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    Andrew Hipps •

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    ISU coach Jackson has unwavering confidence

    Iowa State third-year coach Kevin Jackson has plenty of critics after the Cyclones finished 20th at the NCAAs last season, which was the program's worst finish since 1963, and have started this season 0-6 in dual meets.

    Jackson, though, chooses to focus on other things.

    Kevin Jackson is in his third season as head coach at ISU (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)
    "If I paid attention to my critics, I would lose my mind," said Jackson, who served as National Freestyle Coach for USA Wrestling from 2001 to 2008. "If I read message boards, I would probably respond in a way that would hurt some of my fan base a little bit. But I understand because we're spoiled in a sense. I think for the most part many people don't recognize where we were at when I landed."

    When Jackson landed in Ames in 2009 and was introduced as the program's seventh head coach, Cyclone Nation was still coping with the sudden loss of Cyclone icon Cael Sanderson, who left his coaching job at Iowa State to become head coach at Penn State.

    Not only did the program lose its head coach, but also lost All-American Cyler Sanderson, as well as top incoming recruit David Taylor, to Penn State, at a time when many believed the Cyclones were on the brink of winning a national championship.

    Jackson led the Cyclones to a third-place finish at the 2010 NCAAs in his first season at the helm, even without contributions from Nick Gallick, a potential NCAA champion who suffered a season-ending injury. In addition, Cyclones Jake Varner and David Zabriskie won NCAA titles at 197 pounds and heavyweight respectively, while Andrew Long finished as an NCAA runner-up as a freshman at 125 pounds. Jackson was named Rookie Coach of the Year in 2010.

    But unfortunate circumstances and injuries have caused Iowa State to take a step back over the past two seasons.

    Andrew Sorenson
    "I think if someone were to look at our program subjectively and look at where we are as a program now and where we were when I got here, a logical person would understand our situation, especially when you're talking about the injuries," said Jackson. "But we are Iowa State. We have a culture of winning. We have a culture of performing. We have a history of being very, very good. When you have a season like we had last year and are having this year, obviously there is going to be concern and there are going to be people who are going criticize."

    The Cyclones are young and inexperienced this season. Against Iowa this past Sunday, Iowa State started seven freshmen or sophomores. Fifth-ranked Andrew Sorenson (165) was the lone senior in the lineup for Iowa State.

    The Hawkeyes won the first five matches against the Cyclones and cruised to a 27-9 victory at Hilton Coliseum in Ames.

    So what was Jackson's message to the team after the loss to Iowa?

    "The message was, understand what you are representing when you put on that Iowa State singlet and that 'I' is on your chest," said Jackson. "You are representing more than just yourself. We've got to have a better effort. I think they took that to heart. I saw it the next day in the practice room. We just need to carry it over to the matches."

    It has been baptism by fire for Jackson's young wrestlers. In addition to facing No. 1 Iowa, Iowa State has already battled No. 2 Oklahoma State and No. 14 Oklahoma. Next on the schedule: No. 4 Minnesota tonight in Minneapolis.

    J Robinson with Jayson Ness and Dustin Schlatter (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)
    "Minnesota will be in the hunt for the national championship," said Jackson. "They have all the pieces from top to bottom to give them a chance to contend for the title if they wrestle accordingly. J Robinson has been there many years and has built a dynasty, a powerhouse of a program, and a tradition that is second to none."

    According to Jackson, Iowa State is battling some injuries and the Gophers will see a little bit different lineup tonight than the Hawkeyes saw on Sunday.

    "We've got some injuries, some guys who are just trying to get healthy," said Jackson. "I see at least one or two changes in the lineup. That's just part of the game. We have to keep them healthy for the entire season."

    Iowa State has five ranked wrestlers: No. 10 at Ryak Finch at 125 pounds, No. 5 Andrew Sorenson at 165 pounds, No. 7 Chris Spangler at 174 pounds, No. 14 Boaz Beard at 184 pounds, and No. 20 Matt Gibson at heavyweight.

    Finch, a redshirt freshman, is coming off a 6-0 loss on Sunday to NCAA champion and two-time NCAA finalist Matt McDonough of Iowa. Tonight he is expected to face No. 1 Zach Sanders of Minnesota.

    "Zach Sanders creates as much of a challenge as anyone because he has a high level of skill and has a lot of diversity in his attacks," said Jackson. He wrestles with aggressiveness. He is always trying to score points and wrestles for seven minutes. It is a very strong challenge for Ryak."

    The Iowa State wrestling program has benefited from having some of the nation's top senior-level freestyle wrestling talent training in Ames. Iowa State alums Trent Paulson, Travis Paulson, Jon Reader, and David Zabriskie are all training under Jackson at Iowa State as they prepare for the 2012 Olympic Team Trials, which take place April 21-22 in Iowa City, Iowa.

    Cael Sanderson defeated Jon Reader at the 2011 Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)
    "It's a steel-sharpening-steel mentality," said Jackson. "My collegiate guys are facing better, bigger, stronger, and more experienced wrestlers than they'll face in live competition, therefore giving them added confidence when they face anyone."

    Jackson, a 1992 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle, coached Cael Sanderson to an Olympic gold medal in 2004. Now Jackson has an athlete, Reader, an NCAA champion last season, who he expects will have to go through Sanderson to make the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team at 84 kilos (185 pounds). Sanderson defeated Reader in two straight periods at the 2011 U.S. World Team Trials.

    "I foresee it coming down to Cael and Jon for that spot," said Jackson. "I really do. I predict that."

    Jackson felt Reader was "ahead of schedule" last spring and summer with his freestyle development and is pleased with his athlete's progression and dedication to the sport.

    "Jon Reader trains as hard, if not harder, than anyone I have ever been around," said Jackson. "His focus is as strong, if not stronger, than anyone I have ever been around. He loves the sport. He loves to train. He loves to compete. That's what makes him special."

    Despite Iowa State's struggles over the past two seasons, Jackson remains both excited and optimistic about the future of Iowa State wrestling. The Cyclones have landed two InterMat Top 100 recruits from the Class of 2012, No. 10 John Meeks (Des Moines Roosevelt, Iowa) and No. 60 Gabriel Moreno (Urbandale, Iowa), plus nationally ranked wrestlers Dakota Bauer (Iowa City West, Iowa), Kyle Larson (West Des Moines Valley, Iowa), and Jesse Doyle (Wheatmore, N.C).

    Destin McCauley battles Dustin Schlatter at the Olympic Trials Qualifier in Las Vegas (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)
    But Jackson's biggest recruiting breakthrough this fall came when Destin McCauley (Apple Valley, Minn.), former No. 1 overall recruit from the Class of 2011, announced that he will be joining the Iowa State wrestling program next year.

    "Destin McCauley is a special kid," said Jackson. "We expect him to come into our program and have an immediate impact. He is taking a year off to train for the Olympics, so he is training with much better competition than he's going to face in college. That is going to springboard him into a position where he can wrestle as a true freshman for us."

    Jackson understands the expectations that come with leading a program with such a rich wrestling tradition and remains confident that Iowa State will be back in the national title hunt sooner than later.

    "My confidence has not wavered with what we can do and what we can accomplish," said Jackson. "The goals have not changed about what we can accomplish and what our expectations are ... and they never will. I am confident that we will get to that point. I think it is going to be a lot sooner than everyone thinks. When it does happen, just realize how it happened and the process. Everything is a process."
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