Coaching changes

[bnwtwg]

57 minutes ago, Fletcher said:

Interesting vid - thanks for posting. So Ben says they buried the hatchet but he thinks Bono's a bad coach. Why would Bono's coaching be successful at UTC and SDSU but not WI? Is he doing something different now? Hard to build a full roster without in-state talent, but that doesn't explain why current team members are transferring.

Interesting hint that Ingram may transfer. He looked tough this year but faded at NCAAs.

It's easier (read: not easy) to coach up and overachieve a mid-level recruit who meets a few top-tier opponents each season than it is to keep up with the B1G boys on a daily, weekly, monthly, in-season, off-season, recruiting-season, freestyle-season basis. If it was easy, everyone would do it.

The problem with Bono is his demeanor. If you people think the Brands are stuck in their ways...

[JMill]

5 hours ago, Fletcher said:

Why would Bono's coaching be successful at UTC and SDSU but not WI? Is he doing something different now?

I think the problem is he isn’t doing anything different than he was doing 10-15 years ago. A lot has changed since then.

Bono’s “Hustle, Effort, Attitude” mantra plays a lot like the Brands mindset. I think it is great for making a really solid high school team or getting a team that shouldn’t be very good to overachieve, but the technical level of wrestling and training is far beyond what it was even ten years ago, so just outworking your opponents isn’t going to get you over the hump from better to best. It’s probably why Wisconsin had a really good first half of the season before the wheels fell off. They won a lot of early matches with “grit”, which was mostly being in shape when other teams weren’t. As the season progressed, other teams got their conditioning ramped up while Wisconsin’s ramped down as wear and tear added up.

[feet2back]

Anthony Ashnault named new Rutgers Associate HC

Anthony Ashnault Returns as Wrestling Associate Head Coach - Rutgers University Athletics

He will be next RU Head Coach after Goodale retires

Job was offered to Damion Hahn but negotiations fell thru

[grapevine]

What is going in at Rutgers?

Many fans upset with the team going backwards since 2019. Looks like Mytych, their best recruiter, was forced out. Then he may have posted negative stuff about Goodale. A one point Goodale praised Mytych as the guy who opened the door to Pennsylvania recruiting. Lots of complaints about results since Pritzlaff, Buxton, and Rivera left for Columbia. Since they left, Rutgers  finished 34th and 36th. Rumors that Goodale's contract is up next year and fans dreaming about JB. 

[TexRef]

On 4/21/2026 at 7:56 AM, Fletcher said:

Poeta's gonna show up with a fake mustache and interview for the assistant job.

Wearing some of that boot leg gear his wife made! 

[Antitroll2828]

On 4/22/2026 at 2:37 PM, JMill said:

I think the problem is he isn’t doing anything different than he was doing 10-15 years ago. A lot has changed since then.

Bono’s “Hustle, Effort, Attitude” mantra plays a lot like the Brands mindset. I think it is great for making a really solid high school team or getting a team that shouldn’t be very good to overachieve, but the technical level of wrestling and training is far beyond what it was even ten years ago, so just outworking your opponents isn’t going to get you over the hump from better to best. It’s probably why Wisconsin had a really good first half of the season before the wheels fell off. They won a lot of early matches with “grit”, which was mostly being in shape when other teams weren’t. As the season progressed, other teams got their conditioning ramped up while Wisconsin’s ramped down as wear and tear added up.

People need to look at the Evan wick interview from when he transferred out of Wisconsin. He described having to wake up and go on grinding 5 am runs everyday and said his body felt so beaten down at Wisconsin and all bono would say is push through which led to unnecessary injuries.  Bono is still training guys like it’s 1980. 
 

 

Edited April 25 by Antitroll2828

[nhs67]

On 4/21/2026 at 1:01 PM, Fletcher said:

How do we know Bono hasn't already tried that? Maybe Askren's the one who needs to make amends? Silly to discourage your club kids from going to the state's flagship university.

Truth is we don't know what the dispute is (though there are rumors) or who's at fault. So it's not really fair to assume Bono's the one who has to swallow his pride and make amends.

This just isn't true.

If you honestly believe the coach is bad, you should advocate they find a good coach to wrestle for.

Kid who was an assistant for me for a few years out of college was adamant that some of our club kids and HS seniors not even look at his Alma mater (D1 B1G school) due to the lack of the administration offering actual support as well as the facilities.

It seems they have improved the facilities a bit, but the support is still lacking.

[nhs67]

1 hour ago, Antitroll2828 said:

People need to look at the Evan wick interview from when he transferred out of Wisconsin. He described having to wake up and go on grinding 5 am runs everyday and said his body felt so beaten down at Wisconsin and all bono would say is push through which led to unnecessary injuries.  Bono is still training guys like it’s 1980. 
 

 

Most folks don't recall this, but Evan is a twin.  His brother retired after one year at Wiscy due to injuries.

[Fletcher]

8 hours ago, Antitroll2828 said:

People need to look at the Evan wick interview from when he transferred out of Wisconsin. He described having to wake up and go on grinding 5 am runs everyday and said his body felt so beaten down at Wisconsin and all bono would say is push through which led to unnecessary injuries.  Bono is still training guys like it’s 1980. 
 

 

But do we think Bono did these same things at UTC and SDSU? If not, it would be strange for him to change his tactics at WI. If yes, it's strange that it worked at UTC and SDSU.

[JMill]

1 hour ago, Fletcher said:

But do we think Bono did these same things at UTC and SDSU? If not, it would be strange for him to change his tactics at WI. If yes, it's strange that it worked at UTC and SDSU.

The sport has evolved in the past decade and will continue to evolve, so if a coach doesn’t evolve, therein may lie the problem.

Do you think Gable would be winning NCAA titles every year in today’s landscape using the same coaching philosophy as he had in the 90s? I think he’d consistently be on the outside of trophies looking in. Brands seems to operate on the Gable philosophies updated to the present environment to an extent.

The idea of iron sharpening iron has lost its usefulness to a large degree at the collegiate level. Gone are the days of the best recruits never competing against anyone outside of a 2-hour bus ride from their hometowns. Kids are coming into college with a lot of matches against elite opponents from across the country and world. 

Kids are also practicing year round with the best of the best from a wide geographic area at clubs with elite coaches, not just with their high school coach, and maybe a couple alumni and/or teammates if they’re lucky. This means kids are coming into college with a significant amount of mileage on them from both competition and practice, so that’s something that can’t be ignored, either.

Buddy carries up the CHA might make one mentally tough and confident in his conditioning and ability to outwork his opponent, but at what cost? Every minute spent on conditioning (particularly at the wrong time) is just extra wear and tear and time being spent on being better at exercising, not better at wrestling. 

[jbai3_12]

On 4/22/2026 at 12:37 PM, JMill said:

I think the problem is he isn’t doing anything different than he was doing 10-15 years ago. A lot has changed since then.

Bono’s “Hustle, Effort, Attitude” mantra plays a lot like the Brands mindset. I think it is great for making a really solid high school team or getting a team that shouldn’t be very good to overachieve, but the technical level of wrestling and training is far beyond what it was even ten years ago, so just outworking your opponents isn’t going to get you over the hump from better to best. It’s probably why Wisconsin had a really good first half of the season before the wheels fell off. They won a lot of early matches with “grit”, which was mostly being in shape when other teams weren’t. As the season progressed, other teams got their conditioning ramped up while Wisconsin’s ramped down as wear and tear added up.

Yes even in interviews post match or at intermission Bono would remark on his teams conditioning.  Noone is saying this isn't important, it obviously is, but he obviously takes pride in it, over skill development, recovery, etc.  

[Dogbone]

On 4/25/2026 at 4:56 PM, Fletcher said:

But do we think Bono did these same things at UTC and SDSU? If not, it would be strange for him to change his tactics at WI. If yes, it's strange that it worked at UTC and SDSU.

Did it really work at SDSU and UTC?  If Seth Gross doesn't get in trouble at Iowa and get picked up by SDSU, what accomplishment would he have? 

Take away Seth Gross and you could argue his results at UTC and SDSU don't suggest he would be a top 10-15 coach.   

From AI:

During Chris Bono's tenure as head coach at South Dakota State (2012-13 to 2017-18), the team's NCAA tournament finishes were:

2018: 12th place (Best finish; 1 National Champion, 3 All-Americans) - Gross -1st, Kocer 7th, Zilverback 8th

2017: 16th place (2 All-Americans) - Gross - 2nd and Kocer 8th

2016: Tied for 39th place (0 All-Americans)

2015: 41st place (0 All-Americans)

2014: 52nd place (0 All-Americans)

2013: 54th place (1 Qualifier) 

[rsotelo]

On 4/25/2026 at 4:57 PM, JMill said:

The sport has evolved in the past decade and will continue to evolve, so if a coach doesn’t evolve, therein may lie the problem.

Do you think Gable would be winning NCAA titles every year in today’s landscape using the same coaching philosophy as he had in the 90s? I think he’d consistently be on the outside of trophies looking in. Brands seems to operate on the Gable philosophies updated to the present environment to an extent.

The idea of iron sharpening iron has lost its usefulness to a large degree at the collegiate level. Gone are the days of the best recruits never competing against anyone outside of a 2-hour bus ride from their hometowns. Kids are coming into college with a lot of matches against elite opponents from across the country and world. 

Kids are also practicing year round with the best of the best from a wide geographic area at clubs with elite coaches, not just with their high school coach, and maybe a couple alumni and/or teammates if they’re lucky. This means kids are coming into college with a significant amount of mileage on them from both competition and practice, so that’s something that can’t be ignored, either.

Buddy carries up the CHA might make one mentally tough and confident in his conditioning and ability to outwork his opponent, but at what cost? Every minute spent on conditioning (particularly at the wrong time) is just extra wear and tear and time being spent on being better at exercising, not better at wrestling. 

Kids are different today, but I disagree about Gable.  My opinion is that Gable didn't teach his kids to wrestle, he taught them to WIN.  I made the joke to my friend who wrestled for Gable in the early 90's that if Gable became Iowa's Softball coach after he left wrestling, Iowa Softball would have probably won 10 straight NCAA titles.

[rsotelo]

On 4/25/2026 at 7:21 AM, Antitroll2828 said:

People need to look at the Evan wick interview from when he transferred out of Wisconsin. He described having to wake up and go on grinding 5 am runs everyday and said his body felt so beaten down at Wisconsin and all bono would say is push through which led to unnecessary injuries.  Bono is still training guys like it’s 1980. 
 

 

One point that I argue over is the practice room and the use of lightweight mats in daily practice facilities.  The lightweight mats are okay for duals or tournaments where you are wrestling 7 minute matches, but DAILY drilling, practicing, and grinding on the lightweight mats will take a hard toll on the athlete's bodies.  Wisconsin had a NEWLY remodeled room when Bono started with double traditional Resilite mats.  Perfect and forgiving surface for daily training.  Then Bono started, the nice mats were removed and replaced with lightweight mats.  The only reason I can think of making the change is because someone got paid.

[JMill]

2 hours ago, rsotelo said:

One point that I argue over is the practice room and the use of lightweight mats in daily practice facilities.  The lightweight mats are okay for duals or tournaments where you are wrestling 7 minute matches, but DAILY drilling, practicing, and grinding on the lightweight mats will take a hard toll on the athlete's bodies.  Wisconsin had a NEWLY remodeled room when Bono started with double traditional Resilite mats.  Perfect and forgiving surface for daily training.  Then Bono started, the nice mats were removed and replaced with lightweight mats.  The only reason I can think of making the change is because someone got paid.

Regardless of coaching success, replacing Restilites with crap styrofoam mats is a fireable offense in my book.

[H82Lose]

On 4/22/2026 at 8:16 AM, Fletcher said:

Interesting vid - thanks for posting. So Ben says they buried the hatchet but he thinks Bono's a bad coach. Why would Bono's coaching be successful at UTC and SDSU but not WI? Is he doing something different now? Hard to build a full roster without in-state talent, but that doesn't explain why current team members are transferring.

Interesting hint that Ingram may transfer. He looked tough this year but faded at NCAAs.

Bono if this is you, let me start by saying, you used to be a great coach. The issue that I have heard, you are too old school. There is little to no technique taught in the room. I do realize the old school way was just rip someone's head off, and just be tougher. There is a reason that you don't see people progress in your room, they really get worse. When Gross left, it really hurt your room, Reader leaving has just buried it. Barnett needs to be in there more as the younger generation wanting to TEACH some stuff.  Lastly, You cannot make every wrestler the same. Wrestlers come in with different styles, hell that is why they have been successful to get this opportunity, right? So, why would you try to completely change what they are doing? Chris, don't beat yourself up, A LOT OF CURRENT COACHES DO THE SAME THING. The old school method does not work anymore. Exhibit A. Iowa is on the decline. They will never be at the top with Brands running the program. They can spend, spend, and spend more on NIL, you have to adapt the coaching. I worry that Iowa State will not progress because Metcalf is cut from the same cloth as all these other guys. I am not an Okie State fan, but go watch those videos of that room. There are live go's, but most of it is situations, and technique. They are having fun....Hell your 125lbr was an ELITE recruit, I think he was undefeated in highschool? If not, he was elite, and he has qualified thus far. Good luck Coach, just giving you some honest feedback. 

[flyingcement]

some rumors that Drake Ayala could be the next assistant at Iowa State! (folks from the Premium board told me)

Edited April 29 by flyingcement

[Southend]

6 hours ago, flyingcement said:

some rumors that Drake Ayala could be the next assistant at Iowa State! (folks from the Premium board told me)

How does the premium board get the latest and not us serfs? 

[Gene Mills Fan]

7 hours ago, flyingcement said:

some rumors that Drake Ayala could be the next assistant at Iowa State! (folks from the Premium board told me)

Please tell those folks to post it there. Because you guys heard it here first.

[MPhillips]

16 minutes ago, Southend said:

How does the premium board get the latest and not us serfs? 

Peasants...

[Gene Mills Fan]

20 minutes ago, Southend said:

How does the premium board get the latest and not us serfs? 

$$$$

[2001Hokie]

1 hour ago, Gene Mills Fan said:

Please tell those folks to post it there. Because you guys heard it here first.

Right?  I'm sitting over there waiting to see that info...

[Greenwave]

This would be a perfect position for TnT to bring in a non Iowa tied coach.

[Packard]

Is Drake Ayala really a game changing coach for Iowa State? I keep seeing this is a major hire and a huge splash?

[ionel]

3 minutes ago, Packard said:

Is Drake Ayala really a game changing coach for Iowa State? I keep seeing this is a major hire and a huge splash?

Need someone to work with the lite wts no?