Badger Recruiting Class

[wrastle63]

Wrastle63.....................being a blue chipper or top in state talent don't mean a hill of beans.  Certainly doesn't mean you will be an All American or better than average Big 10 wrestler.  This coaching staff has proven that they do not take good to very good wrestlers and make them great.  Every year its the same song and dance....."oh, man, wait til these next 4 years with these guys we have coming in!"  Its the same thing over and over again.
Couldn't agree more with aarons23.

I agree it doesn't mean that your will be an AA. When I look at the past 5 years I don't see the recruiting classes like this one. I don't see the talent in the room like this one. Not saying were going to win a championship. But there is much more more talent in the room in my opinion.

[mkm13]

People underestimate how difficult it is to transition from a high school wrestler to a college all american and over estimate how much wrestlers improve over their freshman to senior years.  

If you are not the top 2 or 3 at your weight in the nation for your high school class, you are not projected to ever be a college AA based on the numbers.  

I also think it is unfair to think UW hasn't developed kids as much as most other programs have.  The bigger issue IMO has always been not getting the elite recruits.  The fact is for high end wrestlers (especially at the lighter weights), the training is so good that by the time they are redshirt freshman, there is not a ton of improvement happening (there are always exceptions for specific wrestlers).  This year, there were 14 freshman AA's, 20 sophmore AA's, 16 JR AA's, and 30 senior AA's.  That number is skewed by the heavier weights.  From the weights 125 to 165, there were 28 underclassmen AA's and 28 upperclassmen AA's.  That tells me that most high end wrestlers improve very little after their redshirt year.  There is more improvement from the upper weights, but that is likely because it takes longer for them to physically compete in at that level and less about skill development.

[Barou]

People underestimate how difficult it is to transition from a high school wrestler to a college all american and over estimate how much wrestlers improve over their freshman to senior years.  

If you are not the top 2 or 3 at your weight in the nation for your high school class, you are not projected to ever be a college AA based on the numbers.  

I also think it is unfair to think UW hasn't developed kids as much as most other programs have.  The bigger issue IMO has always been not getting the elite recruits.  The fact is for high end wrestlers (especially at the lighter weights), the training is so good that by the time they are redshirt freshman, there is not a ton of improvement happening (there are always exceptions for specific wrestlers).  This year, there were 14 freshman AA's, 20 sophmore AA's, 16 JR AA's, and 30 senior AA's.  That number is skewed by the heavier weights.  From the weights 125 to 165, there were 28 underclassmen AA's and 28 upperclassmen AA's.  That tells me that most high end wrestlers improve very little after their redshirt year.  There is more improvement from the upper weights, but that is likely because it takes longer for them to physically compete in at that level and less about skill development.

It's not unfair.  Generally speaking, Davis doesn't have a successful history of developing kids that's why he averages 18th at NCAA's.

[mkm13]

And if you look at his average recruiting class rankings, they are close to 18th as well.  If anything, our actual performance has been better than our recruiting class rankings.

Recruiting class ranking from D1CW:

2016:  not in top 25
2015: 22nd
2014: 17th
2013: not in top 25
2012: 8th
2011: 17th
2010: not in top 25
2009: 20th

As I said, I think the bigger issue has been not bringing in many elite recruits, not developing kids as well as others.

[wrastle63]

And if you look at his average recruiting class rankings, they are close to 18th as well.  If anything, our actual performance has been better than our recruiting class rankings.

Recruiting class ranking from D1CW:

2016:  not in top 25
2015: 22nd
2014: 17th
2013: not in top 25
2012: 8th
2011: 17th
2010: not in top 25
2009: 20th

As I said, I think the bigger issue has been not bringing in many elite recruits, not developing kids as well as others.

Completely agree. Our rank in 2012 was from Thielke, etc. Obviously two sides to the story, but seemed like he was more focused on greco than folkstyle.

[dad 2 5]

And if you look at his average recruiting class rankings, they are close to 18th as well.  If anything, our actual performance has been better than our recruiting class rankings.

Recruiting class ranking from D1CW:

2016:  not in top 25
2015: 22nd
2014: 17th
2013: not in top 25
2012: 8th
2011: 17th
2010: not in top 25
2009: 20th

As I said, I think the bigger issue has been not bringing in many elite recruits, not developing kids as well as others.

not sure where those rankings came from. looks like #8 2015; 

[billymurphy]

Improving is a key point that Cael mentioned.  He said Joseph, (Penn State 165 lbs national champion) improved greatly during the season.

In my opinion:
Medbery clearly improved the most on the Badgers.  He became very dominate after his Olympic year.

And I agree that the Iowa State complete coaching overhaul is something that is worth closely watching. 

And the Badgers have definitely not been getting the top Wisconsin wrestlers, but based on the recent Wisconsin recruiting, that is a significant change
that appears to be happening.  The key question now is whether this coaching staff can get more guys to improve.

[Barou]

You won't ever get high end recruits with Barry Davis. So if the problem is getting elite recruits, then UW will be out of the big picture until there is a staff change! I think it is a mixture of relevant staff and the lack of development that is the problem. UW should try to do an overhaul like Iowa State just did!

Iowa State placed in the 50's at the NCAA's this year, thinking like 57th.  Iowa State will finish ahead of UW in '19. 

[padre]

That would be ideal assuming he could make the cut. I wasn't sure if that was possible with him wrestling 132 this year. I assumed in 2 years he wouldn't be any smaller...or it would be a tough cut.

Why don't the Badgers recruit the very best senior 113 pounder out there? Recruiting some guy who is going to have to suck down (on his best day) to 125 is a losing proposition - we have seen it multiple times her at the UW. Having a kid cut hard to make the light weights is a recipe for failure. If you can't get the premier senior 125 pounder out there who is lifer at 125, so-be-it. But it does no one any good to bring in a 133 pounder and try to suck him down - on his best day he will simply be a journeyman. Better off to bring in a "lesser" wrestler and try to develop him into a reasonable DI wrestler.

I favor this strategy also and see many college teams leave those little guys hangin', when they could have brute force in upper classmen later. Even college kids keep growin'. Cripes, they eat enough.

Agree also....lots of kids at 113/120 that haven't hit their growth streak yet and with 2 years(including redshirt) it gives them some room and time to build the mass to be a good 125 in college.  A 132 pound kid might be 157 naturally in a couple years...just hard to tell.

[littleguy301]

If Paul Konrath is wrestling 132 already I presume he will be at 133 (or higher) in college.

Konrath weighed 130.3 at USAW Nationals. Not sure what that means, exactly, but if he was cutting, I'd think he'd be closer to right on 132.

I would agree on this but lets sit back and think about this for a minute.

I would guess they want this man on some kind of weight lifting program.
Also, give him another year of growth
I cannt figure out why teams recruit high school kids that weigh 132 or more to wrestle 125 in college.

I know that I had a weight gain from 18-20 and most of my friends did. Also for fans, how many times have you seen a former wrestler come back to school or run into them and while they were wrestlers at 126 in high school only a few short years latter they are physically built 160 pounders?

[wrastle63]

You won't ever get high end recruits with Barry Davis. So if the problem is getting elite recruits, then UW will be out of the big picture until there is a staff change! I think it is a mixture of relevant staff and the lack of development that is the problem. UW should try to do an overhaul like Iowa State just did!

Won't ever get high end recruits? What is considered a high end recruit?
Considering the Wicks and Hilger were all top 5 in their weight classes. Hilger was the top ranked heavyweight in his class. Remind me again what a high end recruit is?

Let me change my statement. Badgers won't CONSISTENTLYget high end recruits. And won't get over half a team of them either. Your example is typical Badger 2 or maybe 3 man team!

If they were only a 2 or 3 man team how did they get 9 wrestlers to Nationals with only 2 of them being seniors. Granted Medberry and Jordan carried the load point wise. How did all these low end recruits make nationals.

[Jimmy]

I think we can agree that there are a handful of teams that have cornered the ability to recruit a roster full of high end recruits. The other programs get three,four or less. That makes the art of finding diamonds in the rough and developing them even more important. Has the badger coaching staff consistently done this?

[lizard king]

I think we can agree that there are a handful of teams that have cornered the ability to recruit a roster full of high end recruits. The other programs get three,four or less. That makes the art of finding diamonds in the rough and developing them even more important. Has the badger coaching staff consistently done this?

exactly the question, thank you.

[Barou]

I think we can agree that there are a handful of teams that have cornered the ability to recruit a roster full of high end recruits. The other programs get three,four or less. That makes the art of finding diamonds in the rough and developing them even more important. Has the badger coaching staff consistently done this?

no

[hammen]

Lol this is hilarious. I guess that means some of our recent AA's over the last 10 years in Ben Jordan (2012 - unseeded) and Ty Turner (2007 - unseeded) just shouldn't have even tried. They were just a body to get beat up on. Someone take away their honors please.