Admitted casual wrestling fan here, but am hoping KJ gets it going this year. I really like him from what I see in his interviews, and I love his passion. Not sure how much longer we can struggle like this though if we hope to compete with Iowa.
***Old Dominoin Preview/Gameday Thread***
- Thread starter Judoka
- Start date
I'm not sure what to make of it quite yet. There was something wrong with the team yesterday and they did not show up ready to compete. Given that it was most of the team and not just one or two guys I put the blame for that on the coaching staff. Its up to the staff to get the team back under control and have them ready to go the rest of the season. Hopefully losing yesterday and the coming boat racing from Iowa will wake them up.
The past few years we've had a lot of times where we were simply outclassed and beaten by better wrestlers and teams. But our guys usually showed up ready to wrestle and the individuals tended to wrestle at or above their abilities. That's what makes yesterday so upsetting. We wrestled below where we were capable. Far below. This year we have a team that, properly coached, is very capable of having a decent season and a respectable NCAAs in March. But the team we saw wrestle yesterday will be lucky to win more than one or two duals or even qualify more than a few guys for Des Moines.
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Couple things I heard. Tanner Weatherman weighed in because Mikey is a little dinged up. Hadn't practiced part of the week. Ankle and head issue (It was wrapped pretty heavy at Nichols open)
I also heard a couple were over weight a little more than they should have been Saturday night and had to work it off Sunday morning.
I think losing the routine of class and laying around all week affect them. But they need to fiqure it out, because they have another break and holiday coming up.
Old Dominion was ready to wrestle!!!
I also heard a couple were over weight a little more than they should have been Saturday night and had to work it off Sunday morning.
I think losing the routine of class and laying around all week affect them. But they need to fiqure it out, because they have another break and holiday coming up.
Old Dominion was ready to wrestle!!!
Well said. I've got to think a house cleaning is in order, but when and how? Even fans that have been strong supporters of the program (this does not include those with counterproductive vendettas against the HC) cannot take this. Eventually, people just check out.
Also, I am not convinced wrestling is much of priority to JP. Began to suspect when the decision was made to keep the program in the Lied Center. Just seemed too much to be the "easy route."
Also, I am not convinced wrestling is much of priority to JP. Began to suspect when the decision was made to keep the program in the Lied Center. Just seemed too much to be the "easy route."
I'll wait for the year to play out, because it likely doesn't do any good to make a move before then. Having said that, one match into the season, it doesn't look good for KJ. I've advocated patience with him up until now, but this is definitely his make or break year. I'm not sure exactly what results are needed for him to save his job, but he needs to show "progress", however that may be defined.
I generally agree. But if we lose to NDSU and don't perform well at Midlands I think it would be better to cut our loses in order to avoid losing a whole recruiting class. If we do beat NDSU and do well at Midlands then the rest of the season will be his audition for a contract extension.
Coming out flat in one dual doesn't make a season. But it sure destroyed a lot of support for the program. The only way to get that back is for the team to prove that yesterday was a fluke.
I think the only way you avoid losing a recruiting class is if you then hire someone that is already on staff, a la Wayne Morgan in 2003. Maybe that's the right answer, but maybe not. I suppose it's a function of the quality of the recruits coming in as to whether JP feels we need them all to stay committed, the relative quality of available internal and external candidates, and whether an external hire would have his own recruits to bring with him from another program.
I'm pretty clear on what I expect of the coach, as I have watched this team over the past few years. I want to see year-over-year improvement on the mat; in this case, I want to see better conditioning this year than last. I want to see guys wrestle to win, not wrestle to not lose. And I want to see guys going for extra points. And finally, I want to see us recruiting with the big dogs, or at least close. I know the recruiting lists leave a lot to be desired, but no matter how you cut it, we are not creating a buzz in the wrestling world with our recruiting; we do not have a list of recruits that says to people "look out, Iowa State is coming back". We had some very good individual talent coming in this year, and some more next year, but then so does Iowa, Ohio State, Okie State, etc. One cudo I give to KJ is bringing in Nickerson; that was a great move to help our smaller weight classes.
That's a list, I know, but I think it is reasonable. What do others think? Is this a reasonable list of expectations?
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I'm only a casual observer, but Mark Perry would get my vote at this point. I am assuming we don't throw money at an established coach and go with a young assistant. Perry is a very good recruiter and really seems to have the fire in his belly for coaching which, I'll admit, surprises me a little based on what I saw of him at Iowa.
If KJ doesn't turn things around and is done after this year I really do not want anybody who wrestled at Iowa to be our next coach. Perry would be the least objectionable but I'd much rather pull from another coaching tree. I hate the "Iowa Style" and would hate to see ISU wrestle like that.
I think you hit it on the head. The only caveat being recruiting. Unless Pollard decides to sink a lot of money into a totally new facility and big donor money steps up for the CWC we aren't going to be able to recruit against the big dogs because it takes a lot of scholarship money to bring a blue chipper to ISU. They'll go to Iowa or Penn State for a pittiance but we have to pay them for it. Given that I'm fine with how our recruiting has gone. We have been pulling in a few blue chippers every year and getting some decent depth guys as well. We are seriously feeling McCauley's flakiness right now.
Yep - 1st year we lost Tyler Clark, Cyler Sanderson and Nick Gallick got hurt. With Gallick healthy and Sanderson, we might have been National Champs.
Losing Tyler Clark and then Andrew Long started are miserable streak at 125 and 133.
Then Nick Pena decommitted and went to Cornell and extended the 133 problem another year.
Destin McCauley committs and receives a full ride or close to it and decommits late and we lose any chances of strengthing 149 this year.
We've had some bad luck recruiting and it has really hurt us because of our lack of depth. KJ is trying to build depth, so 1 recruit can't have such a big impact on our team, BUT they need to develop and show it on the mat!
Losing Tyler Clark and then Andrew Long started are miserable streak at 125 and 133.
Then Nick Pena decommitted and went to Cornell and extended the 133 problem another year.
Destin McCauley committs and receives a full ride or close to it and decommits late and we lose any chances of strengthing 149 this year.
We've had some bad luck recruiting and it has really hurt us because of our lack of depth. KJ is trying to build depth, so 1 recruit can't have such a big impact on our team, BUT they need to develop and show it on the mat!
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All Iowa does is, "WIN". Pretty successful style of wrestling if I must say. I don't think the wrestlers care what you think is right for them. From what I see it has to be good for you only. Matter of fact, your comment was absolutely stupid.
You aren't fooling anyone Queso. How many times do you have to be banned before you give up? If you are going to use different alts at least try to not follow the exact same posting style.
I've also stressed patience because KJ was given the worst situation I've ever seen for an incoming coach. I was impressed the first couple years because it seemed we were more aggressive and we had some national champions. The recruiting has started to fall off as well as the performance on the mat. I think we just aren't that talented. You are usually more aggressive because you are the better wrestler, not the other way around. Without loaded recruiting classes, this program is going nowhere.
The sport is Cael's and we have to watch him potentially go on a Gable-like run. He's going to be that tough.
The sport is Cael's and we have to watch him potentially go on a Gable-like run. He's going to be that tough.
