Penn State is a wrestling school.

With five consecutive national titles and an NCAA record of 86 straight dual wins and counting, the Nittany Lions are at the top of the wrestling world.

With an ever-changing college sports landscape, including evolving roster rules, NIL, and scholarship availability, Penn State is deeper than ever. While that sounds great in theory, it also means some of the best wrestlers on the planet might not see the mat much this season.

Head coach Cael Sanderson embraces the challenge of deciding who starts. Instead of viewing it as a logistical headache, he sees it as a standard for the program.

“You don’t go to Penn State if you’re looking for a guaranteed starting spot,” Sanderson said. “The whole landscape’s changed; you adapt, you just keep hustling, you land like a cat.”

One of the biggest changes coming to college sports is the new five-in-five rule the NCAA approved earlier this year. The rule eliminates redshirt seasons, something Penn State wrestling has used more than most other teams to get the most out of its wrestlers.

Now, with developmental years in the past, it creates more urgency for Sanderson’s wrestlers.

“Kids are coming in, and it’s go time,” Sanderson said. “It’s a mindset shift … it’s not like, ‘Hey, I’m going to come in here and float around for a year.’ It’s kind of like, ‘Hey, if you’re ready to go, you’re ready to go.'”

Penn State has world-class talent galore, with many active Nittany Lion wrestlers and recruits winning gold medals internationally this offseason.

With so much talent in one place, many wrestlers will be forced to ride the bench this season, even if they could compete for an individual national championship elsewhere.

Increased depth and excess talent may force the coaching staff to make difficult choices. However, wrestle-offs and tournaments simplify the process and let coaches see who’s performing better on the mat.

“Some of the tougher elements of your job are who’s going and who isn’t going, but in our sport they decide when they compete … whoever wins the spot wins the spot,” Sanderson said. “That’s a tough part because you care about each guy on your team and you want everyone to have the opportunity to compete.”

As Sanderson puts the finishing touches on the starting lineup, he remains confident this team will live up to the standard the previous lineups set.

“We love our team, and we have a lot of potential,” Sanderson said. “It’s about figuring out where we’re at in November and then getting better and being at our best in March, and that’s what we do.”