Who Should Coach Wisconsin Next Year?

[Hungus]

There's nowhere close to a guarantee that Johnson joins at all. He's an excellent football prospect. He won't start next year in FB but I bet he makes the 3-deep if he doesn't redshirt or get hurt and gets significant playing time or starts the following year. I know Keuter did it one year, but wrestling will significantly impact his gains in football, even if he doesn't get injured while doing it. That's why what Keuter did is very rare nowadays. If Johnson sees himself making significant progress and is enjoying football, I actually bet he doesn't wrestle at all.

I would agree if Johnson has NFL stamped all over him, the chances of two sports is slim.
There is a reason The Polar Bear wrestled this year, not a big NFL prospect (currently 5-7 round projection in 2025 draft)
 

[hammer]

There's nowhere close to a guarantee that Johnson joins at all. He's an excellent football prospect. He won't start next year in FB but I bet he makes the 3-deep if he doesn't redshirt or get hurt and gets significant playing time or starts the following year. I know Keuter did it one year, but wrestling will significantly impact his gains in football, even if he doesn't get injured while doing it. That's why what Keuter did is very rare nowadays. If Johnson sees himself making significant progress and is enjoying football, I actually bet he doesn't wrestle at all.

I bet the badgers probably want Johnson to bulk up a bit and not wanting to cut down much. Johnson is around 275 and I bet the Badgers want him at 300 plus.

[Wisconsin Wrestling Fan]

There's nowhere close to a guarantee that Johnson joins at all. He's an excellent football prospect. He won't start next year in FB but I bet he makes the 3-deep if he doesn't redshirt or get hurt and gets significant playing time or starts the following year. I know Keuter did it one year, but wrestling will significantly impact his gains in football, even if he doesn't get injured while doing it. That's why what Keuter did is very rare nowadays. If Johnson sees himself making significant progress and is enjoying football, I actually bet he doesn't wrestle at all.

I bet the badgers probably want Johnson to bulk up a bit and not wanting to cut down much. Johnson is around 275 and I bet the Badgers want him at 300 plus.

The Polar Bear weighed 330 during football. Cutting from 300 to 285 should not be a problem.

[Army Ant]

Wasn't the polar bear a senior though? No need to get ready for next year.

[wrestle03]

Wisconsin Wrestling Fan:  Maybe not a problem in your mind but I dont see a college Freshman/Sophomor/Junior wanting to do it more than one time. These guys need to have a social life and they need to go to class and study.   Everyone seems to think Johnson is a lock to wrestle - yea i get it he said he wants to.  But he hasnt even stepped onto campus yet, taken a college level course or gone through football practice / season.  Wouldnt blame him at all if he discovers / decides its just too much. 

[Wisconsin Wrestling Fan]

Wisconsin Wrestling Fan:  Maybe not a problem in your mind but I dont see a college Freshman/Sophomor/Junior wanting to do it more than one time. These guys need to have a social life and they need to go to class and study.   Everyone seems to think Johnson is a lock to wrestle - yea i get it he said he wants to.  But he hasnt even stepped onto campus yet, taken a college level course or gone through football practice / season.  Wouldnt blame him at all if he discovers / decides its just too much. 

I agree it is debatable how much he will wrestle.

Regarding weight loss, you would be surprised how much weight you can sweat in 1 practice. 15 lbs is not a big deal to a heavyweight; for a 125 or 133 pounder, it's a big deal.

[Ghetto]

Wasn't the polar bear a senior though? No need to get ready for next year.

Says he's a junior on the Nebraska site.

[DocWrestling]

If Johnson wrestles before maybe senior year consider me surprised.  He may even really be thinking right now he is going to wrestle.  He has no clue what he is in for.  I cannot imagine training for football from June to January 1st, then wrestle for 3 months and then go right into spring football for 6 weeks.  Get 2 weeks off and then start again in June.

[BadgerOne]

There's nowhere close to a guarantee that Johnson joins at all. He's an excellent football prospect. He won't start next year in FB but I bet he makes the 3-deep if he doesn't redshirt or get hurt and gets significant playing time or starts the following year. I know Keuter did it one year, but wrestling will significantly impact his gains in football, even if he doesn't get injured while doing it. That's why what Keuter did is very rare nowadays. If Johnson sees himself making significant progress and is enjoying football, I actually bet he doesn't wrestle at all.

Who needs a guarantee.  There is no guarantee of anything in life, but I'll take the over against all the doubters if you give me good odds.  Its funny that the guy with the most upside is the one many feel won't even wrestle.  If you guys are right, I think its going to be a long long year with Bono exiting soon after.

[littleguy301]

There's nowhere close to a guarantee that Johnson joins at all. He's an excellent football prospect. He won't start next year in FB but I bet he makes the 3-deep if he doesn't redshirt or get hurt and gets significant playing time or starts the following year. I know Keuter did it one year, but wrestling will significantly impact his gains in football, even if he doesn't get injured while doing it. That's why what Keuter did is very rare nowadays. If Johnson sees himself making significant progress and is enjoying football, I actually bet he doesn't wrestle at all.

I bet the badgers probably want Johnson to bulk up a bit and not wanting to cut down much. Johnson is around 275 and I bet the Badgers want him at 300 plus.

The Polar Bear weighed 330 during football. Cutting from 300 to 285 should not be a problem.

Does the football coaches want him to cut?

Remember that 100% of his scholarship comes from football and nothing from wrestling.

I hope Johnson comes in and does wrestle and becomes a huge success.

I just think it is laughable that people think our best talent is actually a 100% scholarship footbal guy that he is going to make a difference on the wrestling mat. I hope he does make a difference but I also realize that it may never happen.

If wisconsin is such a high education  school being part of 2 D1 programs and still being eligible is a an amazing feat. It is incredible with the demands that doing school work and competing in 1 sport is tough now keeping good grades and competing in 2 D1 sport is out of.hand very, very good if not incredible! If it happens, I support Mr Johnson 100%!

[Army Ant]

There's nowhere close to a guarantee that Johnson joins at all. He's an excellent football prospect. He won't start next year in FB but I bet he makes the 3-deep if he doesn't redshirt or get hurt and gets significant playing time or starts the following year. I know Keuter did it one year, but wrestling will significantly impact his gains in football, even if he doesn't get injured while doing it. That's why what Keuter did is very rare nowadays. If Johnson sees himself making significant progress and is enjoying football, I actually bet he doesn't wrestle at all.

Who needs a guarantee.  There is no guarantee of anything in life, but I'll take the over against all the doubters if you give me good odds.  Its funny that the guy with the most upside is the one many feel won't even wrestle.  If you guys are right, I think its going to be a long long year with Bono exiting soon after.

I said "NOT EVEN CLOSE" to a guarantee. I'd say 50/50 he wrestles at all his freshman year. Probably 10% chance he wrestles his sophomore year.

[BadgerOne]

There's nowhere close to a guarantee that Johnson joins at all. He's an excellent football prospect. He won't start next year in FB but I bet he makes the 3-deep if he doesn't redshirt or get hurt and gets significant playing time or starts the following year. I know Keuter did it one year, but wrestling will significantly impact his gains in football, even if he doesn't get injured while doing it. That's why what Keuter did is very rare nowadays. If Johnson sees himself making significant progress and is enjoying football, I actually bet he doesn't wrestle at all.

Who needs a guarantee.  There is no guarantee of anything in life, but I'll take the over against all the doubters if you give me good odds.  Its funny that the guy with the most upside is the one many feel won't even wrestle.  If you guys are right, I think its going to be a long long year with Bono exiting soon after.

I said "NOT EVEN CLOSE" to a guarantee. I'd say 50/50 he wrestles at all his freshman year. Probably 10% chance he wrestles his sophomore year.

I'd say better than 10%.  I think we saw Keuter and Hutmacher and maybe some others play both sports.  The kid loves to wrestle and he was dominant in high school, so I think he fully intends to wrestle.  Plus, if he isn't experiencing the same level of success on the gridiron and doesn't foresee himself in the NFL, then he could even drop football and commit full time to wrestling.  There are lots of scenarios this could go.  I'll be rooting for him to succeed in whatever sport or sports he's participating in.

[vsmf2010]

There's nowhere close to a guarantee that Johnson joins at all. He's an excellent football prospect. He won't start next year in FB but I bet he makes the 3-deep if he doesn't redshirt or get hurt and gets significant playing time or starts the following year. I know Keuter did it one year, but wrestling will significantly impact his gains in football, even if he doesn't get injured while doing it. That's why what Keuter did is very rare nowadays. If Johnson sees himself making significant progress and is enjoying football, I actually bet he doesn't wrestle at all.

Who needs a guarantee.  There is no guarantee of anything in life, but I'll take the over against all the doubters if you give me good odds.  Its funny that the guy with the most upside is the one many feel won't even wrestle.  If you guys are right, I think its going to be a long long year with Bono exiting soon after.

I said "NOT EVEN CLOSE" to a guarantee. I'd say 50/50 he wrestles at all his freshman year. Probably 10% chance he wrestles his sophomore year.

I'd say better than 10%.  I think we saw Keuter and Hutmacher and maybe some others play both sports.  The kid loves to wrestle and he was dominant in high school, so I think he fully intends to wrestle.  Plus, if he isn't experiencing the same level of success on the gridiron and doesn't foresee himself in the NFL, then he could even drop football and commit full time to wrestling.  There are lots of scenarios this could go.  I'll be rooting for him to succeed in whatever sport or sports he's participating in.

The other big piece of this equation is that his head coach was a wrestler and did this in college some. I saw an interview or a transcript from an interview where coach Fickell said he regretted not wrestling more in college. Having the support of the coach in the primary sport is huge when you are attempting to play 2 sports at the D1 level.

[littleguy301]

Wow!

People are forgetting Nash was a bigger star recruit than Johnson was and was the top ranked HWT for a few year though very similar high school results. I feel.Nash did well for his first year back with very little wresrling in the pass few years.

Ok now Johnson probably will not get in much drilling until January's and was bang he is going to be whipped right into possible AA shape. Hey I hope it happens but that is a tall road to hoe. Keuter and the polar bear did well but neither were AA threats in my mind. The old days of kids competing at an AA level in 2 D1 college sports is such a huge task I am not sure if it is possible!

Wrestling is a year around sport in college I just have a hard time.believing kids can wrestle part time and be an AA. Also if we believe our best wrestler next year is going to be a part time football player, that doesn't look good for the team over all.

[Oz125]

This program has been "rebuilding" since Bono has arrived. Highly doubtful Amos will be back.
I dont see any All-Americans next year and likely bottom 3 in the Big Ten.

Amos not coming back has been mentioned several times on this forum. A post on the Intermat forum from a person claiming to be close to Amos said he was planning to come back.