In what is shaping up to be the best dual of this budding season so far, Virginia Tech is traveling to Columbus to take on the #3 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. When I was choosing a particular weight class to break down the most obvious choice was 174 pounds where #6 Ethan Smith will take on NCAA champion and #2 ranked Mekhi Lewis. As I dug a little bit deeper, I looked at 157 pounds where redshirt freshman, Paddy Gallagher will take on the #4 ranked wrestler in the country, Bryce Andonian. On the list of reasons why I chose this match the headline should read "Contrast In Styles". So, let’s get into just how different these two athletes are, and how each of them can go about winning on Friday night.

Bryce Andonian

Before you go giving Bryce Andonian, the automatic W based on his third-place finish last year at NCAA’s (not to mention the fact that Patty Gallagher lost this past weekend at the Michigan State Open) understand two things: First, Andonian placed third at 149 lbs. While middleweights don’t tend to have the same growing pains as lightweights, there is still something to be said about moving up in weight against someone like Paddy, who has spent the last few years at 157 (high school included). Second, Chumbley from Northwestern is an absolute dog to wrestle, and Gallagher is still trying to navigate strategy for the duration of a seven-minute match.

Technique

As far as X's & O’s go, this matchup has the potential to go a number of different ways. In the neutral position, one thing stands out technically, and that is there isn't enough money in the world to get me to take a head inside single against Bryce Andonian. Check out the difference, in how long it takes someone to score when they take a head inside single as opposed to a head outside single. 

On a much more subtle note from the bottom position, Bryce Andonian is a terror to try to ride. Watch how Ridge Lovett from Nebraska finds out the hard way that you can’t throw one leg again against Andonian, you must throw both legs in. 

Lets Talk Tactics

Bryce Andonian is lights out on the edge of the mat. Last year at the NCAA tournament Andonian wrestled John Milner twice, once in the round of 16, and once in the consolation semifinals. Both times Andonian wound up scoring big points on the edge of the mat. 

If I had the luxury of having every one of Bryce Andonian‘s college matches on film, I’d venture to bet that 60 to 75% of his points are scored with his opponent out of bounds and no more than one of his toenails inside the cylinder. With that in mind, Paddy Gallagher had better mind his position when approaching the edge of the mat if he wants to keep things close against Andonian.

Paddy Gallagher 

Gallagher is as fundamentally sound and positionally strong as a freshman gets. He generally doesn’t put himself in dangerous situations, however, that is a far greater task in practice than it is in theory against someone that can cause as much chaos as Bryce Andonian. 

The Keys Is In The Hand-Fight

Gallagher is not a volume shooter. The attacks that he takes generally come after multiple minutes of hand fighting. The benefit to hand fighting for that long before you take a shot is that more times than not the finish becomes far easier. Look how easily Gallagher finishes this shot against Jaxon Garoutte of UVU. 

What the video doesn’t show is that Patty Gallagher spent the entire first-period hand-fighting to set up that takedown. That type of commitment to the hand-fight pays off in two ways.  It softens up the legs and lower back of your opponent and also gives you a good beat on the timing of your opponent's hands and feet. Finishing a leg attack is far easier when you know where your opponent will be, combine that with an opponent who breaks position due to fatigue, and the two points are imminent.

The Tactics Are Simple In The Ohio State Corner

Remember when we talked Bryce Andonian's uncanny ability to defend a head inside single? Well, Patty Gallagher probably won’t be shooting too many of those. Gallagher’s go-to leg attack is and has been his a high-crotch. That bodes well for him if he wants to finish cleanly against the returning All-American.