In high school, Austin Blythe set Iowa
state records and was recruited to wrestle at a NCAA Division 1 level, experience he says
created more than just physical advantages.
Mar 30, 2022 at 03:16 PM
Seahawks.com Contributor
Good morning, 12s. Here's a look at what's out there today —
Wednesday, March 30 — about your Seattle Seahawks.
Austin Blythe's
"Historic Wrestling Background"
A good pancake block by
an offensive lineman is similar in many ways to pinning an opponent on the
wrestling mat, and center Austin Blythe knows both feelings well.
"He's a different
makeup with his historic wrestling background being from Iowa and all shows up.
He's got a knack about it and how he moves and all that," head coach Pete
Carroll said earlier this week at the NFL Annual Meeting.
When Carroll uses the
word historic, he's not exaggerating. As a high school wrestler in
Williamsburg, Iowa, Blythe dominated opponents on his way to three consecutive
heavyweight state championships. His career record of 188-11 included 146 wins
by fall, which was a state record at the time and is still the fifth most in Iowa state history more than a decade later.
"A lot of the skills that make a successful wrestler are
what make a successful offensive lineman," Blythe said in his first press
conference as a member of the Seahawks. In addition to physical similarities
like hand placement, he notes that his "instincts are good and that comes
from wrestling."
It didn't take long for
the University of Iowa, just 30 minutes from his hometown, to notice both the
physicality and the intangibles.
"The theory I developed," said
Iowa football’s head coach Kirk Ferentz,
"was that if a guy was a great wrestler, it didn't mean he was going to be
a great football player, but rarely was he a bad football player. It's not a
dealbreaker necessarily if a guy isn't a wrestler, but boy, I tell you, it's
certainly a bonus."
So when it came to the standout athlete from Williamsburg?
Blythe says he "received
a written offer the day it was legal for the
University to send me one." Just as Iowa was early to offer, he was early
to commit, making the decision as a junior to play college football.
"I might be able to be good or decent in both," he
said during his senior year, "but I don't think I
could be great in one if I did both.
"I chose football because I love everything that goes along
with football. I love the preparation and everyone working toward a common
goal. I'm not saying they don't do that in wrestling, but just working within
the team. I love that part about football."
He went on to excel as a
member of Iowa's offensive line. A four-year starter, he was named a team
captain, earned an All-American third-team selection by Associated Press, and
won the program's internal Iron Hawk Award, which he says "goes to the guy
who shows up day in and day out and just lifts hard."
Now he'll pair the spirit of that Iron Hawk accolade with
Carroll's "always compete" mantra in hopes of earning a starting spot
and making a difference on the offensive line.
Click
here to read Corbin Smith's detailed piece on
Blythe's readiness to compete.