not cutting as much. He still finished 20-5, and four of his losses were to guys who were All-Americans. He had wins over Pat Lugo, Jarrett Degen, Josh Maruca, Require van der Merwe, and Jared Prince. Another possible option is if they want to suck Joe Lee down to 157 and he proves to be a better option than Berge, but I think they redshirt Joe no matter what weight he goes.
165 Pounds
Wrestling is a cruel sport and sometimes history repeats itself. There was a history of two-time heavyweight champs losing as seniors, and a time when the 174lb runner-up would become the champ the next year. Vincenzo has been on both sides of beating a two-timer as a freshman.
174 Pounds
Mark Hall posted his second consecutive undefeated season heading into NCAAs, and for the first time was the one seed. He posted the below tweet of his team and individual finish at his folkstyle postseason tournament, and it is truly remarkable to see the sustained run of success he has had for himself and also been a part of.
These have been my last 10 Post Season tournaments.. losing is never something i want to do, but i promise to always bring it at the end of the season. Thank you all for love and support!! Only one more rodeo left. pic.twitter.com/li2WLUMwly
— wRECk Hall™ (@BaybeeMarky_PSU) March 25, 2019
But knowing how much Mark values freestyle, as well as having both a regular and Olympic Redshirt available to him, does it seem like he could be the first domino to fall in terms of a Penn State punt year? It would give him a year without Zahid (assuming he also doesn't Olympic Redshirt), not to mention get Myles Amine and Jordan Kutler graduated. That seems to be the first thing the coaching staff should have to figure out, because if Mark wants to focus on freestyle, it might set the rest of the redshirts in motion.
From Penn State's perspective, they might be down to third string if Hall redshirts, because Mason Manville seems like a prime candidate to Olympic Redshirt for the purpose of making the Greco team. That could also mean Cater Starocci goes right away.
184 Pounds
Perhaps the most up in the air of all the weights. There seems to be a good chance Shakur Rasheed's sixth year gets granted, but will he want to take it? And even so will he be healthy enough to go through another year of college wrestling? Shak has been one of the most exciting wrestlers in the country the past two years and is always looking for the pin, so if he's healthy he can get Penn State a bunch of points at NCAAs.
If not Rasheed, they've got in Aaron Brooks coming in, but he's got both an Olympic and regular redshirt available to him, so he might not be an option right now. That would put Austin Hoopes as the starter.
197 Pounds
Kyle Conel has already announced he plans to wrestle for Penn State if he gets a sixth year from the NCAA. After only seeing him wrestle only one match this season, his health is a real concern. They greyshirted Michael Beard this year, so if Conel is able to wrestle they can redshirt Beard and not throw him out until 2020-21.
285 Pounds
Stop me if you've heard this before, but at heavyweight, they can either return an All-American, in this case national champ, for a sixth year or roll out a true freshman who greyshirted this past year. There's also a chance that the sixth year started is Nick Nevills instead of Anthony Cassar, who may decide that his college career is over now that he's the national champ. Seth Nevills did not enroll, so he can redshirt next year or possibly be their starter if his brother or Cassar can't come back.
My major takeaway from looking at each weight, as they currently stand, is that Penn State could have their worst team in years. A hard punt means a bunch of unproven veterans and freshmen, but it would be with the goal of returning to long term dominance. There's also the awkward limbo that they decided to try to win but fall short for any number of reasons, from medical redshirts not working out to injuries to Iowa or Oklahoma State just flat out having a better team.
Making this all the more complicated is the "unofficial" but seemingly imminent news that the 2020 Olympic Team Trials will be at the Bryce Jordan Center, where Penn State holds a dual meet every year now. It would be kind of strange for them to show up next season with their worst team in over a decade and then host OTTs a month later. But at the same time, to maximize the odds for their Olympic hopefuls, most of whom will be guys who already graduated but also includes Mark Hall, it might make sense to sacrifice the folkstyle season and instead focus on David Taylor, Zain Retherford, Bo Nickal, and Jason Nolf's senior level success.