Whats it going to take?

[stp]

Minnesota's is worse.   

That is debatable and Minnesota runs a better "quantity over quality" intense camp, which imo also helps with recruiting.  

[Harris]

as far as Mitch Hull, he is not a draw at all and is a waste of the $70,000/yr they are paying him

Really 

Brett Favre - I have read your diatribe and vitriol since the first day you started posting.  I don't know what axe you have to grind but Mitch Hull was a huge win for the Badgers and he is a huge step in the right direction.  I question whether you really understand the role Mitch has and why he was brought on as a volunteer assistant coach with the Badgers and the executive director of the RTC.  He is not here to win a popularity contest.  He is not here to be a "draw".  Look at what he accomplished with USA wrestling (if you even have a clue).  In addition, he is a Wisconsin kid, former All American and Big Ten champion to boot.  His past at USA wrestling is perfectly suited to be the executive director of the RTC in Madison and he has already accomplished a ton in his short time here.  His salary is money well spent in my opinion.

[Barou]

Minnesota's is worse.   

That is debatable and Minnesota runs a better "quantity over quality" intense camp, which imo also helps with recruiting.  

I was responding to their facilities which are the worst in the Big 10.  I bet it's not debatable at all.  Not sure where the camp and recruiting comments come from but if you're comparing programs, Minnesota's program is way better than Wisconsin's....by far.  Over the last 20 years MN's down years are better or the same than UW's average.  I do agree that their camps help with recruiting, seems like a logical recruiting tool.

[empty99]

When you talk to the top recruits, they want to go where they have a coach at their weight that is just off high level competiton, or still competing. We need a coach that is secure enough in himself to allow those kinds of wrestlers to be here and do their job. That coach can be Barry, or someone else, I don't care. Right now if my kid is below 150# and good enough to be D1, the Badgers would not be an option because they don't have a coach for those weights. Trevor and Kyle are great, but do the top kids even know their names? They should if they are in state. I think Mitch has benefited the program behind the scenes, but to think any top kid is coming here because of Mitch is just goofy. I've heard enough of his speaches about the past to want to hang myself, and I'm not 18

[Ghetto]

No, kids are not here because of Mitch Hull only. They come in and get a feel for the coaching staff in general, like what they see, etc. Without that cadet camp, what would any kid from CA know about Madison? It's not that complicated.

[maggie]

ha ankle pick, as far as being over my head here, I probably am, but it's not going to stop me from saying my peace and neither are you.... as far as then Milton boys go, there really has only been a hand full who would have been able to make that team and did, I know of only 2 wrestlers who had attended UW Madison whom i wrestled on team with and one that came along a few yrs later as well as a few that stayed in state and attended UWL a few to UWW,  one i know headed to Mizzo, one to Eastern Mich. and one too Cornell,  BUT i'm not sure coaching had anything to do with it. maybe I'AM OLD SCHOOL AS THE lITTLEGUY Suggested, as a matter of fact i am.I bleed Badger red and White in all sports.. i guess i just was wishing and hoping when i posted...however, as far as the wrestling room and facility goes, it take Money and lots of it and that has to come from Backers and supporters, I do know if a certain backer was still with us today, that room would not even be in issue  and as far as Mitch goes,I have personally been under hi wrath a few times and  how lucky we are to have him aboard, his accomplishments speak for themselves plain and simple..as one posters mentioned a train Ohio wrestlers, Eastern Mich seems to get there fair share of them kids...I don't know, maybe it's just a lack of supporters and there money that's having an affect on kids heading out of state...I have to believe that's a big part of it,  because we have the coaches to get the job done....fire away pick...

[Micah]

Wasn't there a Milton kid that wrestled for Ohio around 174 lbs that was pretty good?  I think he might have won the MAC and it is within the last 5 yrs.  I could be wrong though.

With Internet and TV the world is a much smaller place than it was 15 yrs ago.  Kids can get info on any team and follow them easily.  It takes away from the appeal to stay in state and wrestle for your team.  Kids are going to pick programs and coaches that make them feel comfortable,  it's all about developing the relationship more than ever.  I do agree that they need to keep top in state talent to be a top ten team, but they have been getting good out of state kids.  If those Wick brothers sign it appears they will be top talents at the NCAA level.

The situation with JT might have also had an affect on recruiting.  Kids talk, BB went to Ringers with JT.

[empty99]

While the Wick brothers are a nice pull, not top talent. Maybe competitive in a couple years. BB on the other hand is definitely a step up in talent. I wish that the Wicks were indicative of the talent we are bringing in. The top recruits are reserved for PS, IA,OKST,OH, and I would be happy with the next level if we could be consistent.

[Barou]

While the Wick brothers are a nice pull, not top talent. Maybe competitive in a couple years. BB on the other hand is definitely a step up in talent. I wish that the Wicks were indicative of the talent we are bringing in. The top recruits are reserved for PS, IA,OKST,OH, and I would be happy with the next level if we could be consistent.

I haven't seen the Wick brothers on video.  Their accomplishments in a tough wrestling state initially gave me the impression they were top flight recruits.  I know not all "accomplished" wrestlers have high D1 talent.  Curious, are they really not "top talent"?

[GoodGod]

Take this for what it's worth but here's a list of the Top 100 national recruits for UW over the last 5 seasons:

'11

4. Thielke
62. Medberry
84. Matt Kelliher

'12

27. I. Jordan
35. Taylor

'13

39. Robertson

'14

22. Christensen
50. Jimenez

'15

26. Ritter

Don't have this year's numbers handy but i believe both Wick's slotted between 45-55 and Covaciu in the upper 80's.

[Micah]

Minnesota's room is tiny, I thought WI had a better room.

[hammen]

Those are pictures of the old UW room. New mats and wider now. Even when it was old, it was much roomier than the Minnesota room. Our pre match workout in the Minnesota room was just guys running into each other every leg attack. We wrestled all other workouts at Augsburg because of the lack of space. The Minnesota room is the worst in the big ten from a mat space / shape standpoint. No question.

[Stripes]

And minnesota is still consistently better than Wisconsin despite the "worst facilities in the big 10". Well then Hammen, what's the draw to the Minnesota?

I've been on both campuses and you cannot even compare them. Madison is better hands down.

So with a better campus and better facility why doesn't Madison produce?

I know, the kids don't buy in. It's their fault.

[hammen]

I'm not sure what the draw is. If I had to guess I would say the tradition, strong fan base, Minnesota Storm program. Since 2005 they've had I believe 6 different top 5 recruiting classes, and were only out of the top 10 twice. If you check back to some of the big names of those recruiting classes, a fair amount did not stay with the program (normal amount; no more than any other program really). However, they were able to withstand the blow due to solid depth and development of the top recruits that stayed. It looks like there has been only 1 top 5 recruiting class in the last 5 years (last year's class w/ Stroker and Early). Hopefully this in an opportunity for the tide to change between Wisconsin and Minnesota in wrestling. Would be nice to start similar dominance over Minnesota like we do in football.

[Stripes]

You are answering your own question again. What brings top recruiting classes to s school? What creates depth? Who is responsible for developing talent?

That is the greatest weakness I, and hosts of others, see as a problem at Wisconsin. The development of talent doesn't seem to happen like it does at other schools.