I frequent the site to catch up on results and follow the wrestling program especially this past weekend (Big Thanks to Judoka)
After reading some of the posts between the results, current coaches, past coaches, etc I wanted to share with you some interesting statistics. In this case a coaching comparison between Jim Gibbons and Bobby Douglas. Lets look at Jim Gibbons years as the ISU head coach (7 Seasons 1986-1992) as well as Bobby Douglas (first 7 seasons 1993-1999).
Keep in mind, I am not going to argue or claim prior coach's recruits (i.e. Nichols-Gibbons; Gibbons-Douglas). Lets start!
Jim Gibbons
7 seasons as head coach for Iowa State from 1986 to 1992
It's no secret Jim Gibbons is the last coach who won a NCAA team title back in 1987
While coaching, Gibbons had 64 NCAA Qualifiers - 8 NCAA Champions (4 in 1987!)
24% wrestled above seed (15 wrestled above seed)
24% wrestled below seed (15 wrestled below seed)
52% wrestled at seed
Interesting number 46% (7) of the wrestlers who wrestled BELOW their seed were seeded 1 or 2
Bobby Douglas
1st 7 seasons as head coach for Iowa State from 1993 to 1999
Coach Douglas came from ASU after winning a NCAA team title in 1988
While coaching, Douglas had 52 NCAA Qualifiers - 3 NCAA Champions
21% wrestled above seed (11 wrestled above seed)
19% wrestled below seed (10 wrestled below seed)
60% wrestled at seed
Interesting number 40% (4) of the wrestlers who wrestled BELOW their seed were seeded 1 or 2
As you can see both coaches were exceptional coaches. Both had set high expectations for themselves and the program-nothing less than a trophy (of course the national championship). Based on the percentages above, both coaches wrestled at or above expectations however not their own expectations (Gibbons-except in 1987). Both coaches were great recruiters and both have shown they knew what it took to win an NCAA team title. Jim Gibbons coaching 4 NCAA champions in 1987 or Bobby Douglas coaching a 11th seed - Trent Hynek to the NCAA finals in 1999. Now that's impressive.
I bring this up because I believe sometimes some of the best coaches or times within our program is taken for granted. I enjoy going to meets and supporting the Cyclones. I enjoy running into former/current wrestlers or even Jim Gibbons or Bobby Douglas and talking wrestling.
Is the program where it should be? In order to answer the question, that ultimately depends on what your own expectations are for the program. If you base it off of what Nichols, Gibbons, Douglas expectations were than the answer is no.
Don't forget the tradition at ISU. You can't take that away, you can't take away what Gable or Sanderson accomplished as Cyclones or the NCAA titles Nichols coached. ISU Wrestling is one of the richest programs in the sport. When Coach Jackson took the job, he understood the tradition (he was a part of it) and the history as well as what the expectations were of the program.
After reading some of the posts between the results, current coaches, past coaches, etc I wanted to share with you some interesting statistics. In this case a coaching comparison between Jim Gibbons and Bobby Douglas. Lets look at Jim Gibbons years as the ISU head coach (7 Seasons 1986-1992) as well as Bobby Douglas (first 7 seasons 1993-1999).
Keep in mind, I am not going to argue or claim prior coach's recruits (i.e. Nichols-Gibbons; Gibbons-Douglas). Lets start!
Jim Gibbons
7 seasons as head coach for Iowa State from 1986 to 1992
It's no secret Jim Gibbons is the last coach who won a NCAA team title back in 1987
While coaching, Gibbons had 64 NCAA Qualifiers - 8 NCAA Champions (4 in 1987!)
24% wrestled above seed (15 wrestled above seed)
24% wrestled below seed (15 wrestled below seed)
52% wrestled at seed
Interesting number 46% (7) of the wrestlers who wrestled BELOW their seed were seeded 1 or 2
Bobby Douglas
1st 7 seasons as head coach for Iowa State from 1993 to 1999
Coach Douglas came from ASU after winning a NCAA team title in 1988
While coaching, Douglas had 52 NCAA Qualifiers - 3 NCAA Champions
21% wrestled above seed (11 wrestled above seed)
19% wrestled below seed (10 wrestled below seed)
60% wrestled at seed
Interesting number 40% (4) of the wrestlers who wrestled BELOW their seed were seeded 1 or 2
As you can see both coaches were exceptional coaches. Both had set high expectations for themselves and the program-nothing less than a trophy (of course the national championship). Based on the percentages above, both coaches wrestled at or above expectations however not their own expectations (Gibbons-except in 1987). Both coaches were great recruiters and both have shown they knew what it took to win an NCAA team title. Jim Gibbons coaching 4 NCAA champions in 1987 or Bobby Douglas coaching a 11th seed - Trent Hynek to the NCAA finals in 1999. Now that's impressive.
I bring this up because I believe sometimes some of the best coaches or times within our program is taken for granted. I enjoy going to meets and supporting the Cyclones. I enjoy running into former/current wrestlers or even Jim Gibbons or Bobby Douglas and talking wrestling.
Is the program where it should be? In order to answer the question, that ultimately depends on what your own expectations are for the program. If you base it off of what Nichols, Gibbons, Douglas expectations were than the answer is no.
Don't forget the tradition at ISU. You can't take that away, you can't take away what Gable or Sanderson accomplished as Cyclones or the NCAA titles Nichols coached. ISU Wrestling is one of the richest programs in the sport. When Coach Jackson took the job, he understood the tradition (he was a part of it) and the history as well as what the expectations were of the program.
