Luke Pletcher’s decision to move up to 141 sent ripples across Ohio State’s lineup, most notably altering the plan for redshirt freshman Quinn Kinner. 

The two-time New Jersey high school champ and top-20 recruit had every intention of wrestling at ’41, but lost to the savvy veteran Pletcher at wrestle-offs; Pletcher’s subsequent win over Dom Demas established him as the No. 1 wrestler in the class and closed the door on any question he might drop back to ’33.

It did not, however, close the door on Kinner starting for the Buckeyes this season.

Kinner said he approached Ohio State assistant head coach J Jaggers immediately after wrestle-offs and made his case for dropping down a spot in the lineup. His first test after making the cut was running the gauntlet at the Michigan State Open, where he finished fourth in his first tournament at his new weight.

“He did a great job; he was disciplined, making the weight and had a ton of energy,” Ohio State head coach Tom Ryan said after Kinner’s 4-2 weekend in East Lansing. “At Michigan State he had six matches, and to cut that kind of weight and have that kind of energy was a good sign.”

His loss in the championship bracket that weekend was to Pittsburgh standout Micky Phillippi — a 6-4 decision Kinner has the chance to avenge Friday when the Buckeyes wrestle the Panthers in the Steel City.

“The biggest match is ’33,” Ryan said in previewing the dual meet. “Phillipi has a number of ways to beat you. He’s savvy, he’s tough, he’s really fit, good on top, good on bottom. He had a great match at Michigan State, so Quinn is looking to avenge that loss.”

Phillippi comes into the match ranked No. 4 in the class, with Kinner clocking in at No. 18. The Panthers’ redshirt sophomore is 5-0 on the season after finishing 21-4 with an ACC championship to his credit last year. 

If Kinner can come back to Columbus Friday night with an upset to his credit, he’ll face another ranked opponent Sunday in No. 17 Collin Gerardi as the Buckeyes host Virginia Tech. Sweep both matches, and he’ll go a long way toward establishing himself as a likely All-American come March.

“I’m going to go out there and give everything I’ve got for seven minutes,” Kinner said about his goals for the season. “I’m a big top guy, so I’m going to show a little bit of that, try to get some turns for the fans, try to get some pins, put up some pins.”

He said he embraces the mindset that New Jersey wrestlers are tough, gritty warriors.

“I’m not much of a clean, crisp wrestler,” he said. “I’m more of a brawler, a fighter… just really fight for my points, scrap, make it a war out there — try to beat the guy down for seven minutes until he can’t do it anymore.”

Andy Vance is a Columbus-based journalist who covers the Ohio State University wrestling program for Eleven Warriors, the largest independent sports site on the internet for Ohio State news, analysis, and community. He is co-host of the site’s Eleven Dubcast podcast. Follow him on Twitter @AndyVance