Before the season, it seemed like either redshirt freshman Nelson Brands or senior Cash Wilcke would be competing for the starting spot at 184-pounds. No one else was in the picture.

But when head coach Tom Brands pulled the redshirt off freshman Abe Assad in January, everything changed.

Assad has already earned the respect of the nation with his 19-5 record, being ranked nationally at No. 8 by InterMat. When “Ironman” by Black Sabbath came on this season at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Assad’s opponents knew they had to grind it out and be smart if they wanted to win.

It was evident what Assad could do when he finished second at Midlands while being unattached. He won two matches by sudden victory, one by technical fall, and one by fall. The fall was over now-No.15 Zach Braunagel of Illinois.

When Assad got his redshirt pulled, he won four consecutive matches, two of those on the road. Though all these wins were just by decision, it proved he was a force in the Big Ten on the best team in the nation.

During that streak, Assad defeated now-No.10 Taylor Venz of Nebraska and now-No. 13 Rocky Jordan of Ohio State, both at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. When Assad was wrestling, Hawkeye fans knew they were seeing something special that they would have three more seasons to enjoy.

Who knows who Brands will send to the Big Ten Championship at 184-pounds? If it’s not Assad, Hawkeye fans have had a great time seeing a taste of what’s in store for the future. But if it’s Assad, he has a great chance of making the NCAA Championships, which no one saw coming before this season.