Recruiting….

Mattski · Aug 10, 2026

vhsalum said:
IF you're a fan of Iowa - this is much ado about nothing.

Personally, didn't care for Amato due to character/commitment concerns. I was clearly right and Tom got it handled prior to the kid enrolling. This isn't going to damage Iowa as much as the naysayers want to think (really, not at all). Amato's issues aren't exactly unknown in NJ circles.

The only thing that matters now is on mat performance. That will be the only thing that keeps Iowa in the game.

#TIT
(Trust In Tom)

Good grief now we're criticizing high school kids character. Did the staff not know any of this when they offered? Let me guess you're pumped Jordan Williams is back for what now his 4th "second chance"? No character concerns there? Not to mention AJ Ferrari would have been on the team had the adults in the room not put a stop to it.
In other words your take isn't remotely passing the smell test.

vhsalum · Aug 10, 2026

Mattski said:
Good grief now we're criticizing high school kids character. Did the staff not know any of this when they offered? Let me guess you're pumped Jordan Williams is back for what now his 4th "second chance"? No character concerns there? Not to mention AJ Ferrari would have been on the team had the adults in the room not put a stop to it.
In other words your take isn't remotely passing the smell test.

umm... you must not know me that well.

How about this? YOU ask around and see what you're told.

#TIT

whejoe · Aug 10, 2026

vhsalum said:
umm... you must not know me that well.

How about this? YOU ask around and see what you're told.

#TIT

#TIT

TheREALSpooner · Aug 10, 2026

grapplefan said:
$500K is some serious change. Anyone planning to pass the hat?

Not only is it about 0.27% of Iowa's athletic budget, the wrestling revenue slide that's going to continue this season is greater than $500K.

Anon1750875978 said:
Give us some names of who's available or who's interested.

Beth will have boosters in her ear before she pulls the plug.
There hasn't been any speculation on that.
Iowa wrestling right now is nowhere near the same situation as what happened with Fran.
Not even close.

Here's who would have zero interest:
Cael Sanderson
David Taylor

Here's who would have interest:
Basically everyone else

What we do know is Brands' time has come and gone. The proof is literally everywhere.

You brought up basketball coaches, not me. Iowa could have played it safe and stuck with Fran. His teams were always at least solid if not good. But they took a chance, and look what happened.

blcoach80 · Aug 10, 2026

The reality is Tom and Terry are very strict, disciplined, demanding, and stubborn. Most of those traits are great to have as a coach, but not all. I'll let you guys decide which ones are good or bad. I can see how they would not mesh well with some recruits. Hell, how many of us would have responded well to their personality when we were 17/18 years old. Tom isn't great at reading the room I feel like. A lot of the traits that make him a good coach and I admire about him just don't resonate with kids these days imo. I think that is why he has struggled in the recruiting game. He isn't a great "salesman" and is a straight shooter. No ******** or ego padding, just how it is. He tells kids what they need to hear, not what they necessarily want to hear. Some love that, some don't. He isn't going to change who he is, that I'm certain of and I respect that in him and always have.

Corby2 · Aug 10, 2026

whejoe said:
#TIT

Hopefully this isn't gonna make @lisa morales come running

Mattski · Aug 10, 2026

vhsalum said:
umm... you must not know me that well.

How about this? YOU ask around and see what you're told.

#TIT

I know you're full of sh*t most of the time and guessing at what's fact and what isn't just like the rest of us.
My larger point is pretending like all of a sudden we should be supportive of losing top 20 recruits bc of "character concerns", when we're bringing back a guy who's on his 3rd school (only bc he couldnt find a 4th in the off season) and spent 4 seasons underachieving... well that's just stupid.
*Edited to add - surely everyone remembers the same stuff being spread on Sammy Sasso after we missed on him.
If Amato simply hasn't performed and improved as well as the staff had hoped then fine, pull the offer. But to make it about character concerns when the staff doesn't have a stellar track record of consistency in that area is again, stupid.

vhsalum · Aug 10, 2026

Mattski said:
I know you're full of sh*t most of the time and guessing at what's fact and what isn't just like the rest of us.
My larger point is pretending like all of a sudden we should be supportive of losing top 20 recruits bc of "character concerns", when we're bringing back a guy who's on his 3rd school (only bc he couldnt find a 4th in the off season) and spent 4 seasons underachieving... well that's just stupid.
*Edited to add - surely everyone remembers the same stuff being spread on Sammy Sasso after we missed on him.
If Amato simply hasn't performed and improved as well as the staff had hoped then fine, pull the offer. But to make it about character concerns when the staff doesn't have a stellar track record of consistency in that area is again, stupid.

Not guessing here. I also do get your point. but...

#TIT

lisa morales · Aug 10, 2026

Sonny is a good student and is interested in majoring in Finance. Wrestling 365 days each year is not part of his plan.

PinkShizzle · Aug 10, 2026

vhsalum said:
#TIT

Pic?

ChicagoHawk2020 · Aug 10, 2026

The mindset of our coaches and big donors has to change from “ poor us, PSU and OSU are cheating and there’s nothing we can do to beat them” to “ So what, we’re going to figure out a way”. At some point it’s not just them cheating, maybe the coaches just need to get significantly better in certain categories.

Nashville_Hawk · Aug 10, 2026

ChicagoHawk2020 said:
The mindset of our coaches and big donors has to change from “ poor us, PSU and OSU are cheating and there’s nothing we can do to beat them” to “ So what, we’re going to figure out a way”. At some point it’s not just them cheating, maybe the coaches just need to get significantly better in certain categories.

I don’t know what the mindset of the coaches is but I’m with you in that we just need to figure a way to start being competitive with PSU and now Okie State…and a couple of the others who are out-recruiting us, whether they be HSers or portal guys.

bnicolls · Aug 10, 2026

vhsalum said:
IF you're a fan of Iowa - this is much ado about nothing.

Personally, didn't care for Amato due to character/commitment concerns. I was clearly right and Tom got it handled prior to the kid enrolling. This isn't going to damage Iowa as much as the naysayers want to think (really, not at all). Amato's issues aren't exactly unknown in NJ circles.

The only thing that matters now is on mat performance. That will be the only thing that keeps Iowa in the game.

#TIT
(Trust In Tom)

Vbaby spot on

WEH8ST8HAWK · Aug 10, 2026

When Tom is gone, Brent will be interested. He will bring in big name guys to run the HWC and be his assistants. I wish that was happening now.

bnicolls · Aug 10, 2026

ChicagoHawk2020 said:
The mindset of our coaches and big donors has to change from “ poor us, PSU and OSU are cheating and there’s nothing we can do to beat them” to “ So what, we’re going to figure out a way”. At some point it’s not just them cheating, maybe the coaches just need to get significantly better in certain categories.

The people you refer to do not think that way. However, calling a spade a spade is not an issue with me

bnicolls · Aug 10, 2026

WEH8ST8HAWK said:
When Tom is gone, Brent will be interested. He will bring in big name guys to run the HWC and be his assistants. I wish that was happening now.

Like he is a ISU, and they will certainly dominate Iowa, PSU and OSU

psuslu · Aug 11, 2026

vhsalum said:
IF you're a fan of Iowa - this is much ado about nothing.

Personally, didn't care for Amato due to character/commitment concerns. I was clearly right and Tom got it handled prior to the kid enrolling. This isn't going to damage Iowa as much as the naysayers want to think (really, not at all). Amato's issues aren't exactly unknown in NJ circles.

The only thing that matters now is on mat performance. That will be the only thing that keeps Iowa in the game.

#TIT
(Trust In Tom)

Personally, it is a shame you mention character/commitment issues with this kid. Sonny trains hard every day and his commitment to wrestling is beyond reproach. I know this young man, and you could not be more wrong. This is not like you vhsalum. I respect you wanting to have Tom's back, but Sonny has no Character or commitment issues. Tom pulled his offer because he felt he no longer wanted or needed this kid. Fine as in today's NIL world I have no problem with Tom's decision or any coaches making the same call. If prior to NIL then yes, Coaches making this kind of decision would be a really bad move and not fare well for the program going forward.

vhsalum · Aug 11, 2026

psuslu said:
Personally, it is a shame you mention character/commitment issues with this kid. Sonny trains hard every day and his commitment to wrestling is beyond reproach. I know this young man, and you could not be more wrong. This is not like you vhsalum. I respect you wanting to have Tom's back, but Sonny has no Character or commitment issues. Tom pulled his offer because he felt he no longer wanted or needed this kid. Fine as in today's NIL world I have no problem with Tom's decision or any coaches making the same call. If prior to NIL then yes, Coaches making this kind of decision would be a really bad move and not fare well for the program going forward.

If I'm wrong, so is Tom. Iowa isn't just going to drop a kid for shts and giggles. There's certainly a reason beyond "he felt he no longer wanted or needed this kid."

Not attacking the kid, and I wish him well as a wrestler and a human. And hell, he probably uses this as motivation to prove Tom wrong.

#TIT

redghost1974 · Aug 11, 2026

Every time I hear someone say character issues, remember Tom kicked the tires woth AJ. He is a head coach, he has dealt with characters before. Unless he had a better recruit, WTF. The tail end of TnT is looking brutal.

AS17380 · Aug 11, 2026

Willie just said both Bachmanns are going up a weight this year, Freddy 144 and Joey 175. With Freddy going to 144 maybe Tom just thought they had too much money tied up in those middle weights and needed to cut one loose.

Anon1751917054 · Aug 11, 2026

When Tom is gone, Brent will be interested. He will bring in big name guys to run the HWC and be his assistants. I wish that was happening now.

What big-name guys is he bringing in as assistants and coaches for CRTC ?

WEH8ST8HAWK · Aug 11, 2026

bnicolls said:
Like he is a ISU, and they will certainly dominate Iowa, PSU and OSU

Cmon Bob, Iowa City is light years above Ames on the wrestling landscape. The coaches willing to come to Iowa City to coach with Brent is endless. Ames, not so much. You know that so I don't know why you need to act like it isn't true.

WEH8ST8HAWK · Aug 11, 2026

Anon1751917054 said:
When Tom is gone, Brent will be interested. He will bring in big name guys to run the HWC and be his assistants. I wish that was happening now.

What big-name guys is he bringing in as assistants and coaches for CRTC ?

Iowa City>Ames x 100.

JoeBagobagels · Aug 11, 2026

Wrestling is probably the sport most prone to dynasties. Maybe I'm missing a few other sports such as volleyball or gymnastics, but I don't pay attention to them.

Danny Gable build a machine. Sanderson build a new one. Will David Taylor build a new machine or will he be neck and neck with Penn State? When Sanderson decides to retire will Taylor jump ship to Penn State? Or will some other coach take over maybe someone who's not even coaching yet who's on a roster someplace

And once you slip back, it's hard to get back to the top unless you get that next dynasty coach. Maybe that's Ok State right now or maybe it's Nebraska, Iowa, or newcomer such as Virginia Tech? But if I had to make a guess that if Penn State falls off in Oklahoma State falls back, it's probably Iowa or Nebraska.

Who knows if and who knows when?

grapplefan · Aug 11, 2026

WEH8ST8HAWK said:
Cmon Bob, Iowa City is light years above Ames on the wrestling landscape. The coaches willing to come to Iowa City to coach with Brent is endless. Ames, not so much. You know that so I don't know why you need to act like it isn't true.

When Carl left Ames, ISU dropped a tier in wrestling, and I'm guessing that poorer recruiting is the biggest reason for that. That's not all KJ's fault. Carl took the big recruiting magnet with him, and was given some huge financial resources to support it. Those are tough things to compete against when the top recruits each year are so rare and so sought-after, and many of them came from Penn State's backyard. But nothing goes on forever.

I don't know if Brent Metcalf can improve teams in Ames no matter how good he is, because the college wrestling landscape has changed so much since the mid-2000s. However, my (unsupported) personal belief is that better wrestling teams in Ames and Cedar Falls will make for better wrestling teams in Iowa City as well, and vice-versa. But then I'm a State-Of-Iowa homer, so please discount that a bit.

I also wouldn't bet the farm that Metcalf or any other Iowa-bred coach will come to Iowa City when (and if) Tom leaves. It will be as much about fit as it will be about potential, and Gable and TB left some pretty deep footprints.

Nashville_Hawk · Aug 11, 2026

psuslu said:
Personally, it is a shame you mention character/commitment issues with this kid. Sonny trains hard every day and his commitment to wrestling is beyond reproach. I know this young man, and you could not be more wrong. This is not like you vhsalum. I respect you wanting to have Tom's back, but Sonny has no Character or commitment issues. Tom pulled his offer because he felt he no longer wanted or needed this kid. Fine as in today's NIL world I have no problem with Tom's decision or any coaches making the same call. If prior to NIL then yes, Coaches making this kind of decision would be a really bad move and not fare well for the program going forward.

It's always good to hear from members who know the recruits, so thank you for adding that to the discussion!!

PKlooksgreat · Aug 11, 2026

WillieTheBrain · Aug 11, 2026

JoeBagobagels said:
Wrestling is probably the sport most prone to dynasties. Maybe I'm missing a few other sports such as volleyball or gymnastics, but I don't pay attention to them.

Danny Gable build a machine. Sanderson build a new one. Will David Taylor build a new machine or will he be neck and neck with Penn State? When Sanderson decides to retire will Taylor jump ship to Penn State? Or will some other coach take over maybe someone who's not even coaching yet who's on a roster someplace

And once you slip back, it's hard to get back to the top unless you get that next dynasty coach. Maybe that's Ok State right now or maybe it's Nebraska, Iowa, or newcomer such as Virginia Tech? But if I had to make a guess that if Penn State falls off in Oklahoma State falls back, it's probably Iowa or Nebraska.

Who knows if and who knows when?

i love what they're doing in Nebraska. all the respect in the world to them. but there's a snowball chance in hell they are the 'next dynasty'.

WillieTheBrain · Aug 11, 2026

GLC1969 said:
Beth was at Minnesota. Look where there program is. TnT are not going anywhere. There needs to be change. Iowa is in the 3rd tier of teams right now and not moving up,

explain to me how perpetually Top 5 is 3rd tier?

WillieTheBrain · Aug 11, 2026

luthius dagan said:
Amato never had a spot. Check my thread that has our lineup for the next 6 seasons. Tell me which season and weight would Amato have absolutely started and been a massive improvement over the other options

we recruiting like 4 149/157. Some had to go….

roster spot. not starting spot.

no one at a top tier school in the the portal-nil age is guaranteed to start

luthius dagan · Aug 11, 2026

WillieTheBrain said:
roster spot. not starting spot.

no one at a top tier school in the the portal-nil age is guaranteed to start

True

dtripp26 · Aug 11, 2026

redghost1974 said:
Every time I hear someone say character issues, remember Tom kicked the tires woth AJ. He is a head coach, he has dealt with characters before. Unless he had a better recruit, WTF. The tail end of TnT is looking brutal.

#HINDTIT

Sunshinedynomite 1 · Aug 11, 2026

Anon1750875978 said:
Tom Brands isn't getting fired.
Again, unless there's some scandal, he'll be in IC for many years.
He's 58/59, so I can see him coaching for another 7-8 years.

Good - name 3 better coaches.
You can't

Anon1750875978 · Aug 11, 2026

Sunshinedynomite 1 said:
Good - name 3 better coaches.
You can't

Who in hell are you arguing with?

GLC1969 · Aug 12, 2026

Well PSU is obviously top. OSU second. Iowa Nebraska and tOSU 3rd, the separation between 2 and 3 is clear.

bnicolls · Aug 12, 2026

WEH8ST8HAWK said:
Cmon Bob, Iowa City is light years above Ames on the wrestling landscape. The coaches willing to come to Iowa City to coach with Brent is endless. Ames, not so much. You know that so I don't know why you need to act like it isn't true.

I actually do not know that, but thanks for telling me what I should and should not know

grapplefan · Aug 12, 2026

Sunshinedynomite 1 said:
Good - name 3 better coaches.
You can't

And that's the source of Hawkeye fan frustration.
Some might argue that there are currently two better coaches (but I wouldn't), but until there's someone leading the team that's clearly better than Carl's team, Hawk fans are going to grumble.

chipackhawk · Aug 12, 2026

vhsalum said:
If I'm wrong, so is Tom. Iowa isn't just going to drop a kid for shts and giggles. There's certainly a reason beyond "he felt he no longer wanted or needed this kid."

Not attacking the kid, and I wish him well as a wrestler and a human. And hell, he probably uses this as motivation to prove Tom wrong.

#TIT

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but Iowa (TNT) did not come out with a presser and say we are dropping this kid. He was given an opportunity to say he is decommitting. The story about him being dropped was "broken" by an ambulance chaser. If I am correct, it seems to me Iowa was pretty stand up with this issue.

Corby2 · Aug 12, 2026

chipackhawk said:
Someone correct me if I am wrong, but Iowa (TNT) did not come out with a presser and say we are dropping this kid. He was given an opportunity to say he is decommitting. The story about him being dropped was "broken" by an ambulance chaser. If I am correct, it seems to me Iowa was pretty stand up with this issue.

Coaches can't comment on recruits

chipackhawk · Aug 12, 2026

Corby2 said:
Coaches can't comment on recruits

While I understand your statement, I think you probably got the gist of mine too.

Recruiting….

All-Conference

All-Conference

Senior

All-Conference

All-Conference

Heisman

All-Conference

All-Conference

Junior

All-Conference

All-Conference

All-Conference

All-Conference

Senior

All-Conference

All-Conference

Sophomore

All-Conference

Senior

Sophomore

Junior

Senior

Senior

All-Conference

Senior

All-Conference

Redshirt

All-Conference

All-Conference

All-Conference

Senior

Heisman

Senior

Heisman

Junior

All-Conference

Senior

All-Conference

Heisman

All-Conference