Joe Heskett

[ketelmeister]

I figured Heskett from the start...he is the perfect fit in my mind. I think Spooner has it right this time. He has charisma, knows his stuff, would be a great recruiter, is an ISU guy (not that that's real important, but it doesn't hurt) and he's a winner. If not for Cael's amazing streak, Heskett have been THE GUY we wanted from the start. His stats are amazing!!

Take Cael out of the mix, and Heskett would have already been the Iowa State HC.

http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/Vie...B_OEM_ID=17300

[ripvdub]

Anyone give a quick profile for Heskett? Would this be a good thing?

A 4 time all american at ISU. His bio and his personality speak for themselves. Heres a couple links. He wrestled while I was at ISU, I think he a year or so older than Cael.


Heskett Is Powerful | April 19 on Flowrestling

Joe Heskett Biography - The Ohio State Buckeyes Official Athletics Site - OhioStateBuckeyes.com

[Istate]

I figured Heskett from the start...he is the perfect fit in my mind. I think Spooner has it right this time. He has charisma, knows his stuff, would be a great recruiter, is an ISU guy (not that that's real important, but it doesn't hurt) and he's a winner. If not for Cael's amazing streak, Heskett have been THE GUY we wanted from the start. His stats are amazing!!

Take Cael out of the mix, and Heskett would have already been the Iowa State HC.

Joe Heskett Biography - The Ohio State Buckeyes Official Athletics Site - OhioStateBuckeyes.com

I like your optimism, but I hope like heck you're off-base here. No way do you hand the reigns of a top-5 college program in any sport to a coach who has barely even been an assistant unless he's Dan Gable or Cael Sanderson. I'd love to have Joe back in Ames as a #1 assistant, but he's not ready to be a head coach at a program like ISU.

[ketelmeister]

I like your optimism, but I hope like heck you're off-base here. No way do you hand the reigns of a top-5 college program in any sport to a coach who has barely even been an assistant unless he's Dan Gable or Cael Sanderson. I'd love to have Joe back in Ames as a #1 assistant, but he's not ready to be a head coach at a program like ISU.

His career record is 143-9, third in wins to Gable and Sanderson. His numbers match up to just about any top wrestler in the country. He's one up on Cael as he's already been an asst. coach. Gable went to Iowa as an asst. and prospered, I see Heskett doing the same at ISU.

[Bobber]

This choice would disappoint more than a few Cyclone wrestling supporters, who are expecting Jamie to pick someone more proven and accomplished. Heskett has really been a assistant coach for just one year, after being a volunteer coach pior. He has a heart condition, so I wonder how much he can wrestle with his athletes in the practice room. Very articulate and personable, but his very limited resume would make his selection to be a huge reach, almost a desperate one, for Pollard. I'm hoping for much more than this.

It won't dissapoint this supporter. Yes he is articulate and personable and I think would make a great recruiter. He's pretty much done everything Cael has done except win a gold medal and lose 9 matches. Not sure why you think this choice is a reach and Cael wasn't?

There was some talk early on maybe bringing Bobby Douglas back as an assistant much like Iowa did with Gable. I think a Heskett/Douglas combination would be very good.

[IsUaClone2]

I think that the probability of Joe being successful will be much like any other head coach. It will be dependent on who he hires as assistants and how they work together.

I think we saw with Cael that one man -- no matter how good he is -- can not do it alone. He is wholely contingent on his assistants.

Let's hope we get great assistants and the issue of the head coach's experience will be a moot point.

[Istate]

His career record is 143-9, third in wins to Gable and Sanderson. His numbers match up to just about any top wrestler in the country. He's one up on Cael as he's already been an asst. coach. Gable went to Iowa as an asst. and prospered, I see Heskett doing the same at ISU.

I'm not sure your looking at comparable situations here.

First, Iowa wasn't a top-5 program when Gable went to Iowa City. Second, Joe has been a paid assistant for one year whereas Cael was in the room AT ISU for two years training followed by a stint as assistant coach and then assistant head coach for a year before becoming head coach. When he became head coach, he brought with him the BIGGEST name in wrestling at the time. While we love what Joe did while at ISU, not many know who he is outside the state of Iowa.

I'm not saying he can't have success as a coach at ISU. I'm just saying you don't roll the dice with a program at the level of ISU on a coach who hasn't been an assistant coach for even a year at this point. Either way, I can't see this playing out much longer. Cael is working too hard to get the top guys to come with him at Penn St. to leave them without a coach much longer.

[Bobber]

Either way, I can't see this playing out much longer. Cael is working too hard to get the top guys to come with him at Penn St. to leave them without a coach much longer.

Cripes, he's only been gone a week..

[ketelmeister]

I'm not sure your looking at comparable situations here.

First, Iowa wasn't a top-5 program when Gable went to Iowa City. Second, Joe has been a paid assistant for one year whereas Cael was in the room AT ISU for two years training followed by a stint as assistant coach and then assistant head coach for a year before becoming head coach. When he became head coach, he brought with him the BIGGEST name in wrestling at the time. While we love what Joe did while at ISU, not many know who he is outside the state of Iowa.

I'm not saying he can't have success as a coach at ISU. I'm just saying you don't roll the dice with a program at the level of ISU on a coach who hasn't been an assistant coach for even a year at this point. Either way, I can't see this playing out much longer. Cael is working too hard to get the top guys to come with him at Penn St. to leave them without a coach much longer.

Your facts are simply wrong. Iowa won 2 national championships under Gary Kurdlemeier prior to Gable as head coach. In fact, there were in better shape that Iowa State in many ways. Here is from the Kurdlemeier story.

In the four seasons Gary Kurdelmeier was head coach (1972-1976), Iowa made an amazing turnaround. The Hawkeyes compiled a 51-7-5 record, earning a .850 winning percentage -- second only to Dan Gable among past Iowa coaches. Against Big Ten rivals, Iowa built a 24-3-4 dual-meet record. Under Kurdelmeier, Iowa won three Big Ten and two NCAA team titles … with seven Hawkeyes winning ten Big Ten individual crowns, and five individuals bringing six NCAA titles back to Iowa City. For orchestrating Iowa's incredible reversal, Kurdelmeier was voted Coach of the Year in both 1975 and 1976.

[Cyclone62]

Your facts are simply wrong. Iowa won 2 national championships under Gary Kurdlemeier prior to Gable as head coach. In fact, there were in better shape that Iowa State in many ways. Here is from the Kurdlemeier story.

In the four seasons Gary Kurdelmeier was head coach (1972-1976), Iowa made an amazing turnaround. The Hawkeyes compiled a 51-7-5 record, earning a .850 winning percentage -- second only to Dan Gable among past Iowa coaches. Against Big Ten rivals, Iowa built a 24-3-4 dual-meet record. Under Kurdelmeier, Iowa won three Big Ten and two NCAA team titles … with seven Hawkeyes winning ten Big Ten individual crowns, and five individuals bringing six NCAA titles back to Iowa City. For orchestrating Iowa's incredible reversal, Kurdelmeier was voted Coach of the Year in both 1975 and 1976.

The NCs were won while Gable was an Assistant.

[Al_4_State]

He only finished higher than Cael at nationals this year...

[CycloneOmaha]

Does everyone see Heskett as long term at ISU? If the possibility of an AD job or HC job at Ohio State became available, wouldn't he pounce on that as his ultimate job? ISU certainly cannot compete financially with that institution.

[SPOONER]

Yes, I would see him as long term in that scenario. Tom Ryan isn't going anywhere for a long time. Very small chance that job comes open in the near future.

ZERO chance a head wrestling coach at ISU is a serious candidate to run one of the most prestigious athletic departments in the country.

[Relic]

Well, let's try this again and see if I can go 0-2!

A good source told me today that Pollard interviewed Heskett in Ohio on Friday and he's getting the job.

I hope I didn't just jinx it for Joe!

I really hope this is another false rumor. Joe was a great wrestler for ISU and seems like a genuinely decent guy. But hiring him as ISU's head wrestling coach would be tantamount to hiring Cael-lite, i.e. hiring someone based solely on their wrestling prowess and hoping they work out as a coach (maybe Joe's sparkling personality helps, but we're hiring a wrestling coach not electing a Homecoming King).

How would Joe compete with Cael, Tom Brands, J. Robinson, John Smith, or, heck, even Greg Randall in recruiting wars? All of those coaches had better wrestling careers and/or are proven coaches.

Due to a heart condition, Joe isn't physically able to work out with the wrestlers anymore, which has to be a big negative for any potential Cyclone wrestlers. ISU needs a full staff of able-bodied coaches.

Joe has only been coaching for, what, 2 years? Basically, his only selling point would be ISU's storied wrestling history. Maybe that would be enough, but I'm guessing not.

--Relic

[isuno1fan]

I'm luke warm on the hire if this is true. Much more excited about Randall.