285- Ben
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Fryowa
Administrator
Feldman - L
Kerkvliet - L
Nevills - L
Andrews - L
Steveson - LOL
Morely - W
Hendrickson - L
Ain't happenin' this year. Keuter needs to decide what sport he wants to pursue. If he's going to continue to want to play football he needs to bounce to another school. He's not doing Brands any favors being gone a huge part of the season and he's not good enough to be elite doing both.
Yeah, he's a bit of a puzzle. Seems to have no confidence on his feet at all, even against guys of similar talent. The fact he said going into this wrestling season that he also planned to return to the Iowa football team in the spring (after skipping a year) suggests to me that he may see his future as making a living in football. Guess we'll see.
Fryowa
Administrator
Kueter is a classic case of big fish/small pond. It's why it's not usually wise to get hyped about these kind of guys. 95% of the kids he demolished in high school weren't college wrestling candidates to begin with, let alone top tier talent. There's no measuring stick that applies. Yep, freak athlete and a good football player, but Big Ten wrestling isn't like anything else out there. It's the best of the best of the best in the United States. All the athleticism in the world doesn't do you too much good if you don't have the head for it.
#1DieHardHawk
Well-Known Member
With Kueter, I think it sells him short to characterize his success as the result of being a big fish in a small pond.
Going undefeated in HS at any level is relatively rare. Only six others have ever accomplished that feat in Iowa.
The National Freestyle Championships and World Championships certainly represent "big ponds." He is a former U20 National champion in freestyle and U20 world champion, and was the runner up last year in FS, barely losing to the Iranian.
As for the rest of this season, the lineup definitely is challenging. Steveson, Kerkvliet and Hendrickson are definite losses. I actually think he'll have a chance with Nevills and Andrews.
With his frame, adding 25 lbs probably wouldn't negatively impact his quickness or tank. A Ben Kueter at around 255-260 could be a beast.
Going undefeated in HS at any level is relatively rare. Only six others have ever accomplished that feat in Iowa.
The National Freestyle Championships and World Championships certainly represent "big ponds." He is a former U20 National champion in freestyle and U20 world champion, and was the runner up last year in FS, barely losing to the Iranian.
As for the rest of this season, the lineup definitely is challenging. Steveson, Kerkvliet and Hendrickson are definite losses. I actually think he'll have a chance with Nevills and Andrews.
With his frame, adding 25 lbs probably wouldn't negatively impact his quickness or tank. A Ben Kueter at around 255-260 could be a beast.
Fryowa
Administrator
Compared to his current peers in his weight class I think it's valid. As much as I love FS more than folk, it's not really very relevant for this discussion. The two disciplines don't translate when you're talking college wrestling, and Kueter is a much better FS wrestler than he is folk.
The guys he has currently in his weight class were as good or better when they were in high school and they produced right out of the gate to a level that Kueter hasn't yet.
The biggest reason IMO is because he's messing around trying to be a dual sport athlete. Today's a different world and there's zero chance he's going to be very successful if he doesn't pick one or the other. I know directly from a source that, shall we say, is what I'd call reliable without dropping any names
that Brands does not want Kueter playing football. But to get him in the program that was his hangup before he'd even consider wrestling at Iowa. Youthful stubbornness and ignorance, because at 18 years old you get it set in your mind that you're superman and can do anything. When one of the greatest wrestlers and coaches in history (Brands) tells you it's not a great idea to play two sports you should probably listen, but there was no changing his mind. It's just not feasible to skip a huge part of the season when the rest of the guys in the weight class are wrestling 365 days a year. I don't know how else to say it.The other goofy part of it is Kueter is the absolute perfect specimen physically and stylistically for freestyle wrestling. He's stronger, faster, and more athletic overall than I'd say anyone in HWT folk right now including Steveson and Kerkvliet. FS is about explosiveness and quickness where folk is like we've said, about manipulation and control in position. I truly think if Kueter would shit can folk and football, and focus on freestyle he would easily be the next USA 125er in Los Angeles, and would give Zare and Petriashvilli a run for their money. He's just built for it but unfortunately there's not a real great way to make a decent living doing it in the US like there is over in the Spviet bloc countries. Most of the guys who do it here are living off pennies because they love it.
Unfortunately those things don't really translate into folk unless you spend all your time on it. Mason Parris was an elite HWT in college and got absolutely manhandled in Paris in the first round. There's a lot of other examples of it too.
#1DieHardHawk
Well-Known Member
My guess is that he will dip his toes in football one more time, then focus on wrestling. I agree, he's more built for FS, but I still think he'll make some noise in folk, especially if he packs some more muscle on that frame.Compared to his current peers in his weight class I think it's valid. As much as I love FS more than folk, it's not really very relevant for this discussion. The two disciplines don't translate when you're talking college wrestling, and Kueter is a much better FS wrestler than he is folk.
The guys he has currently in his weight class were as good or better when they were in high school and they produced right out of the gate to a level that Kueter hasn't yet.
The biggest reason IMO is because he's messing around trying to be a dual sport athlete. Today's a different world and there's zero chance he's going to be very successful if he doesn't pick one or the other. I know directly from a source that, shall we say, is what I'd call reliable without dropping any names
The other goofy part of it is Kueter is the absolute perfect specimen physically and stylistically for freestyle wrestling. He's stronger, faster, and more athletic overall than I'd say anyone in HWT folk right now including Steveson and Kerkvliet. FS is about explosiveness and quickness where folk is like we've said, about manipulation and control in position. I truly think if Kueter would shit can folk and football, and focus on freestyle he would easily be the next USA 125er in Los Angeles, and would give Zare and Petriashvilli a run for their money. He's just built for it but unfortunately there's not a real great way to make a decent living doing it in the US like there is over in the Spviet bloc countries. Most of the guys who do it here are living off pennies because they love it.
Unfortunately those things don't really translate into folk unless you spend all your time on it. Mason Parris was an elite HWT in college and got absolutely manhandled in Paris in the first round. There's a lot of other examples of it too.
I was a bit surprised with Paris. I thought he would present himself a little better. I wouldn't be surprised if he's much better this season, but I don't see him scaring the top guys.
I have a hard time picturing Kerkvliet being a force in FS. He could prove me wrong, but I just don't see the right skill set there. What do you think?
Fryowa
Administrator
Kerkvliet is a prototypical folk HWT, kinda lumbering compared to top FS guys but what do I know? A little like Parris, doesn’t have the explosiveness. When I look at Kueter I see the same build and body style as the middle eastern and Soviet bloc guys…compact and cut up. Steveson is the only guy I’ve seen built like a folk wrestler who dominated FS like that but he’s also not human. Steveson looks like he’s not even trying.
I’d really love to see Kueter just go straight FS but I get it, he has play the college game while he’s in school.
#1DieHardHawk
Well-Known Member
No doubt. He's an athletic freak.
With his income potential and FS dominance, I was surprised to see him come back. Not sure what the motivation is there, but he will steamroll the field.
Feldman sure didn't show much this afternoon for being ranked #6.
Today looked like the first time Kueter come onto the mat vs a Top 20 opponent with a sense of purpose on offense from the beginning. Underhooks, pushing Feldman around a bit. Didn't score off an offensive move, but what the heck -- some good defense, a successful scramble, a W. Maybe this will give him the confidence he needs.
Today looked like the first time Kueter come onto the mat vs a Top 20 opponent with a sense of purpose on offense from the beginning. Underhooks, pushing Feldman around a bit. Didn't score off an offensive move, but what the heck -- some good defense, a successful scramble, a W. Maybe this will give him the confidence he needs.
#1DieHardHawk
Well-Known Member
At his current weight, and with his length, Kueter's best approach might be to learn how to take advantage of those long arms and legs in the top position. He should watch film of guys that were tall for their weight class, such as Evan Wick and Ethan Lizak. A.J. Schopp also comes to mind.
Ben looks lost as soon as his opponent posts up while in the down position. He could be cradle terror if he devoted himself to it.
Ben looks lost as soon as his opponent posts up while in the down position. He could be cradle terror if he devoted himself to it.
Fryowa
Administrator
I’ll just say it…
If Keuter wants to be successful in the most elite level of freestyle wrestling he should drop to 97. Sorry, but unless he does that it ain’t gonna happen for him.
I know guys here are gonna say his frame is too big but he’s young and athletic enough to make it happen. He’d be unstoppable cutting 20 lbs because he can do it in a way that he maintains the athleticism.
He’ll never do it because he wants to play football and can’t do that with a body transformation, but physics is physics and him at 285 doesn’t compute. He’s got the genetics to be an assassin at 97 and he won’t need the bulky strength he needs at HWT. Genetically he’s a tiny HWT who has to bulk himself as much as possible but he’d be a monster 197. He fell into an unlucky spot where if there was a 220 lb weight class he’d go undefeated his whole career. But they ain’t got one in college so it is what it is.
#1DieHardHawk
Well-Known Member
In freestyle, yes, that probably would be his best approach. Kueter is a very good example why the NCAA needs a weight class between 97 and 285. I've always advocated for a 230 class.
As far as bulking up and learning how to use his long frame, I was exclusively referring to success at folk. Being a master at control from the top by sinking in the legs and working for cradles obviously is not the skill set for freestyle. If he does plan on sticking with folkstyle at the collegiate level for the next 3 years, his best bet will be to tack on 25 lbs and watch a lot of film of the guys I listed above.
