Almost everyone in Happy Valley refers to Jeff Byers as “Ironhead.” Or at least they’re familiar with the nickname. Byers gained the designation as a Penn State student (see my February 2017 column for details), and the moniker has grown in popularity during his decades of work in local radio and his 35 years as the voice of Penn State wrestling.
But even though the Ironhead persona is well established, no one in Happy Valley would ever refer to Byers as “Ironheart.” Everyone who knows Jeff appreciates the fact that this State College resident is passionate about his family, his community, his work and his favorite Pittsburgh-based sports teams.
When it comes to Nittany Lion wrestling, Byers loves not only the athletic results but also the attitudes and values behind those results. And that’s why our annual mid-March conversation focused as much on the remarkable culture of Coach Cael Sanderson’s team as it did on whether Carter Starocci can overcome injury to win his fourth national championship or whether the team can set a new NCAA scoring record.
To start things off, how is life? Not only are you immersed in your 35th year of broadcasting Penn State wrestling, but you’re a mainstay—on the air and off—with the new radio station, Sports Radio 97.8 The Fox.
Byers: I’m definitely busy, but it’s fun getting reconnected on a more intense level with the local sports scene. I do love the high school sports and the Penn State sports. I like getting back in touch with all of the different elements of sports life in our area. And I like the news talk show we’re doing (“Let’s Talk” airs Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.) because we’re able to tap into the community at large.
How does it feel to be sitting matside to broadcast for one of the great wrestling dynasties in history? Do you ever wonder, “What did I do to deserve this?”
Byers: It has been a lot of fun, and I will truthfully say that what makes it fun is not just that Penn State’s wrestlers are winning. They genuinely are good people doing it the right way, and I think that’s significant. At every arena we go to on the road, there’s a group of kids that’ll come up afterwards, and I have never seen one of our wrestlers or coaches not sign an autograph.
Have you caught yourself taking things for granted at times this year?
Byers: No. I truly am impressed with what this year’s team is doing. At the start of the year, I thought they had a chance to be a historically great team and there’s nothing they’ve done to change my mind about that. The Big Ten Championships were remarkable because the expectations were so high for the team. Even with Carter Starocci injury defaulting two bouts, you still end up shattering the school record for most team points at Big Tens. Of Penn State’s four contested losses, three came against top seeds and the other was a number two seed beating Beau Bartlett. So basically, if you weren’t a number one seed Penn State was beating you.
What are your biggest takeaways from the Big Tens?
Byers: I think one is the job that this coaching staff does in developing guys and getting them to peak at the right time of the year to perform in the biggest moments. What was really interesting was to watch Braeden Davis and Tyler Kasak, a couple of true freshmen who were not expected to be the guys at their weights at the start of the season. So you had injuries there (Robbie Howard at 125 pounds; Shayne Van Ness at 149 pounds) and the door opens. I don’t care how good you are at the high school level. It’s a different grind when you get to the college season — you have another minute in the first period, it’s a longer season, there’s no hiding from anybody in the Big Ten. The way they performed in the Big Ten tournament (Davis, a No. 6 seed, placed first; Kasak, a No. 4 seed, took third) is a testament to the coaching staff’s ability to manage kids and get the best out of them.
We’ll talk about NCAA nationals a bit later, but remaining where we are chronologically, if you were to film a movie about the 2023-24 season thus far, what would be some scenes to include?
Byers: Well, I think Braeden Davis and his run at the Big Ten tournament. Andy Elder, a long-time wrestling beat writer, was the first one who pointed out that Davis, a true freshman, beat three sixth-year seniors and a fifth-year senior to win the 125-pound title. So he beat guys with a combined 23 years of collegiate experience, and he’s been at it for five or six months. And Mitchell Mesenbrink’s win over Dean Hamiti to capture the title at 165 pounds. Here’s a redshirt freshman defeating the reigning Big Ten champ after trailing 9-2 midway in the bout.
What can you tell me about this wonder boy named Mitchell Mesenbrink? He seems really special.
Byers: One thing is the mentality of fearlessness, a quality that the great ones at Penn State have had. He’s not afraid to try something, and he doesn’t get worried if he gets taken down or even taken down three times as happened against Hamiti. He knows that he’s just going to keep coming and he knows how good he is, but he also is humble enough to know there’s room for improvement. And there’s the passion that he has for the sport; it exudes out of him. It’s a marriage made in heaven between this guy who loves wrestling and the Rec Hall crowds.
Was there any joking on the team bus going home after the Big Ten finals? Mesenbrink’s crazy comeback against Hamiti made me think of broadcaster Bob Prince, who used to say, “We had ‘em all the way.”
Byers: Well, I could hear Mitchell talking. I was sitting toward the front of the bus, but I could hear him talking back there. And the one thing he said was, “I am going to keep coming. I am going to find a way to get takedowns.” But I don’t think there was any teasing. It was genuine joy for what he did and the comeback, but I don’t know that anybody was surprised by it. He’s just a really special kid. He has a very unique perspective on life and the way he approaches things.
Are you at all concerned by Beau Bartlett who seemed to me to have regressed a bit into being defensive on his feet?
Byers: No, I don’t think so. I think he’s wrestling very well. Jesse Mendez (second seeded at Big Tens; the top seed at NCAAs) is outstanding. Mendez is an elite talent and they’re both really, really good — both right there as national title contenders. I think Beau has the right mindset. I think he knows he’s going to go out and win a national title, and he’ll make some tweaks to do it.
And of course, the big drama is all about Carter Starocci. There he was on February 25, taking care of business against Edinboro and all of a sudden he’s injured… then there’s the debate about whether he should wrestle in the Big Tens… and then there’s a post-tournament Tweet with Carter [suggesting] he was leaving the team. How do you make sense out of all this?
Byers: I think he is obviously a fierce competitor, a guy who wants to show his warrior mentality and prove himself no matter what. I think it was just one of those risk-reward things and the risk wasn’t worth the potential reward at the Big Ten tournament when you’re this close to the NCAAs. And so I think it was the right decision. I understand Carter’s frustration. I think he wanted the chance to go out and compete. And he felt like he could win a Big Ten title, but I think he’ll use that energy and show up in a big way in Kansas City.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when the news broke on Starocci being seeded ninth for NCAA nationals. Does this suggest a bias against the Sanderson dynasty?
Byers: Well, they are now using a formula, and it’s taken the human judgment out of it to a large degree. So the fact that Carter didn’t have enough matches to qualify for the RPI (ratings percentage index) and the fact that he did not place at the Big Ten tournament left him as the 9th seed. I think moving forward there will be some adjustments for situations like this. I don’t think it much matters to Carter but I think for a guy like Mekhi Lewis, it’s a pretty tough deal when you’re the number one seed and you get a three-time national champion, potentially, in your quarterfinal bout.
I saw that Cael Sanderson was named the Big Ten’s Wrestling Coach of the Year—“only” the eighth time he’s been selected out of his 15 years at Penn State. They could probably give this award to Cael every year, but did he do something extra-special this year?
Byers: I think this team is going to go down as one of the greatest in history. And when you look at how Cael and his staff put this team together, it has not been a situation where everything has gone Penn State’s way. First Shayne Van Ness gets injured. Then you’re thinking Robbie Howard is going to get a full season under his belt, but that doesn’t happen. The coaches have handled everything in a way that’s looked effortless. But obviously, when you make it look that easy, hard work is going on behind the scenes. This is not meant as any disrespect to Dan Gable or Ed Gallagher or other great coaches, but to me it’s hard to argue against Cael Sanderson as the greatest coach in the history of the sport and maybe all of collegiate sports.
Can you share a quote or a story that capsulizes the culture of this team?
Byers: When Braeden Davis won his semifinal bout (in sudden victory), there was a little celebration with all the wrestlers who came to the tournament as workout partners. Cael talks a lot about the team buy-in and you know you have that buy-in when you’re seeing teammates and especially families of teammates reacting as though it’s their own kids winning when it’s somebody else’s kid. I think there’s a unique ability to check egos at the door while at the same time, trying to be the guy and trying to improve yourself.
The Big Ten Network’s Hannah Mears asked Aaron Brooks how he felt about joining legends David Taylor and Ed Ruth as four-time Big Ten champs. Brooks said, “That comes and goes. Once again, praise the Lord, God remains forever.” How do you explain someone like Brooks—or Greg Kerkvliet who offered a similar comment—working so hard for something seen as a secondary goal?
Byers: I think it is a part of the Penn State culture where wrestling is important to these guys, but it’s not defining them. And I think that is part of why they are able to go out and have the success they have. It’s like, “Well, let me go try to get this takedown. But if I don’t get it, I’ll go on and have a happy life. I’ll try to continue to get better; I’ll learn from it.”
So now it’s time for your annual Ironhead Awards to wrestlers who have made unique contributions to the Penn State program. After that, we’ll talk about the upcoming national tournament. The first award goes for the “Most Valiant Performance in a Single Bout.”
Byers: Well, Bill, I’m probably going to be accused of recency bias. And there may be some of that, but it’d be hard to not go with Mesenbrink in his win over Hamiti. But I will say Braeden Davis’ run to the Big Ten finals and the title was pretty doggone special. And the other two I would throw in there would be the wins by Terrell Barraclough and Lucas Cochrane against Rutgers at the Jordan Center. I mean, both of them went up a weight class and knocked off ranked wrestlers (Barraclough beat Jackson Turley, then ranked 13th nationally, and Cochran beat eighth-ranked Yaraslau Slavikouski). That’s pretty special for guys who weren’t in Penn State’s regular lineup.
How about the “Most Valiant Performer for the Season”?
Byers: I’ll go with Braeden Davis, a hair before Tyler Kasak. In addition to his overall performance as a freshman, another reason to choose Davis is that he may have felt added pressure because of his weight class and the struggles that Penn State has had there in recent years. Braeden kept battling, even when he had a couple of results that didn’t go his way in February.
How about the “Greatest Off-Mat Contributor,” a recognition that goes to someone outside the regular lineup?
Byers: There are so many legitimate contenders. Donovan Ball, to me, is the consummate teammate and a guy who represents the program the way you want it represented. But I think of Terrell Barraclough who, if he had pouted, I would have said, “I get it.” He probably thought he would be the starter this year and then here comes Mitchell Mesenbrink (a transfer from California Baptist University) to set the world on fire. And Terrell had to take a back seat. But he remained very upbeat, very positive and I think very good for Mitchell. Baylor Shunk will work out with anybody anywhere. Lucas Cochran has been phenomenal and there’s David Evans and Connor Pierce. But Donovan Ball gets the edge from me. I think if you asked Aaron Brooks, he would tell you that Donovan Ball’s a big part of why he is where he’s at right now.
How about the “Most Overlooked Contributor?” That could be anybody — a star who just doesn’t get any ink or a reserve.
Byers: It might be Beau Bartlett just because he’s not as dominating as most of those guys that were ranked number one throughout the season. But if you look at his weight class (141 pounds), there are 11 automatic qualifiers out of the Big Ten from that weight class. So there was never an easy bout for Bartlett. And I think he’s one of those guys that, with the help of the coaching staff, has figured things out for himself. So that’s when you’re in good shape, when a guy who is seeded first for Big Tens and second at nationals is somehow overlooked.
So what are you anticipating for this year’s NCAA tournament? Are there some potential surprises?
Byers: Well, we’re hoping that there’s not a surprise with Carter and that his knee holds up. Obviously, if it does hold up, we’re hoping for him and Aaron Brooks to become the first four-time NCAA champs in Penn State history. I’ve talked to a couple of people this week and they’ve said, “All right, we know that Aaron Brooks is going to win.” Well, you don’t know that even though you think you know that. Do I like Aaron Brooks’ chances? I sure do. But there is nothing given in this sport, and the NCAA tournament is filled with minefields.
As for surprises, I think the two guys that will have a chance to surprise based on their seedings are Tyler Kasak, seeded seventh at 149 pounds and Bernie Truax, sixth at 184. I think Kasak has gone to another level in the last few weeks and is wrestling with a ton of confidence. I think he’s going to have a big showing at the NCAAs. Truax may be a little overlooked since he’s had some losses, but I think he and the coaches have made some adjustments with his game. He has a chance to make some noise at the NCAA tournament.
One last question. When we talked in November, you predicted Penn State would cross over that 170-point threshold to set a new NCAA team scoring record. But then Shayne Van Ness got hurt, and I think we both felt less bullish about that record. Do you now think it will happen?
Byers: There are a bunch of ways Penn State could pass that 170 mark, but they don’t necessarily have to match what the 1997 Iowa team did in terms of having five champions. I think Penn State could have three or four champions and with the bonus points and possibly 10 All-Americans, they could top that 170-point total. With the Nittany Lions’ track record in the semifinals and finals, I certainly like their chances to set the record. I think they really have eight or nine guys who could contend for titles and all 10 are certainly capable of getting on the podium at or near the top. It will be fun to see if they can break the record, but I really think they will.
