I don't actually know what happened with Mo since I'm not an insider, but if that's the case that aint good.
New coach or not?
- Thread starter RockySmith
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That’s a reasonable take. He was also getting sh*t on plenty last year when he AAd plus everyone questioning the strength and conditioning plan since he’s not 260 yet. My point has been he’s lived up to expectations even though he’s taken a less than deal path if we want him wrestling at the highest level.
In t&ts defense them were not problems all caused on their part. If you think that group is innocent from having their own issues you haven’t been around the program much or followed much at all.
OK- List the National Champions Brands has coached who he still gets along with. If everybody else is the problem perhaps they are not the problem at all. I can't wait to compare lists. I realize some of them have done things to make it a two way street, but all of them? Cael has a bunch more national champions and he isn't at such conflict with his former champions. Tom Ryan isn't at war with his former champions. John Smith? Maybe it speaks to his recruiting if the only guys that can win titles are trouble makers. I only know Schwab and Metcalf well but they both sure present themselves as a lot more stable than Brands. I didn't even bring up Ramos or Mark Perry. I think he is good with Cory Clark and of course Spencer Lee.
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Slaton wasn’t a champion. Let’s get that straight. Give us all the details on why they don’t get along and put some of the examples of exactly why they don’t. What happened? I want to know as well as everyone else. Put it out here if your going to spout off your big mouth.
Schwab feels betrayed as he was encouraged to take the UNI job and when he did Iowa (Brands) promptly pulled out of the national duals to hurt UNI. He also refuses to do the home and home dual with UNI. Metcalf just simply doesn't respect him anymore and hates the behavior in the bubble as he calls it. JBO thinks they are bad coaches who teach wrestling like it is still 1989. Dresser thinks he is an orange. Gilman thinks they are anything but loyal as does Ramos. Mark Perry thinks they are caught in the past. Do you not talk to any of these guys? DSJ is not a fan and there is almost no contact or nice words between them. It sounds like you are in that same cult bubble. It is like leaving a cult as you are smeared and bad talked once you leave. I'm waiting for your long list of champions he still gets along with. Waiting big mouth.
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Probably the sanest thing I've read in a while I'm not a hawk fan and I'm not trolling i think you are right and all the bashing brands isnt helping in the middle of a season. You are right to ask for this **** to play out then deal with whatever at the end of the season i for one think Iowa can make a lot more noise at nattys then people give them credit for they just need to put something together.
The culture Gable built was winning and dominating the mat. That culture has died,been buried, and an oak tree is growing. Since when is Iowa making some noise at nationals the standard? This isn't Wyoming or Little Rock.
McDonough, Lee, Buchanan, Clark, Royce?Schwab feels betrayed as he was encouraged to take the UNI job and when he did Iowa (Brands) promptly pulled out of the national duals to hurt UNI. He also refuses to do the home and home dual with UNI. Metcalf just simply doesn't respect him anymore and hates the behavior in the bubble as he calls it. JBO thinks they are bad coaches who teach wrestling like it is still 1989. Dresser thinks he is an orange. Gilman thinks they are anything but loyal as does Ramos. Mark Perry thinks they are caught in the past. Do you not talk to any of these guys? DSJ is not a fan and there is almost no contact or nice words between them. It sounds like you are in that same cult bubble. It is like leaving a cult as you are smeared and bad talked once you leave. I'm waiting for your long list of champions he still gets along with. Waiting big mouth.
Gilman was never a champ. nor Mike Zadick.
i bet Carl and Bo Bartlett aren’t chummy.
If rumors are to believed isn’t this what Mo tried doing and Brands and co were not happy with that decision
edit: sorry. Your responded to this already, no need to again. My bad.
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You’re most likely 83% correct.
To me it appears, and I could be wrong, they have a hard time forgiving themselves. It’s real difficult to act with humility, if you can’t forgive yourself.
When the change comes, I hope they aren’t fired. However, if they force Beth’s hand and it happens this would be a bad look. It would leave the appearance of being bigger than the program, and it could fracture Iowa Wrestling.
They are a huge part of the Iowa Brand and it needs to stay that way.
For example, John Smith could have made a fuss and he didn’t.
It would be nice to see Smith write a book about life as a coach, from the beginning to the end of his coaching career.
I’m all for change. I’m also not for getting on social media and message boards and casting stones. Several of those guys got their own ghost in the closets and had their own issues. Some are jealous because they weren’t added to the staff. I’m ready for change,but certainly not with anyone you’ve mentioned!!!!
You specifically ask me to cast stones. I agree about the guys mentioned probably not being the next coach. Iowa needs to flush this staff and anyone with an affiliation to this staff. Start over with a staff that has competed in this century.
Lee and Buchanan are still with him so they will get along until they aren't. Royce never wrestled for Brands and is in fact older than Brands and has a laundry list of problems. Clark who knows as I've never ran into him when he was sober. McDonough may still be tight. Gilman is a World Champion who Brands told he wanted to display the world silver he won while a Hawkeye but didn't once Gilman left. I get it as in Brand's mind you are with us or an enemy. This is why when he is fired they need to remove all traces of his loyalists and start over. He will undermine the program every way he can. A lot of great former Hawks will be showing up at duals and events once Brands is gone.
As for Bartlett that is a true point. I don't think his teammates or coaches will ever speak to him again. There is no doubt that so many former great Hawkeyes out publicly talking bad about Brands has hurt recruiting. They are either all in the wrong or he is. He recruited them so even if it is the fault of the wrestlers because they all have bad character he needs to go.
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Good points, I don’t know the behind the scenes dynamics. I will say that in the past when opposing wrestlers would come to shake his hand after matches, there were a few times when I saw him turn away and not shake their hands and that really bothered me. My kids went to school with his and I like him as a person, but as far as wrestling, I am an Iowa fan first and I want what’s best for the program and I agree some form of change is needed.
O so probably metcalf or st john?
Ty for the heads up.
Sound Off Iowa Wrestling
Haven't seen this posted here. Pretty much echos the feelings a lot on this board have.
Haven't seen this posted here. Pretty much echos the feelings a lot on this board have.
When the MSM is calling it out; that is absolutely notable. The wrestling media is too afraid of TnT to call out the truth so it’s a bit refreshing to see some honesty regarding the state of the program.
"Worst loss for the Hawkeyes in 60 years. The gap? This isn't a gap. Its the Grand Canyon."
Has he really lived up to expectations? He was pretty highly regarded coming in and most felt he would be a title/high AA contender pretty quick. I understand the dual sports juggle and the injuries - but that being said I don't think most would feel that he has met the expectations at this point. I'm guessing he doesn't feel that he has either. People are speculating that AJ may major him. Now I don't think AJ will come close to doing so, but that is nowhere near where anyone thought he would be. I would agree that being an AA last year was a great achievement considering the depth at that weight. This year there is a very real chance he will struggle to be in the top 6 at Big Ten's. The unfortunate thing with injuries is they certainly play a factor in success and in this case it may be a very real reason why he doesn't achieve what all had hoped.
I think the answer is yes. And after hip surgery in the off season I would say my expectations wound b tempered this season.
Who are the coaches of the elite recruits? Maybe take a look at them, think pipelines. Wrestling is channeling talent at an early age.
I think that's iowas answer. I don't want to leave anybody out so i won't attempt naming a few. For assistants, close your eyes and start naming guys that can still roll with the youngsters - light weight, middle weights(2), and heavy.
Your highlight reel you just envisioned wasnt an 1-0 design wrestler.
Flash money at these guys.
Yeah I'm a little...el dub would understand.
I think that's iowas answer. I don't want to leave anybody out so i won't attempt naming a few. For assistants, close your eyes and start naming guys that can still roll with the youngsters - light weight, middle weights(2), and heavy.
Your highlight reel you just envisioned wasnt an 1-0 design wrestler.
Flash money at these guys.
Yeah I'm a little...el dub would understand.
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I think there’s a kid named Beacon. About ten years out. Risky but could pan out
T
I think you guys have been placer mining too long as it is. Look for the mother lode.
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TnT were legendary competitors on the mat. They have been great mentors to their guys while on the team and they certainly provided a spark after Z was let go but their shortcomings are their shortcomings and those have not and are not changing and actually becoming bigger because of their age increasing. Recruiting: They have always been underwhelming in recruiting given the strength of situation they have had to recruit from. They are not especially good at evaluating talent, at pursuing talent and at landing talent. They are average at best, they recruit from convenience. Personality: it's no secret they are not the most personable or charismatic guys around and that is a bad look at times. Ability to transfer their philosophy to their wrestlers on the mat: we have heard endless sound bites preaching how they want their guys to wrestle but how many ever truly wrestled that attacking, scoring style. Not many. Iowa wrestling has become absolutely boring to watch. Technique: this goes with the previous point. I assume they know technique but through the years their teams have shown a very limited scope of technical wrestling and most variation being techniques wrestlers brought with them. Inability to get along with people: this is the case from rivals to former wrestlers to current wrestlers at times. If there is a bridge around they are burning it. This does not help the program at all. Lack of ability to be flexible, to change, to innovate: they surround themselves with yes men that do the same things they do. They have refused to make adjustments when they were needed, when they could have made a difference and now at their ages it's too late.
Hearing Angelo Ferrari is as good as gone. Entering the portal March 18, 2026. The first day possible.
Yes, we should bank on it because you have done such a good job of establishing your credibility on this board.
Kingstown. If you are a cyclone, why do you spend all of your time over here trying to disparage Iowa wrestling and not on your own board trying to build up your team? Honestly wrestling is better off when Iowa is good. The Hawks draw so many fans to the sport and when they continue to underperform it hurts the fanbase and wrestling as a whole. Iowa draws fans to other teams home meets as well. Penn states extreme dominance hurts wrestling. Some parity is needed in the sport to draw more fans in my opinion. I think even PSU fans would enjoy their team more if some meets were in contention, like they used to be with Iowa 10 years ago. When you have a handful of teams that can win it, that’s much more exciting. Just look at college football. Even when Iowa dominated under Gable it wasnt like PSU. Many meets were close, and nationals wasn’t the blowout you see today. Fans of the actual sport of wrestling shouldnt hate Iowa or worship PSU. Both of those things hurt the sport iMO.
I graduated from the University of Iowa. I was once a huge Iowa wrestling fan. I became a Cyclone fan when Cael was at ISU and followed him to PSU as a fan. I am a current season ticket holder to both ISU and Iowa. I also follow UNI,Wartburg, and SEP high school wrestling rather closely. I loved watching the Brands compete and Mark Ironside will always be one of my top 5 wrestlers of all time to watch compete. Metcalf is number 2 only behind Cael. Mesenbrink is closing hard on those 2. Some people are just fans of great wrestling. I am a huge fan of both PK and MC as well as the "no brakes Drake" when chooses to be himself.
I don't agree that a dynasty hurts any sport. It gives fans something to cheer against when the team they actually support isn't very good. It also ends up spreading quality coaches around the country. Gable had quite the tree and Cael soon will as well. Iowa just needs to grab a hold of one of those branches before they take root in other places.
"It gives fans something to cheer against when the team they actually support isn't very good."
This is a good point.
Huh. I was a big Cyclone wrestling fan as a boy and went to ISU. I eventually became a huge Hawkeye fan when Gable went to coach at Iowa and dominated.
I'm too old to change loyalties again, lol.
This is how my model seeds it preseason vs today.
| 1/20/2026 | Pre-Season | ||||
| Team | Category | Count | Probability | Probability | Change |
| Iowa | AA's | 0 | 0.03% | 0.00% | 0.03% |
| Iowa | AA's | 1 | 0.61% | 0.06% | 0.55% |
| Iowa | AA's | 2 | 4.77% | 0.83% | 3.94% |
| Iowa | AA's | 3 | 17.16% | 5.72% | 11.45% |
| Iowa | AA's | 4 | 29.88% | 19.99% | 9.89% |
| Iowa | AA's | 5 | 27.76% | 34.16% | -6.40% |
| Iowa | AA's | 6 | 14.62% | 27.03% | -12.41% |
| Iowa | AA's | 7 | 4.40% | 10.29% | -5.89% |
| Iowa | AA's | 8 | 0.72% | 1.80% | -1.09% |
| Iowa | AA's | 9 | 0.05% | 0.12% | -0.06% |
| Iowa | AA's | 10 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Expected AA's | 4.4 | 5.2 | -0.7 |