For those of you who weren't 5-10 years old at the time, like myself, tell me about Gibbons' head coaching career at ISU. Having no detailed memory of that era, the numbers are interesting, starting with 26. He was just 26 years-old when hired as HC? He then won a national title in his second year (our last national title), then finshed 3rd/3rd/9th/5th/4th nationally over the next five.
My biggest questions are:
-What led to his hiring? When Nichols retired, was it a no-brainer? Or were options limited, which is why a 26 year-old was hired?
-Season 2: How many were his guys? Who was he up against, team-wise? (I assume OSU was the main conference foe.)
-He apparently had us in the conversation for the national title most seasons (closer than Douglas, for the most part). Explain the transition from Gibbons to Douglas. Was Gibbons fired?
-Has Gibbons been seriously considered as a head coaching candidate since that day? He's hung around the program, still has a passion for wrestling, and is only in his early 50s (I think).
My biggest questions are:
-What led to his hiring? When Nichols retired, was it a no-brainer? Or were options limited, which is why a 26 year-old was hired?
-Season 2: How many were his guys? Who was he up against, team-wise? (I assume OSU was the main conference foe.)
-He apparently had us in the conversation for the national title most seasons (closer than Douglas, for the most part). Explain the transition from Gibbons to Douglas. Was Gibbons fired?
-Has Gibbons been seriously considered as a head coaching candidate since that day? He's hung around the program, still has a passion for wrestling, and is only in his early 50s (I think).
