Tuesday, February 8, 2022
Smith reflects on Missouri loss, previews Iowa dual
Molly Jolliff
Braden Bush Staff Reporter
our mindset toward riding a little bit.” On Luke Surber “He came out ready (against SDSU) and he came out ready yesterday (against Missouri). I had no problems with what happened. I mean, you’re a On Monday, OSU coach John Smith discussed Cowboy, you don’t get pinned, first off. That’s the only on his weekly radio show the Cowboys’ loss to Misthing (I didn’t like). Find a way to get your feet on the souri on Sunday. mat and bridge off the mat.” On Carter Young against Missouri Here’s what he had to say. “We needed a major decision. I mean, basically I told him that right before the match. This is a guy you Opening statement gotta go out and major. Not that (Young) wrestled bad, “I thought we came back with a little bit of inhe just kept going back to the same old and getting his tensity in the first period. Six of our 10 weight classes ankles tied up. All of a sudden, we’re spending three that we did win, we scored in the first period with minutes of a seven-minute match getting untangled.” takedowns. Two of them that we did lose, at 41 and 97, On being compared to Missouri we didn’t score (takedowns in the first period).” “Somebody told me (TV announcers) compared On Dustin Plott (Missouri) to us. They’re not compared to us. I don’t “For right now, I think he is trying to find a level know what they’re talking about. We’re 19-7 against of confidence to be stable. It’s not something that’s un- them. I don’t even know if they’ve placed ahead of us common. I don’t think he’s where he needs to be, but in the national tournament. But they’re a competitive that’s okay. Let’s just keep plugging along and make team and they’re good.” sure that you keep working. Be a man about things.” On Travis Wittlake against Missouri On Dakota Geer “I liked what Travis did, I liked his aggression. “Seven takedowns (against South Dakota State) I liked his demeanor out there. He was (mad) after the and can’t score one (against) Missouri. Are you kidmatch. I love that, I hadn’t seen a whole lot of emoding me? Jiminy Christmas. For Dakota, we just need tion. This generation won’t give you a lot of emoto stay focused on his takedowns and start shifting tion. Go throw your headgear, but do it in the back or
something.” On decision at 125 against the Tigers “We had guys that we probably could have put out there better than (Alex Yokubaitis), but you’ve also got rules to follow. Reece Witcraft is in redshirt. We want to keep him in redshirt. You pull these guys out for a match and they’re out; that’s it for the season. It counts as a season for one match. A lot of hard decisions to make. If I had to do it again, I’d probably go with the same thing I did.” On Saturday’s dual against Iowa “This is what you come here for, these opportunities. Even though we’ve been hit a little bit and smacked around a little bit, you know what, let’s just be a man and let’s go prepare properly this week. Take an attitude that maybe we haven’t had all year as we head down there. Something bigger and better.”
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