Indiana University Athletics
Blanton Returns To Underdog Form
1/31/2016 12:17:00 PM | Wrestling
By: Sam Beishuizen, IUHoosiers.com | Twitter
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Luke Blanton hasn't been wrestling like himself the last few weeks.
After climbing into the national rankings at 149 pounds a month ago, Blanton lost his edge.
His coaches saw it, teammates saw it. Most importantly, Blanton knew it. It was starting to weigh in and frustrate him in practice because he wasn't competing like a 20th-ranked wrestler fighting for a bid in the NCAA Tournament.
Last Thursday, Indiana head coach Duane Goldman pulled Blanton aside in practice and was blunt with him. He told him he wasn't wrestling like himself since getting a ranking next to his name and needed to return to form if he wanted to realize his potential.
"You need to start wrestling like Luke Blanton again," Goldman told him.
Just over 24 hours later, the "old" Luke Blanton showed up.
Blanton picked up his fourth win over a ranked opponent with a 6-2 upset victory over No. 11 Hunter Stieber of the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes. For Blanton, it was a welcome return to form.
"I got back to what I did to get to where I am," Blanton said. "That's what made the difference."
Recap: Hoosiers Win Three Against Defending Champs Ohio State
By all accounts, Blanton's redshirt sophomore season has been a breakout year already, and even he's not sure why. He said he's not doing anything differently this season than in years past but has managed to find results he hadn't been able to get in his first two years at Indiana.
"Something clicked this year and I'm starting to get the Ws," Blanton said. "I mean, I'll take it."
Managing the expectations to have come with the newfound success has been the hurdle Blanton is still trying to clear. Unlike many of the ranked wrestlers he's beaten this season, Blanton wasn't exposed to the national wrestling scene in his youth and is still fresh to facing the nation's best wrestlers.
Goldman said Blanton has thrived best as an underdog this season. He said it's allowed him to wrestle aggressively without fear of suffering a loss.
But once the national ranking got tacked in front of his name, Goldman said Blanton lost the underdog mentality he'd been using as fuel. After spending a few weeks trying to figure out the problem, Blanton said he's starting to bring that role back.
You can't change yourself," Goldman said. "You've got to be who you are, and that's what he got back to."
As he walked off the mat with after his win over Stieber, Blanton tossed his headgear to nobody in particular and was greeted with an earful of advice from associate head coach Nick Simmons.
Former Olympic gold medalist Shelby Wilson, who frequently spends time with Indiana, stopped Blanton in his tracks as he made his way toward the locker room and tapered any potential celebration. He immediately gave Blanton a few things he needed to work on in practice in the upcoming week to stay in shape for Indiana's upcoming match against Iowa.
Because Blanton's already seen what happens when he slows down. And if he wants to qualify for March's NCAA Tournament, the underdog mentality can't go away.
"It was good for him to get back," Goldman said. "Now it has to be, can he keep doing it no matter who he wrestles and no matter what the outcome?"
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Luke Blanton hasn't been wrestling like himself the last few weeks.
After climbing into the national rankings at 149 pounds a month ago, Blanton lost his edge.
His coaches saw it, teammates saw it. Most importantly, Blanton knew it. It was starting to weigh in and frustrate him in practice because he wasn't competing like a 20th-ranked wrestler fighting for a bid in the NCAA Tournament.
Last Thursday, Indiana head coach Duane Goldman pulled Blanton aside in practice and was blunt with him. He told him he wasn't wrestling like himself since getting a ranking next to his name and needed to return to form if he wanted to realize his potential.
"You need to start wrestling like Luke Blanton again," Goldman told him.
Just over 24 hours later, the "old" Luke Blanton showed up.
Blanton picked up his fourth win over a ranked opponent with a 6-2 upset victory over No. 11 Hunter Stieber of the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes. For Blanton, it was a welcome return to form.
"I got back to what I did to get to where I am," Blanton said. "That's what made the difference."
Recap: Hoosiers Win Three Against Defending Champs Ohio State
By all accounts, Blanton's redshirt sophomore season has been a breakout year already, and even he's not sure why. He said he's not doing anything differently this season than in years past but has managed to find results he hadn't been able to get in his first two years at Indiana.
"Something clicked this year and I'm starting to get the Ws," Blanton said. "I mean, I'll take it."
Managing the expectations to have come with the newfound success has been the hurdle Blanton is still trying to clear. Unlike many of the ranked wrestlers he's beaten this season, Blanton wasn't exposed to the national wrestling scene in his youth and is still fresh to facing the nation's best wrestlers.
Goldman said Blanton has thrived best as an underdog this season. He said it's allowed him to wrestle aggressively without fear of suffering a loss.
But once the national ranking got tacked in front of his name, Goldman said Blanton lost the underdog mentality he'd been using as fuel. After spending a few weeks trying to figure out the problem, Blanton said he's starting to bring that role back.
You can't change yourself," Goldman said. "You've got to be who you are, and that's what he got back to."
As he walked off the mat with after his win over Stieber, Blanton tossed his headgear to nobody in particular and was greeted with an earful of advice from associate head coach Nick Simmons.
Former Olympic gold medalist Shelby Wilson, who frequently spends time with Indiana, stopped Blanton in his tracks as he made his way toward the locker room and tapered any potential celebration. He immediately gave Blanton a few things he needed to work on in practice in the upcoming week to stay in shape for Indiana's upcoming match against Iowa.
Because Blanton's already seen what happens when he slows down. And if he wants to qualify for March's NCAA Tournament, the underdog mentality can't go away.
"It was good for him to get back," Goldman said. "Now it has to be, can he keep doing it no matter who he wrestles and no matter what the outcome?"
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