Penn State wrestling is having a banner year. What else is new? One of college wrestling’s greatest players turned coach at the helm of one of the most decorated wrestling programs ever tends to have that effect. Under Cael Sanderson, dominant wins and NCAA titles are equivalent to just another day at the office. Nonetheless, despite the Nittany Lions achievements, it doesn’t stop being an absolute spectacle to witness. And it certainly doesn’t stop the Nittany Lions’ many admirers from expressing their awe.

From across campus, James Franklin, the coach of Penn State Football, is one such admirer. As Penn State cruised to victory against their closest rivals, Iowa, Franklin emphasized that the wrestling team was a complete package from recruitment to training to winning assertively. “Cael does an unbelievable job. We’ve gotten pretty close. He came and spoke to our team twice this year. Just had a great message for our guys. They recruit well, they develop well, they understand what it’s all about. It’s not just about winning; it’s about dominating.”

Speaking to Big Ten Wrestling, Franklin was effusive in his assessment of Cael Sanderson’s time at Penn State. “He’s done an unbelievable job; obviously, as you guys know better than me, the success that they’ve been able to have and the dominant force that they’ve been in college wrestling is like nothing that’s been done before.”

The coach then continued to highlight the manner in which Sanderson’s wrestlers won their bouts: “I love when they’re active and they’re aggressive, and Cael does a great job with that. Our guys always press, continue to put pressure on guys throughout the match, and just, it’s fun to be a part of it.”

With Cael Sanderson, the Nittany Lions just win and win and then win some more. Outside the program, there is no shortage of praise for their performances. But what do those within have to say?

Cael Sanderson and the team’s self-assessment

Well, if you ask the man himself, Sanderson is only focused on the present; he’s quick to downplay the dynasty he’s built at Penn State. “No, no. We don’t think about that stuff. I mean, we’re just trying to, you know, we’re thinking about our next match and getting better and just doing what we do,” he said in the post-dual presser after the win against Iowa.

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Cael Sanderson also emphasized that his team remained unburdened by their predecessors’ success. “This team’s not worried about anything that happened in previous years. They’re just doing what they do. And just competing hard. They wrestle pretty dang good; it’s a really good team we saw tonight.” Sanderson is clearly proud of his wrestlers but doesn’t let the noise affect his goals for the season.

Similarly, star wrestler Tyler Kasak also doesn’t let any of the outside pressure or hype affect what happens on the mat. After all, for him and the team, winning is not the end but rather a means to an end. “I think this team is pretty special, he said. “So, when you go against the No. 2 team in the country and you kinda handle ‘em pretty well, I felt like not even as far as the scoreboard but as far as effort and just attitude, it felt like everyone was pumped up and everyone was just having fun. It’s like the bigger the matches, the more fun we end up having, and the more free I feel like I get, and I feed off that with the guys in the team.”

Come March, the Nittany Lions are likely to add yet another trophy to their glittering trophy cabinet. As it stands, no other program looks to be able to mount a real title challenge. Especially since the Nittany Lions just steamrolled their closest challenger in Iowa. But the question is, can Cael Sanderson and his friend James Franklin both end the season on a high, winning dual NCAA titles?