2023-2024 Season

[PaBizon]

IDK, kind of up to him. Sax wasn't good from neutral when he was a very tall and skinny 149, and he has worked to now be effective enough from neutral to get to his dominating mat wrestling. Sax has always seemed to know what to do when guys get in on his legs, but Johnson doesn't have that yet. The blueprint for Johnson is in the room, but it won't come easy.

Johnson has to get better from bottom too. He's been really bad from bottom this year and guys who aren't good from neutral need to be able to get away quickly to give themselves free points and more chances from neutral. I also don't see him as being as effective on top as Sax was when he was at 149. His half is violent, but need to do better at keeping his hips tight when riding and diversify his turns.

One difference for me between the two is you could see Sax getting bigger from year to year. To me (and my opinion only) I don’t see any noticeable physical difference in Johnson from last year to now. At the end of last season he wrestled some matches at 165 which made me think he had room for physical growth but I don’t see that happening. It seems like he’s going to be a lanky 157 pounder that may not be strong enough for that weight class. Maybe he’s a late bloomer and will get stronger but I don’t see it. Hope I’m wrong.

[PaBizon]

Pettigrew was a big time recruit who was available in the portal late in the offseason after we had the mass exodus. He was one of the available portal guys that was worth a scholarship

Do we know they didn’t offer him???

[Big Bird]

Dawson ends the day with his worst match of the day and takes a bad 4-2 loss

[NDSU_grad]

IDK, kind of up to him. Sax wasn't good from neutral when he was a very tall and skinny 149, and he has worked to now be effective enough from neutral to get to his dominating mat wrestling. Sax has always seemed to know what to do when guys get in on his legs, but Johnson doesn't have that yet. The blueprint for Johnson is in the room, but it won't come easy.

Johnson has to get better from bottom too. He's been really bad from bottom this year and guys who aren't good from neutral need to be able to get away quickly to give themselves free points and more chances from neutral. I also don't see him as being as effective on top as Sax was when he was at 149. His half is violent, but need to do better at keeping his hips tight when riding and diversify his turns.

Sax was the first guy I thought of too. But it seemed liked Sax would have somewhat tight matches against decent competition, while Johnson is getting dominated on his feet by everybody he wrestles. I think best case scenario is he grows into a three-class jump like Sax did. I think his natural athletic ability would best be suited for a 174/184.

[PaBizon]

Sax was the first guy I thought of too. But it seemed liked Sax would have somewhat tight matches against decent competition, while Johnson is getting dominated on his feet by everybody he wrestles. I think best case scenario is he grows into a three-class jump like Sax did. I think his natural athletic ability would best be suited for a 174/184.

Define close losses. Was today against Picklo a close loss ?

[NDSU_grad]

Define close losses. Was today against Picklo a close loss ?

Full disclosure. I’m going completely off memory. Maybe what I should have said is even though Sax was bad on his feet as a RS freshman (and still has his struggles), imo he was light years ahead of where Johnson is right now.

[PaBizon]

Full disclosure. I’m going completely off memory. Maybe what I should have said is even though Sax was bad on his feet as a RS freshman (and still has his struggles), imo he was light years ahead of where Johnson is right now.

Sax
2021 0-0
2022 15-12 (11-12 against D1 competition)
2023 12-12
2024 5-2 (going into this weekend)

Johnson
2023 13-3 (4-3 against D1 competition)
2024 5-6 (going into this weekend)

Looks very similar

[NDSU_grad]

Sax
2021 0-0
2022 15-12 (11-12 against D1 competition)
2023 12-12
2024 5-2 (going into this weekend)

Johnson
2023 13-3 (4-3 against D1 competition)
2024 5-6 (going into this weekend)

Looks very similar

I hope you’re right, and Johnson can get to where Sax is now.

[Big Bird]

Peterson wins 4-2

[Big Bird]

No idea how, because the stream was playing a different match, but Sax came back to win 4-3