How long until VT becomes a top 3 program?

[fishbane]

1 hour ago, BruceyB said:

Iowa getting out recruited by schools like Virginia Tech, NC State, Ohio State, Nebraska, Michigan, Missouri, and hell, even UNC has more impressive recruiting classes coming in than Iowa since Koll got there.

...

I don't understand how any self respecting Iowa fan sees all of these top 20 big boarders going everywhere BUT Iowa and continue to defend the current state of the program. 

 

Iowa really hasn't been out-recruited by those teams at least in the 2023-2027 classes. I looked at Flo rankings from those years for my earlier post and shockingly Nebraska only has a single top 20 commit over those 5 classes.  Iowa fans should not be envious of Nebraska's recruiting

Team # top 5/# top 10/# top 20 ranked by total top 20, then top 10, then top 5.

PSU 5/9/13 (Includes Ryder who transferred out, but not Welsh who transferred in. Ono not included)
OSU 7/11/12
Virginia Tech 2/4/7
Iowa 3/4/6
Ohio State 1/3/5 (Includes Welsh who transferred out)
Cornell 2/2/4
Minnesota 1/1/4
Michigan 0/1/4
Missouri 1/2/3
NC State 0/1/2
Nebraska 0/0/1
UNC 0/0/1

[WrestlingRash]

2 hours ago, BruceyB said:

We're not talking about any high school kid. We're talking about Bo Bassett. TNwrestling asked what the definition of bust is? Say whatever you want about him, but if I wager whether or not he will be a 4x AA, I would absolutely bet on him accomplishing that. And I don't think any 4x AA can be called a bust.

0 shot. He is physically very weak compared to college athletes and I think he has a genetic predisposition to not putting on muscle. 

Edited 12 hours ago by WrestlingRash

[fishbane]

3 hours ago, BruceyB said:

Right now, VT is miles ahead of Iowa in projected 2028 rosters. VT should be very solid in all 10 weights at that time. As of now, Iowa will have Deluca, Ferrari, Luddington, and Kueter/Mocco at heavyweight. They have 6 holes they'll need to address from outside their room/commits.

Virginia Tech is ahead of them, but it's not by that much.  Consider these potential 2027-28 Lineups for Virginia Tech and Iowa without any transfers.

Virginia tech
125: Dickman #16 (2026)
133: Seidel #10 (2025)/Campbell #49 (2024)
141: Gorman #57 (2025)/Seidel #10 (2025)
149: Bassett #1 (2026)
157: Gaj #24 (2025)
165: Church #29 (2023)/Miller #1 (2027)
174: Burton #14 (2025)/Miller #1 (2027)
184: Wright #10 (2024)/Miller #1 (2027)
197: Sasso #26 (2023)
285: Mullen #11 (2023)

Iowa
125: DeLuca #9 (2025)
133: Peterson #52 (2023)
141: Block #22 (2023)
149: Voinovich #99 (2024)
157: Estrada #48 (2024)
165: Torres #69 (2025)
174: Arnold #5 (2023)
184: Ferrari #2 (2024)
197: Luddington #15 (2025)
285: Keuter #2 (2023)/Mocco #15 (2026)

That's a pretty close dual.  Iowa could be favoured in the 4 heaviest weights in addition to 125.  They could potentially also get a win at either 133/141 or 157.  It's possible for Iowa to win this.  It could even be a blowout Iowa win depending on how these guys develop over the next 2 years.

Compare that Iowa lineup with the Nebraska team that took 2nd at 2025 NCAAs.  Potentially more talent out of high school and without the benefit of a transfer and 3 guys that are 6-7 years out of HS.

125: Smith Unranked (2019) Transfer
133: Van Dee #93 (2022)
141: Hardy #9 (2018)
149: Lovett #16 (2019)
157: Taylor #30 (2022)
165: Minto Unranked (2023)
174: Pinto #11 (2021)
184: Allred #17 (2020)
197: McDanel #37 (2023)
285: Andrews #36 (2022)

Edited 12 hours ago by fishbane

[Antitroll2828]

20 minutes ago, fishbane said:

Virginia Tech is ahead of them, but it's not by that much.  Consider these potential 2027-28 Lineups for Virginia Tech and Iowa without any transfers.

Virginia tech
125: Dickman #16 (2026)
133: Seidel #10 (2025)/Campbell #49 (2024)
141: Gorman #57 (2025)/Seidel #10 (2025)
149: Bassett #1 (2026)
157: Gaj #24 (2025)
165: Church #29 (2023)/Miller #1 (2027)
174: Burton #14 (2025)/Miller #1 (2027)
184: Wright #10 (2024)/Miller #1 (2027)
197: Sasso #26 (2023)
285: Mullen #11 (2023)

Iowa
125: DeLuca #9 (2025)
133: Peterson #52 (2023)
141: Block #22 (2023)
149: Voinovich #99 (2024)
157: Estrada #48 (2024)
165: Torres #69 (2025)
174: Arnold #5 (2023)
184: Ferrari #2 (2024)
197: Luddington #15 (2025)
285: Keuter #2 (2023)/Mocco #15 (2026)

That's a pretty close dual.  Iowa could be favoured in the 4 heaviest weights in addition to 125.  They could potentially also get a win at either 133/141 or 157.  It's possible for Iowa to win this.  It could even be a blowout Iowa win depending on how these guys develop over the next 2 years.

Compare that Iowa lineup with the Nebraska team that took 2nd at 2025 NCAAs.  Potentially more talent out of high school and without the benefit of a transfer and 3 guys that are 6-7 years out of HS.

125: Smith Unranked (2019) Transfer
133: Van Dee #93 (2022)
141: Hardy #9 (2018)
149: Lovett #16 (2019)
157: Taylor #30 (2022)
165: Minto Unranked (2023)
174: Pinto #11 (2021)
184: Allred #17 (2020)
197: McDanel #37 (2023)
285: Andrews #36 (2022)

Burton will be levels better then Gabe Arnold , this kid just keeps getting better and better 

Edited 12 hours ago by Antitroll2828

[HokieDave87]

45 minutes ago, WrestlingRash said:

0 shot. He is physically very weak compared to college athletes and I think he has a genetic predisposition to not putting on muscle. 

He went 1-1 against NCAA finalists this summer, give the VT S&C staff more than a few days before writing him off

[BruceyB]

11 minutes ago, fishbane said:

Virginia Tech is ahead of them, but it's not by that much.  Consider these potential 2027-28 Lineups for Virginia Tech and Iowa without any transfers.

Virginia tech
125: Dickman #16 (2026)
133: Seidel #10 (2025)/Campbell #49 (2024)
141: Gorman #57 (2025)/Seidel #10 (2025)
149: Bassett #1 (2026)
157: Gaj #24 (2025)
165: Church #29 (2023)/Miller #1 (2027)
174: Burton #14 (2025)/Miller #1 (2027)
184: Wright #10 (2024)/Miller #1 (2027)
197: Sasso #26 (2023)
285: Mullen #11 (2023)

125: DeLuca #9 (2025)
133: Peterson #52 (2023)
141: Block #22 (2023)
149: Voinovich #99 (2024)
157: Estrada #48 (2024)
165: Torres #69 (2025)
174: Arnold #5 (2023)
184: Ferrari #2 (2024)
197: Luddington #15 (2025)
285: Keuter #2 (2023)/Mocco #15 (2026)

That's a pretty close dual.  Iowa could be favoured in the 4 heaviest weights in addition to 125.  They could potentially also get a win at either 133/141 or 157.  It's possible for Iowa to win this.  It could even be a blowout Iowa win depending on how these guys develop over the next 2 years.

Compare that Iowa lineup with the Nebraska team that took 2nd at 2025 NCAAs.  Potentially more talent out of high school and without the benefit of a transfer and 3 guys that are 6-7 years out of HS.

125: Smith Unranked (2019) Transfer
133: Van Dee #93 (2022)
141: Hardy #9 (2018)
149: Lovett #16 (2019)
157: Taylor #30 (2022)
165: Minto Unranked (2023)
174: Pinto #11 (2021)
184: Allred #17 (2020)
197: McDanel #37 (2023)
285: Andrews #36 (2022)

There are a number of things I would argue with in this post, and one of them is that several of the wrestlers on your projected Iowa roster either have stock that has gone significantly down from when they graduated high school, or their expectation was never to be "the guy" at a school like Iowa. 

But more importantly you are missing the main point. Iowa, one of the biggest names and historied programs in NCAA wrestling, is being passed up in recruiting by Virginia Tech who wasn't even a regular top 10 program when Tom Brands took over the Iowa program. 

VTech has averaged 49.25 points since 2011 and Iowa has averaged 86.7. I'd love for anyone to explain to me how a program that outperforms Virginia Tech year after year is now having a harder time with recruiting. I think that is all you need to know about the message and culture the Brands are selling and how these high school recruits are receiving it.

[HokieDave87]

Just now, BruceyB said:

There are a number of things I would argue with in this post, and one of them is that several of the wrestlers on your projected Iowa roster either have stock that has gone significantly down from when they graduated high school, or their expectation was never to be "the guy" at a school like Iowa. 

But more importantly you are missing the main point. Iowa, one of the biggest names and historied programs in NCAA wrestling, is being passed up in recruiting by Virginia Tech who wasn't even a regular top 10 program when Tom Brands took over the Iowa program. 

VTech has averaged 49.25 points since 2011 and Iowa has averaged 86.7. I'd love for anyone to explain to me how a program that outperforms Virginia Tech year after year is now having a harder time with recruiting. I think that is all you need to know about the message and culture the Brands are selling and how these high school recruits are receiving it.

To be fair Iowa called Torres after he had signed his NLI and paid more money than we were willing to (our other 165 recruit Weader had recently tech'd him so was no big deal).....good thing we saved that cash for Bo & Melvin.

[BruceyB]

51 minutes ago, WrestlingRash said:

0 shot. He is physically very weak compared to college athletes and I think he has a genetic predisposition to not putting on muscle. 

He has beaten multiple NCAA AA's during his high school career but won't be able to when he is more mature and training full time in a college room. Got it..

[WrestlingRash]

55 minutes ago, BruceyB said:

He has beaten multiple NCAA AA's during his high school career but won't be able to when he is more mature and training full time in a college room. Got it..

in freestyle he has, but remember, this is folkstall. huge difference. 

[Truzzcat]

5 hours ago, WrestlingRash said:

in freestyle he has, but remember, this is folkstall. huge difference. 

He beat 3 NQ's 1 by tech when he was in 10th grade at opens.

[TexRef]

13 hours ago, fishbane said:

Getting out recruited by Virgina Tech proved to be the end of the line for Brands's predecessor at Iowa.  Could it be the begining of the end for him too?

If it plays out that Brands is replaced soon, oh the irony.

[Winners Circle]

14 hours ago, BruceyB said:

We're not talking about any high school kid. We're talking about Bo Bassett. TNwrestling asked what the definition of bust is? Say whatever you want about him, but if I wager whether or not he will be a 4x AA, I would absolutely bet on him accomplishing that. And I don't think any 4x AA can be called a bust.

I agree with you for the most part and 100% get what you're saying. A 4x AA is a great career no matter how you shake it. But with as much as hype as been around BB, if he doesn't win at least one title, I think that's a failure tbh.