2024 Offseason

[Big Bird]

Tanner Gerber, Trae Thilmony, and starter Landon Johnson all entered the portal before it closed. If you count Negrete, that is 6 starters....

17 guys are gone (could be more, but I've lost count) since the regular season ended...

That. is. not. normal. Even in this portal age, that many guys leaving is not remotely normal.

Thank god coach Blanc has been been proactive in the portal and added....a backup Hwt from Northern Colorado and a junior college 197.

Their 2025 class is non-existent too.

[Big Bird]

NDSU added Devin Wasley a 174 from Minnesota. Has gone 10-13 against D1 competition through his first two years.

He beat both Adam Cherne and Mason Gode last year, while beating Brendan Howes and Mannix Morgan the year before. Lost to Sax and Habisch in the 2023 season.

Unlikely to be an NCAA qualifier, but he's serviceable and this team needs to take anything they can get.

[PaBizon]

Nothing is normal anymore. Good grief. It’s changed. Grow up and deal with it. If you want Obe fired just say it.

[PaBizon]

Wrestle stat rankings for those that went the portal route. Ranking is for their individual weight class.

Valeazquez #351
Licht #267
Gerber #243
Klohs #214
Thilmony #197
Mills #186
Gode #162
Bentz #139
Duda #92
Johnson #96 (if he’s in as he doesn’t show up there on Wrestlestat)
Barretto #62
Negrete #61
Mooberry #38
Dawson #33
Sax #13

Most were (all but Dawson I believe) recruits that Kish signed off on. They didn’t lose anything but practice bodies other than Sax and Sax isn’t a shoo in starter at Oklahoma having lost to Pickilo more than he’s beat him. I’m glad he opened up a connection with a Minnesota transfer and hopefully there will be more. I still think getting Burwick to come home would be big. This IS the new norm in college sports for mid major programs. It wouldn’t surprise me if many of these kids were asked to leave.

[NDSU_grad]

Wrestle stat rankings for those that went the portal route. Ranking is for their individual weight class.

Valeazquez #351
Licht #267
Gerber #243
Klohs #214
Thilmony #197
Mills #186
Gode #162
Bentz #139
Duda #92
Johnson #96 (if he’s in as he doesn’t show up there on Wrestlestat)
Barretto #62
Negrete #61
Mooberry #38
Dawson #33
Sax #13

Most were (all but Dawson I believe) recruits that Kish signed off on. They didn’t lose anything but practice bodies other than Sax and Sax isn’t a shoo in starter at Oklahoma having lost to Pickilo more than he’s beat him. I’m glad he opened up a connection with a Minnesota transfer and hopefully there will be more. I still think getting Burwick to come home would be big. This IS the new norm in college sports for mid major programs. It wouldn’t surprise me if many of these kids were asked to leave.

If we get Burwick we’ll be better at 8 weights compared to last year, even with all these defections. I’m with you; we need a total rebuild after what Kish did and if Obe wants to do it through high school recruits and not the portal, then I’m going to give him time before I want him run out of town.
The wrestling community’s small; literally everybody I talked to said we upgraded when Obe replaced Kish. And the Hidlay’s are some of the most respected young names in the sport.

[AKBison]

Getting Kyle would be huge! It gives us casual fans another reason to keep tabs on the program. I follow along by checking Bisonville, watch maybe one dual year, watch a good chunk of the Big XII's, and then NCAA's. After the team was gutted in 23, it definitely made it tough to follow along. I bet I knew more about Oklahoma State's and Iowa State's roster last year then NDSU's.

[PaBizon]

Having ND kids on the roster is always a win. IMO I think it would be good for Kyle too. Get out of the BigTen quagmire and make some noise in the Big 12.

[Big Bird]

Getting Kyle would be huge! It gives us casual fans another reason to keep tabs on the program. I follow along by checking Bisonville, watch maybe one dual year, watch a good chunk of the Big XII's, and then NCAA's. After the team was gutted in 23, it definitely made it tough to follow along. I bet I knew more about Oklahoma State's and Iowa State's roster last year then NDSU's.

Burwick is coming home.

https://twitter.com/NDSUwrestling/st...26555535392828

[Big Bird]

If we get Burwick we’ll be better at 8 weights compared to last year, even with all these defections. I’m with you; we need a total rebuild after what Kish did and if Obe wants to do it through high school recruits and not the portal, then I’m going to give him time before I want him run out of town.
The wrestling community’s small; literally everybody I talked to said we upgraded when Obe replaced Kish. And the Hidlay’s are some of the most respected young names in the sport.

I would hate to lose Hidlay:

https://twitter.com/MatScouts1/statu...37481882247328

[PaBizon]

Hidlay was never going to be here long term. Similar to Derek St John who was here for a cup of coffee before moving on to bigger things.