Gophers question

[BVSt.Paul]

Can someone please give me a brief rundown as to why the Gophers have fallen behind in wrestling? Recruiting? Graduation? Other schools improving? While I live in the twin cities I just don't see much about the program in the dailies. I can probably locate a Gopher board but I'm too busy following State.

 

[NittanyLion84]

Can someone please give me a brief rundown as to why the Gophers have fallen behind in wrestling? Recruiting? Graduation? Other schools improving? While I live in the twin cities I just don't see much about the program in the dailies. I can probably locate a Gopher board but I'm too busy following State.

We can refer you to the "Everything Gophers" thread.

 

[BVSt.Paul]

We can refer you to the "Everything Gophers" thread.

Isn't that guy delusional?

 

[nitlion6]

There should be a tee shirt someplace with a good rationale.
The Goofs are only 2 years removed from pushing the Nits to the limit for the team title. If they continue to suck next year, there may be some goof fans ready to admit JRob may have spent too much time trying to connive the coaches dual tournament into something they it is not and not enough time recruiting some wrestlers.
We will have to wait another year or two to get a more clear picture.

 

[CropDuster507]

All of the Gopher fans that I know (in real life) are ready to see a regime change. Even when they were in the tops of the rankings, it wasn't like they were overly-offensive. When you consistently bring in coaches who came up under the same regime, you get the same results. Everyone else is learning to adapt, and MN is getting FloDocs about the early-2000's to control damage in a terrible fall from grace.

The in-state guys that seem like can't-miss recruits have sort've topped-out by the time they get in the room. I don't know if I'd say Short, Wanzek, and Kingsley have improved greatly. Brancale definitely topped-out. I wouldn't say Thorn has, by any means. Pfarr has improved. Kroells has improved.

Pinnacle is the major club in the Twin Cities metro area, and while I think they do great things for their athletes, I think their athletes are also topping-out by the time they get to the next level.

 

[jammenz]

Isn't that guy delusional?

You do sound like a typical Penn State fan.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Can someone please give me a brief rundown as to why the Gophers have fallen behind in wrestling?

I think it's a combo of things.

They had quite a few seniors the past 2 years, and it can be tough to replace high-end talent with underclassmen.

In addition, they have some talent that are true freshmen that are redshirting this year. Bobby Steveson, Fredy Stroker, and Larry Early were all top-20 recruits last year, and they've had a good bit of success in Opens this year. Ethan Lizak had his redshirt pulled last year as a true freshman, but he redshirted this year.

Their recruiting in the 2014 class seems to have hurt them. PSU landed Nolf, Nevills, and Nickal in that class --- all top-10 recruits. Ok. St. landed Marsteller, Chandler Rogers, and Ryan Blees that year. Ohio State landed Kyle Snyder that year, and Iowa landed Sam Stoll. Minny's top recruit that year was Tommy Thorn.

Going back a year earlier in recruiting (2013), PSU landed Zain (and McCutcheon), Ohio State landed BoJo and Tomasello, Michigan landed Coon and Aboundar, Illinois landed IMar, VT landed Dance, Mizzou landed Cox, and Rutgers landed Ashnault -- all guys that are expected to be on the platform at NCAAs. By comparison Minny landed Jake Short, Nick Wanzek, (2 guys that were at B1Gs this weekend) and Judson Preskitt.

Take it back another year in recruiting (2012), and PSU landed Gulibon, NW landed Tsirtsis, Cornell landed Realbuto, Illini landed Richards, Ok. St. landed Crutchmer, Iowa landed Gilman, Brooks, and Clark, Nebraska landed Dudley, Wisky landed Isaac Jordan and Ryan Taylor, etc. Minny landed Kroells, who's very good, but the rest of the class was Kingsley, Brancale, Dakota Trom, Dylan Reel, and Brent Pfarr. Pfarr has performed way above his ranking coming out of HS, and Kingsley and Brancale have done OK.

It's always hard to determine if the problems are misses in recruiting, or coaching in the room, or a combo of that, as well as some bad luck.

Their main message board is The Guillotine. I'm sure you could get a more detailed answer there.

 

[BVSt.Paul]

I think it's a combo of things.

They had quite a few seniors the past 2 years, and it can be tough to replace high-end talent with underclassmen.

In addition, they have some talent that are true freshmen that are redshirting this year. Bobby Steveson, Fredy Stroker, and Larry Early were all top-20 recruits last year, and they've had a good bit of success in Opens this year. Ethan Lizak had his redshirt pulled last year as a true freshman, but he redshirted this year.

Their recruiting in the 2014 class seems to have hurt them. PSU landed Nolf, Nevills, and Nickal in that class --- all top-10 recruits. Ok. St. landed Marsteller, Chandler Rogers, and Ryan Blees that year. Ohio State landed Kyle Snyder that year, and Iowa landed Sam Stoll. Minny's top recruit that year was Tommy Thorn.

Going back a year earlier in recruiting (2013), PSU landed Zain (and McCutcheon), Ohio State landed BoJo and Tomasello, Michigan landed Coon and Aboundar, Illinois landed IMar, VT landed Dance, Mizzou landed Cox, and Rutgers landed Ashnault -- all guys that are expected to be on the platform at NCAAs. By comparison Minny landed Jake Short, Nick Wanzek, (2 guys that were at B1Gs this weekend) and Judson Preskitt.

Take it back another year in recruiting (2012), and PSU landed Gulibon, NW landed Tsirtsis, Cornell landed Realbuto, Illini landed Richards, Ok. St. landed Crutchmer, Iowa landed Gilman, Brooks, and Clark, Nebraska landed Dudley, Wisky landed Isaac Jordan and Ryan Taylor, etc. Minny landed Kroells, who's very good, but the rest of the class was Kingsley, Brancale, Dakota Trom, Dylan Reel, and Brent Pfarr. Pfarr has performed way above his ranking coming out of HS, and Kingsley and Brancale have done OK.

It's always hard to determine if the problems are misses in recruiting, or coaching in the room, or a combo of that, as well as some bad luck.

Their main message board is The Guillotine. I'm sure you could get a more detailed answer there.

As always, thank you Tom. You are a tremendous resource.

 

[minnhawkeye]

Just my opinion it is time for JR to retire. He has done so much for the Mn program since he took it over from Wally Johnson he should not leave it like when he came in...They need a new young coach to recurit the modern day kids. JR please don't end up Michigan State.

 

[Brian LB-U]

J Rob has spent too much time criticizing the nations best program over ridiculous items like revenue sharing (when his school is pulling down $35 MM annually as a member of the B1G) and not enough time recruiting all-star difference makers. Clearly a Poor coaching job by an old man who is clearly out of his element.

 

[nitlion6]

Just my opinion it is time for JR to retire. He has done so much for the Mn program since he took it over from Wally Johnson he should not leave it like when he came in...They need a new young coach to recurit the modern day kids. JR please don't end up Michigan State.

I will interested in how do the goofers do next year. If there isn't a significant performance up tick I would hope they seriously consider a change.
A good goofer team is good for wrestling. Penn State and Ohio State have won the last 5 championships which has added two programs to the short list of possible champs. I think it is best with a list of possible champs that has more than 3, 4 or 5 teams on it. So we have added 2, I don't want to subtract 1 from that list.

 

[grappler6]

Simple. Everybody else is a bunch of cheaters!!!

 

[PSU-Knocker]

Simple. Everybody else is a bunch of cheaters!!!

Well, I guess that explains it.