Foley: Division I wrestling coaches on the hot seat

I really hate writing this article. Truly hate it. The wrestling community is small and for relaying what is whispered, I often suffer the disdain of coaches. Trust me, I don't write this because I dislike anyone, am vengeful or even somehow all-knowing. I'm fortunate to be in a position where I have a lot of conversations and take in a lot of outside observations.

With that, take a read, swirl some whiskey in a glass then fire off a mean-spirited email about how I'm destroying the universe. I know that I likely deserve whatever you write and a hell of a lot more. But do know that mentioning these coaches is not an indictment of their work ethic, character or coaching ability. Coaching, like any relationship, is as much affected by timing and external factors as it is the work a coach puts into the program he loves.

Sometimes what should be a successful pairing simply isn't. (How else could you explain the divorce of Will Arnett and Amy Poehler?)

If there are compelling reasons to keep any of the coaches listed below, please feel free to post them in the comments or send me an email. The names of the replacement coaches are just hunches and are not meant to be endorsements of their want to leave current programs. They are really just guys I think might apply for a new and/or bigger job.

As much as I hear from members of our community, I don't always get the most accurate and up-to-the-second information. Please reach out if you have something to add!

Craig Turnbull (West Virginia)

This one was just announced, which in some way validates the start to the list. Most wrestling fans in the know realized that Turnbull was making an exit after the season. Whether it was his decision or not, he deserves to be cheered on his exit. He's coached some of the best to have ever been in the sport (Greg Jones) and was the guy behind the hire of now U.S. head freestyle wrestling coach Zeke Jones. He's done it all in his four decades as a coach and should be applauded heavily for his toughness and ability to create a championships program in the middle of Appalachia.

Replacement options: Greg Jones (West Virginia), Tony Robie (Virginia Tech), Alex Clemsen (Virginia), Brad Dillon (Lehigh)

Tom Minkel (Michigan State)

Tom Minkel

The time has come. No more putting off what everyone has been questioning for the past five years. Tom Minkel is a class act and a leader in the sport of wrestling, but in a league that is defined by wins and losses his club is doing too much of the latter. He's taken the Michigan State Spartans to new territory and been a champion of the sport. He's eccentric and well liked. He has a parrot with a Twitter account. There is no doubt that after leaving Sparty he'll go on to be a powerful voice in the community and lead new initiatives that might help the sport grow in new ways.

Replacement options: Brian Smith (Missouri), Mark Perry (Illinois), Brandon Eggum (Minnesota), Roger Kish (North Dakota State), Sean Bormet (Michigan), Donny Pritzlaff (Michigan), Matt Storniolo (Northwestern)

C.D. Mock (North Carolina)

The Carolina program had another All-American in 2014 with Evan Henderson placing fourth at 141 pounds. That's the second straight year Henderson has made the podium, and he's the first Carolina wrestler the Mock has recruited and coached to All-American honors.

Still, things aren't looking good in Chapel Hill. NC State crowned an NCAA champion, Duke is on the rise (tip of the cap to Glen Lanham), Virginia Tech finished eighth in the nation, and Maryland had an NCAA finalist. Pitt and Virginia both had All-Americans and placed ahead of the Tar Heels in the conference tournament.

After 11 years at the helm it's either going to work, or not going to work, and right now the pace of change is being matched, or exceeded, by every other school in the ACC.

It's likely lost on many wrestling fans, but Mock was Carolina's first NCAA champion, a two-time All-American and a three-time ACC champion. Cornell head wrestling coach Rob Koll floated through the Tar Heel program about the same time and under the guidance of head coach Bill Lam the program finished among the top four in the nation with multiple All-Americans and NCAA champions over several seasons. Mock was recruited to coach in Chapel Hill specifically because it was thought he could build on Coach Lam's legacy. Mock had been a championship coach at Council Rock High School in Pennsylvania and had created a successful business. He was the right fit at the right time.

The Tar Hell job is a monster and should Mock choose to step aside it's reasonable to expect them to receive the most compelling candidate pool of any job opening this summer.

Replacement options: Cary Kolat (North Carolina), Mark Perry (Illinois), Drew Pariano (Northwestern), Brad Dillon (Lehigh), Sean Bormet (Michigan), Donny Pritzlaff (Michigan), Tony Robie (Virginia Tech), Big name darkhorses.

Shawn Charles (Arizona State)

It's difficult for me to know what happened at Arizona State over the past few seasons. Maybe I was blinking, or not looking west enough, but I'd thought the Sun Devils were doing pretty well. Then at this season's Pac-12 tournament the Charles-led team failed to automatically qualify any wrestlers. (ASU did receive one at-large selection.) That's a far cry from their 1988 NCAA championship, but it's tough to know why it isn't working.

Shawn Charles (left) just completed his fifth season at ASU (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)

Maybe it's not Coach Charles' time to go. It's possible that he needs another year to figure out which kids he wants to recruit, but much of the grumbling at the NCAA tournament was focused on his program. He's on the hot seat for sure, though it might not be an ejection seat.

Like Mock, Charles is an alum of the program. He was a four-time All-American and two-time NCAA runner-up at Arizona State and is even from Arizona. That's impressive. He's also been an assistant coach at some of the top programs in the country and excelled in his role. He was on the sidelines when Anthony Robles won his NCAA title, a notch in the coaching belt as good as any other in sports.

Charles is affable and is well liked in the community. He's only in his fifth season, so it's possible that his AD gives him more time to figure out the wrinkles. But if they don't and he makes a choice to move on you can expect that job to be among the hottest in the country.

Replacement options: Sammie Henson (Missouri), Mark Perry (Illinois), Drew Pariano (Northwestern), Lee Pritts (Arizona State)

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