CKJ has got to go!

[Land Grant]

It seems to me that the wrestling landscape began shifting about a decade or so ago when a few universities coughed up the dollars to change their status (tOSU, PSU and others to a lesser degree). In a sport that yields a small yearly crop of elite talent, these additions cost ISU ... whose AD, and by extension alumni, were not willing/able to commit funds. If they had, we'd have a new facility, a much better funded freestyle club, Sanderson as coach, stronger recruiting, and more success. Never forget how much of our halcyon days were built on Coach Nichols' generosity (including from his own pocket, I think).

PS: this should not be construed as support or an excuse for KJ. I have been lukewarm about him for some time (as my posting history demonstrates). But other coaches whom some *thought* might have been game changers when KJ was hired (Randall, the guy at American/Oklahoma) have not been setting the world on fire, either.

All of this exactly.

The CKJ apologists on here forget that we were the #3 program historically (1st to 1000 dual wins, 3rd in total team championships and individual champions). I don't think anyone is calling for a national championship but being in the top 10 every year is a minimum expectation for the program. There was a point only 5 years ago when you could walk into almost any wrestler's living room and they'd listen and they'd either choose to ride the pine at Iowa or come to ISU. True... Cael and Penn State messed everything up nationally (his negative affect on our program is a vastly overrated and simplistic excuse) but something is off when you're starting wrestlers who were merely two time place winners at their high school state championships. In recent history those guys were warm practice bodies, not starters and if you can't recruit over that level of talent by telling the high level recruit they are a 4 year starter, then you shouldn't be coaching at ISU.

 

[NEICyFan]

Also KJ mentions that he wanted Earl to take neutral and battle on his feet. Earl wanted to take down and get an escape and get a 3-2 win. Didn't happen.

I have to question this mentality. A whole period left, match tied at 2 against a wrestler of that caliber, and hoping for a 1 point win? I'm hoping there's a misquote in there somewhere.

 

[buf87]

I would guess not NEICyFan. They went how many minutes on their feet and Earl scores the only takedown and it was early in the 1st.

 

[buf87]

of course that is my opinion and not Earl's

 

[Judoka]

There was a point only 5 years ago when you could walk into almost any wrestler's living room and they'd listen and they'd either choose to ride the pine at Iowa or come to ISU.

Among kids in Iowa maybe. But as a general statement for all recruits? That's not true at all.

 

[jahfg]

It seems to me that the wrestling landscape began shifting about a decade or so ago when a few universities coughed up the dollars to change their status (tOSU, PSU and others to a lesser degree). In a sport that yields a small yearly crop of elite talent, these additions cost ISU ... whose AD, and by extension alumni, were not willing/able to commit funds. If they had, we'd have a new facility, a much better funded freestyle club, Sanderson as coach, stronger recruiting, and more success. Never forget how much of our halcyon days were built on Coach Nichols' generosity (including from his own pocket, I think).

PS: this should not be construed as support or an excuse for KJ. I have been lukewarm about him for some time (as my posting history demonstrates). But other coaches whom some *thought* might have been game changers when KJ was hired (Randall, the guy at American/Oklahoma) have not been setting the world on fire, either.

Yep. Starting to look more like WBB, where a handful of top teams get their choice of the top talent. Unfortunately, we missed the boat on establishing ourselves as one of those top teams. Losing Cael has devastated this program, and that's sad because it was a lot of fun there for a couple of years.

 

[NEICyFan]

Yep. Starting to look more like WBB, where a handful of top teams get their choice of the top talent. Unfortunately, we missed the boat on establishing ourselves as one of those top teams. Losing Cael has devastated this program, and that's sad because it was a lot of fun there for a couple of years.

It has been that way for a long time. We used to be included as one of those top teams.

 

[HGoat]

Pretty bummed the attendance was down so much, too.

 

[Judoka]

Ohio and Pennsylvania are the two biggest states for recruiting

In State cost of attendance at Ohio State is about $26k
In State cost of attendance at Penn State is about $34k
Out of State cost of attendance at Iowa State is about $42k

We have to offer .4 of a scholarship to a wrestler from Ohio to equal the cost of walking on at Ohio State
We have to offer .2 of a scholarship to a wrestler from Pennsylvania to equal the cost of walking on at Penn State

There are only 9.9 scholarships to go around for 10 starters, backups, and redshirts. It isn't like football or basketball where you just offer a scholarship. Coaches have to make decisions on how much of a very limited pool they can commit to a guy.

No matter who the coach is that isn't gonna change.

 

[Cyfan1843]

But the Ohio and Pennsylvania kids will at least know to keep their heads up off the mat.

 

[Boxer007]

We do poorly in nutrition and weight management. Talk about the size of the opponents vs our guys. To succeed today you need full support in those two areas. Look and Mike Moreno is his year. Gabe too. Now we have some tweener on the team. Meeks needs to be at 133 if he ever wanted a chance at this level. Nardo needs to be at 149. Weight cutting isn't a culture that we don't have. STrenght and conditioning... Terrible. These are soft investments that we haven't made. Tanner is a prime example of what is happening in the program. He hasn't progressed at all IMO. He should be a beast at 165 after 5 years in the program. Gassed, weak. Not good.

 

[SouthJerseyCy]

Ohio and Pennsylvania are the two biggest states for recruiting

In State cost of attendance at Ohio State is about $26k
In State cost of attendance at Penn State is about $34k
Out of State cost of attendance at Iowa State is about $42k

We have to offer .4 of a scholarship to a wrestler from Ohio to equal the cost of walking on at Ohio State
We have to offer .2 of a scholarship to a wrestler from Pennsylvania to equal the cost of walking on at Penn State

There are only 9.9 scholarships to go around for 10 starters, backups, and redshirts. It isn't like football or basketball where you just offer a scholarship. Coaches have to make decisions on how much of a very limited pool they can commit to a guy.

No matter who the coach is that isn't gonna change.

Iowa manages with these exact same constraints.

 

[Land Grant]

Yes ... Iowa has maintained a much stronger overall commitment to wrestling than ISU. It involves coaching to be sure (and Iowa essentially has TWO top head coaches in the Brands), but equally so an overall allegiance to the sport by the AD.

Iowa manages with these exact same constraints.

 

[Judoka]

Iowa manages with these exact same constraints.

And once the double recruiting class that they got from Brands coming in from Virginia Tech graduated Iowa took a step back. Zalesky got fired for the type of results Brands has had over the past couple of seasons.

 

[buf87]

I think the coaches biggest plus in recruiting this year, is going after smart kids getting academic money. Frees up a lot of the 9.9 athletic for others. Pretty sure, Storr, Parker and Colbray are all getting academic money.

Not sure how much of this was true in the past, esp for the blue chip type recruits

 

[SouthJerseyCy]

And once the double recruiting class that they got from Brands coming in from Virginia Tech graduated Iowa took a step back. Zalesky got fired for the type of results Brands has had over the past couple of seasons.

Yet they are still top 5 in the country. Iowa has never taken a step back like ISU has recently.

And how exactly did they manage that 'double class', when taking into account the scholarship constraints you laid out above?

 

[isit]

How much of the equation is mental? What is the role of the team psychologist? Sorry i missed the preseason banquet where some of this might have been addressed.

We do poorly in nutrition and weight management. Talk about the size of the opponents vs our guys. To succeed today you need full support in those two areas. Look and Mike Moreno is his year. Gabe too. Now we have some tweener on the team. Meeks needs to be at 133 if he ever wanted a chance at this level. Nardo needs to be at 149. Weight cutting isn't a culture that we don't have. STrenght and conditioning... Terrible. These are soft investments that we haven't made. Tanner is a prime example of what is happening in the program. He hasn't progressed at all IMO. He should be a beast at 165 after 5 years in the program. Gassed, weak. Not good.

 

[Judoka]

And how exactly did they manage that 'double class', when taking into account the scholarship constraints you laid out above?

Couldn't tell you exactly how the money was worked any more than I could tell you how Sanderson did it when he bailed on us to Penn State and got the double class bump. There's no rules about how the 9.9 scholarships are spread out among classes and coaches can change the numbers from year to year and that info isn't public. But his 2008-2010 championships were built on plundering Virginia Tech's program for all it was worth and since then Iowa's performances are on par with what got Zalesky fired.

And I'm not knocking on Brands here. Iowa is facing new challenges too.

 

[1100011CS]

And once the double recruiting class that they got from Brands coming in from Virginia Tech graduated Iowa took a step back. Zalesky got fired for the type of results Brands has had over the past couple of seasons.

Honest question: How long did it take for Virginia Tech to recover from Brands leaving? They seem to be in a better place than us right now. Of course, they probably hired a replacement coach that brought kids over from his previous job which was one of the drawbacks from hiring JK in the first place. We got the double-whammy.

 

[Judoka]

Honest question: How long did it take for Virginia Tech to recover from Brands leaving? They seem to be in a better place than us right now. Of course, they probably hired a replacement coach that brought kids over from his previous job which was one of the drawbacks from hiring JK in the first place. We got the double-whammy.

2013 was when they cracked the top 10 at NCAAs, so it took him about 7 years since he was hired for the 2006-07 season. Dresser was a home run hire for them. I don't think anybody would disagree if you said he was a better hire than Jackson. And his experience prior to VT was actually all in high school coaching. So he kind of came out of nowhere to turn out to be one of the best coaches around.