Most blue-chippers want to spend 6 years in the program, with a redshirt and an OLY redshirt. This covers guys like Mekhi, Hunter and Catka. Almost every starter generally wants to go 5 years. There are exceptions, especially with 125 and injuries..but those exceptions prove this rule: the decision should be the wrestler's. Bryce wanted to be the guy from day one and had no problem burning his shirt. Plus, he may not hold 5 years at 149, and there's a lot of competition at 157 and above, so they more time at 149, the better. It's the same for most 125 pounders, it's a difficult weight to hold for 5 years, so many guys choose to burn their shirt.

The freshman year is a perfect year for most guys to shirt, it give them a headstart on academics, allows them adjust to a higher level of competition and work on areas of weakness. The last is certainly true for a guy like Hillegas, who's a world beater on top, but has a ways to go in neutral.

Early on, Dresser had a ton of pressure from Weaver NOT to shirt guys their first year, as a response to the Tom Brands fiasco. He was also quick to pull a shirt due to injury. As time passed he was more likely to shirt a guy and would have shirted both Mekhi and Bolen, had Epperly not left.

I think we have the depth to shirt guys like Catka and Hillegas to set them up for success later in their career. Plus, it sets us up for a megarun in 21-22.
[Post edited by HokieLifer2 at 05/22/2020 2:08PM]