With the hiring of Steiner at Fresno State I began thinking about who he could hire onto his staff. Yes, I know there's a lot to be done to get the program up and running, but I don't see why they can't become something relatively soon if they were to land a couple solid assistants given their location and depending on their funding.
That also led me to thinking what I would do if I were a couple other decision makers.
If I were Steiner....
1) Jake Varner - do everything you can do to bring him on board. He's nearing the end of his competition days unless he bumps up to 125 KG. He's a local kid with all the accolades that it takes to keep CA kids in state.
2) Another young assistant - Jason Welch, Jesse Delgado, Boris Novachkov, Morgan McIntosh, Jordan Oliver, Angel Escobedo, Kellen Russell, Dustin Schlatter, Obe Blanc, Jarrod Garnett, Kendric Maple. Some of these guys are currently available and some are volunteers assistants at other schools. Either way they could bring some pop to a coaching staff both in the room and on the recruiting trail.
3) Experienced Assistant - This is where it gets tough. Not many experienced assistants are going to up and leave their program to become an assistant at a start up. This person has to completely buy in to Steiner and want to help build something. I keep thinking of someone like Mike Zadick. He's currently a "volunteer" assistant at VT, but maybe a promotion / pay raise would be enough to make the move west.
If I were Doug Schwab....
1) Brent Metcalf - In my opinion Brent is closer to being done competing than many think. IF that's the case being an assistant at UNI, with Schwab, would be a pretty solid gig. He's not going to be given the reigns of a program without any coaching experience and this would be a great place to get his start. He could head up the PWC and help coach up the great class that UNI brought in last year. If he decides to come back and wrestle...well he could still roll with Schwab and Colon. Trust me, I'd love to see Brent coaching at Iowa...I just don't see an opening right now.
If I were Jaime Pollard...
1) Chris Bono - I'd start making sure I have a good relationship with Chris Bono. Yes, KJ has a good class coming in...recruiting isn't the problem. The problem is once they step into the room, many of them don't improve. I believe if it wasn't for Paul Rhoads being on the hot seat the past couple years KJ would have already been gone. Let's be honest, if you have to fire/hire your football coach, the last thing you want to do it is to be looking for a wrestling coach also. It just gets put on the back burner. Give Bono the backing of Iowa State and let him bring his staff of Reader and Schopp with him, I promise you, the recruits will still be there after the smoke clears.
What are your thoughts? What would you do if you were one of these guys? What would you do if you were a decision maker at one of these programs? And yes, I do know this is an IOWA board, but there are a lot of Iowa ties here.
That also led me to thinking what I would do if I were a couple other decision makers.
If I were Steiner....
1) Jake Varner - do everything you can do to bring him on board. He's nearing the end of his competition days unless he bumps up to 125 KG. He's a local kid with all the accolades that it takes to keep CA kids in state.
2) Another young assistant - Jason Welch, Jesse Delgado, Boris Novachkov, Morgan McIntosh, Jordan Oliver, Angel Escobedo, Kellen Russell, Dustin Schlatter, Obe Blanc, Jarrod Garnett, Kendric Maple. Some of these guys are currently available and some are volunteers assistants at other schools. Either way they could bring some pop to a coaching staff both in the room and on the recruiting trail.
3) Experienced Assistant - This is where it gets tough. Not many experienced assistants are going to up and leave their program to become an assistant at a start up. This person has to completely buy in to Steiner and want to help build something. I keep thinking of someone like Mike Zadick. He's currently a "volunteer" assistant at VT, but maybe a promotion / pay raise would be enough to make the move west.
If I were Doug Schwab....
1) Brent Metcalf - In my opinion Brent is closer to being done competing than many think. IF that's the case being an assistant at UNI, with Schwab, would be a pretty solid gig. He's not going to be given the reigns of a program without any coaching experience and this would be a great place to get his start. He could head up the PWC and help coach up the great class that UNI brought in last year. If he decides to come back and wrestle...well he could still roll with Schwab and Colon. Trust me, I'd love to see Brent coaching at Iowa...I just don't see an opening right now.
If I were Jaime Pollard...
1) Chris Bono - I'd start making sure I have a good relationship with Chris Bono. Yes, KJ has a good class coming in...recruiting isn't the problem. The problem is once they step into the room, many of them don't improve. I believe if it wasn't for Paul Rhoads being on the hot seat the past couple years KJ would have already been gone. Let's be honest, if you have to fire/hire your football coach, the last thing you want to do it is to be looking for a wrestling coach also. It just gets put on the back burner. Give Bono the backing of Iowa State and let him bring his staff of Reader and Schopp with him, I promise you, the recruits will still be there after the smoke clears.
What are your thoughts? What would you do if you were one of these guys? What would you do if you were a decision maker at one of these programs? And yes, I do know this is an IOWA board, but there are a lot of Iowa ties here.
