By David Herder
NUsports.com Insider
EVANSTON, Ill. — After missing a month with a lower body injury, Tyler Morland is still getting his competitive legs back under him. In overtime against Minnesota it was not his legs that gave way, as Morland drove his opponent by down the thighs for the sudden-death takedown and his second career Big Ten victory. No matter the weight on his legs, be it from injuries, the pressure of his first Big Ten bouts or the literal weight of an opponent, Morland is making the most of his opportunities.
"I knew that if I went into overtime that I could fire off one good attack," Morland said. "Taking a month off, out of wrestling, I could get on the bike as much as I want but it's nothing like wrestling a wrestling match. I can wrestle as many matches as I want in practice, but it's not going to build until I wrestle real life matches. It's just getting those under my belt."
The 165-pound slot had been a rotating door for Northwestern this season. As a redshirt-first year, Morland opened the year as the starter, replacing the graduated Michael Sepke. But then Morland got hurt, and the Wildcats cycled through four wrestlers at 165 in five duals. Through those the first five duals, NU only picked up points when Ryan Deakin wrestled up a weight class against Cal Poly.
But after opening the season as the starting 165-pound wrestler, Morland took December off to rehab, missing the Midlands, and has come back strong. Morland year picked up his first collegiate dual victory against top-ranked Penn State and, this weekend, against Minnesota, Morland dominated his bout before a late takedown forced overtime, but Morland showed no signs of rust or heavy legs in the extra period.
"He's just coming back," Deakin said. "We're going to see him jump well this year really quick."
"It's great to see Ty competing, and getting close to the level we know he's capable of," said head coach Matt Storniolo. "He's still knocking the rust off, he's still trying to get his in-match conditioning up to where it needs to be to compete against the best guys in the country, but he's going in a good direction."
Morland will likely improve with each competitive match, not just as he builds back strength after the injury but as he acclimates to the collegiate stage after wrestling unattached last year. He has patiently made progress away from competition, proving a tough practice partner for Deakin, learning from the sideline and waiting for his moment. As the third period was ending against Minnesota, Morland stayed patient. He did not push his luck by riskily trying escape to break the tie, he held on for overtime. And there, he found his moment.
"We'd like to see him win boring, and do it in seven minutes or less," Storniolo said. "But coming away with an overtime win is a lot better than an overtime loss. Gave him a little extra time to work on that conditioning."
NUsports.com Insider
EVANSTON, Ill. — After missing a month with a lower body injury, Tyler Morland is still getting his competitive legs back under him. In overtime against Minnesota it was not his legs that gave way, as Morland drove his opponent by down the thighs for the sudden-death takedown and his second career Big Ten victory. No matter the weight on his legs, be it from injuries, the pressure of his first Big Ten bouts or the literal weight of an opponent, Morland is making the most of his opportunities.
"I knew that if I went into overtime that I could fire off one good attack," Morland said. "Taking a month off, out of wrestling, I could get on the bike as much as I want but it's nothing like wrestling a wrestling match. I can wrestle as many matches as I want in practice, but it's not going to build until I wrestle real life matches. It's just getting those under my belt."
The 165-pound slot had been a rotating door for Northwestern this season. As a redshirt-first year, Morland opened the year as the starter, replacing the graduated Michael Sepke. But then Morland got hurt, and the Wildcats cycled through four wrestlers at 165 in five duals. Through those the first five duals, NU only picked up points when Ryan Deakin wrestled up a weight class against Cal Poly.
But after opening the season as the starting 165-pound wrestler, Morland took December off to rehab, missing the Midlands, and has come back strong. Morland year picked up his first collegiate dual victory against top-ranked Penn State and, this weekend, against Minnesota, Morland dominated his bout before a late takedown forced overtime, but Morland showed no signs of rust or heavy legs in the extra period.
"He's just coming back," Deakin said. "We're going to see him jump well this year really quick."
"It's great to see Ty competing, and getting close to the level we know he's capable of," said head coach Matt Storniolo. "He's still knocking the rust off, he's still trying to get his in-match conditioning up to where it needs to be to compete against the best guys in the country, but he's going in a good direction."
Morland will likely improve with each competitive match, not just as he builds back strength after the injury but as he acclimates to the collegiate stage after wrestling unattached last year. He has patiently made progress away from competition, proving a tough practice partner for Deakin, learning from the sideline and waiting for his moment. As the third period was ending against Minnesota, Morland stayed patient. He did not push his luck by riskily trying escape to break the tie, he held on for overtime. And there, he found his moment.
"We'd like to see him win boring, and do it in seven minutes or less," Storniolo said. "But coming away with an overtime win is a lot better than an overtime loss. Gave him a little extra time to work on that conditioning."