Hottest Coaching Prospects

[peanut]

Who are some of the hottest D1 coaching prospects? My guesses...

• Burroughs (what is he up to these days?)
• Snyder
• Dake
• Zahid (best we have currently)
• Nolf (he has to be an encyclopedia of technique)

There are other good ones too.

[Tyler Perry]

1 hour ago, peanut said:

Who are some of the hottest D1 coaching prospects? My guesses...

• Burroughs (what is he up to these days?)
• Snyder
• Dake
• Zahid (best we have currently)
• Nolf (he has to be an encyclopedia of technique)

There are other good ones too.

Jordan Oliver 

[fishbane]

Don't a lot of these guys have discipline issues in the near past that would make them less than ideal head coach candidate?  I am thinking of Snyder, Valencia, and Oliver. 

There are examples of head coaches with issues in their past like Tom Brands but that was way in the past (~15 years) by the time be became a head coach.  Valencia's suspension is the oldest of the three and that was a little over 5 years ago.

Is there an NCAA head wrestling coach that was suspended as an athlete for a failed drug test?

[MidwestMan]

All you listed have name recognition and distinguished wrestling careers.  Being a hammer on the mat doesn't always correlate to being a great head coach, but looking at your list, my first choice would be Burroughs.  All these wrestlers are great technicians, but Burroughs is the best in my opinion with communication skills.

With the PR, recruiting, NIL and alumnus/fan base relationship, communication and personality are a plus.  Having a clean closet, character wise, is usually a prerequisite.  Organizational skills are a must.  Coaching today is like running a small business.  Being an asst in a good program and being mentored from a successful head coach is sometimes the best path.

 

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

7 hours ago, fishbane said:

Don't a lot of these guys have discipline issues in the near past that would make them less than ideal head coach candidate?  I am thinking of Snyder, Valencia, and Oliver. 

There are examples of head coaches with issues in their past like Tom Brands but that was way in the past (~15 years) by the time be became a head coach.  Valencia's suspension is the oldest of the three and that was a little over 5 years ago.

Is there an NCAA head wrestling coach that was suspended as an athlete for a failed drug test?

Yeah, not one of those three guys is EVER being hired to be a head coach of a D1 program.  Too many google trophies.An AD doesn't want to deal with that.

Also, a list of our best wrestlers doesn't mean they will be great head coaches.  How was Mark Schultz? Kevin Jackson?

[D3 for LU]

4 hours ago, MidwestMan said:

All you listed have name recognition and distinguished wrestling careers.  Being a hammer on the mat doesn't always correlate to being a great head coach, but looking at your list, my first choice would be Burroughs.  All these wrestlers are great technicians, but Burroughs is the best in my opinion with communication skills.

With the PR, recruiting, NIL and alumnus/fan base relationship, communication and personality are a plus.  Having a clean closet, character wise, is usually a prerequisite.  Organizational skills are a must.  Coaching today is like running a small business.  Being an asst in a good program and being mentored from a successful head coach is sometimes the best path.

 

D3

[El Luchador]

Style wise I think Dake and Nolf would most replicate the wrestlers I would want to put on the mat. Of the current head coaches I think Adam Hall has huge potential in a properly supported program. 

Edited December 4, 2025 by El Luchador

[GimJustafan]

what is the typical path to becoming a D1 level coach/ recently had a friend tell me that his sons career path

 

 

[fishbane]

2 hours ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Yeah, not one of those three guys is EVER being hired to be a head coach of a D1 program.  Too many google trophies.An AD doesn't want to deal with that.

Also, a list of our best wrestlers doesn't mean they will be great head coaches.  How was Mark Schultz? Kevin Jackson?

The first time I read through his list I thought he was talking about Brian Snyder and not Kyle Snyder.  I read Jordan Burroughs then Brian Snyder and thought one of the two will definitely succeed Manning who must be near the end of his career.  Manning has to be one of the oldest head coaches in D1.  Then I finished his list and realized he was probably referring to Kyle Snyder. 

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

6 minutes ago, fishbane said:

The first time I read through his list I thought he was talking about Brian Snyder and not Kyle Snyder.  I read Jordan Burroughs then Brian Snyder and thought one of the two will definitely succeed Manning who must be near the end of his career.  Manning has to be one of the oldest head coaches in D1.  Then I finished his list and realized he was probably referring to Kyle Snyder. 

Dr. Bryan Snyder is a great choice.

As far as Jordan Oliver: I have heard amazing things about how incredible his mind works as far as wrestling goes; to the point where far more accomplished wrestlers listen to him. However, when I was on the USADA site last week looking for updates on the AB situation, I couldn't help but notice two entries regarding JO still on the site.  An AD would not like that...

Edited December 4, 2025 by Interviewed_at_Weehawken

[The_KC_Godfather]

I think it depends on what level of program you're talking about for "hottest" coaches. If it's a big program with a lot of money (Iowa, tOSU, OSU, PSU, ISU, etc.), it has to be...

1) One of the big names like Burroughs or Dake

2) A highly respected alumni (ie. Metcalf at Iowa, Jaggers/Stieber at tOSU)

3) A successful coach at a school that doesn't have Iowa/tOSU/OSU/PSU/ISU money (ie. Pat Pop, Erisman, Coleman Scott, Schwab)

If you're talking about tier two programs, or say someone that would take over for a Schwab if he moved on from UNI or Pat Pop if he moved on from NC State or Brian Smith if he retired: It has to be guys that had success on the mat and have been in an assistant or associate head coaching role with good programs.

1) Logan Steiber

2) Brent Metcalf

3) Josh Churella

4) Jared Frayer

5) Kellen Russell

6) Bryan Snyder

7) Tervel

I don't see Nolf, Lee, Snyder, Zain Train, Valencia being plugged into a HC role without getting coaching experience first. They aren't David Taylor. I do, however, think that Nolf and Lee would be fantastic assistant coaches with their knowledge.

[fishbane]

3 hours ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Dr. Bryan Snyder is a great choice.

As far as Jordan Oliver: I have heard amazing things about how incredible his mind works as far as wrestling goes; to the point where far more accomplished wrestlers listen to him. However, when I was on the USADA site last week looking for updates on the AB situation, I couldn't help but notice two entries regarding JO still on the site.  An AD would not like that...

*Bryan right.  I agree he'd make an excellent choice to be a head coach.  I suppose that is why I initially thought that Snyder was referencing him and not Kyle Snyder.  Still referring to him as a "hot coaching prospect" seemed a little odd.  He's kind of in the situation Heffernan was at Illinois.  He's been an assistant for such a long time and done a good job so you know he could be a good coach, but it's unlikely he will get a bigger job than where he is at.  Elevating him to head coach at Nebraska certainly wouldn't be a splashy hire.  The only way he could a transformative hire is if he left to go to a smaller program or for a rebuilding project which seems unlikely.  

[Truzzcat]

When you say hottest are we talking about physical appearance?

[Huskers20]

10 hours ago, MidwestMan said:

All you listed have name recognition and distinguished wrestling careers.  Being a hammer on the mat doesn't always correlate to being a great head coach, but looking at your list, my first choice would be Burroughs.  All these wrestlers are great technicians, but Burroughs is the best in my opinion with communication skills.

With the PR, recruiting, NIL and alumnus/fan base relationship, communication and personality are a plus.  Having a clean closet, character wise, is usually a prerequisite.  Organizational skills are a must.  Coaching today is like running a small business.  Being an asst in a good program and being mentored from a successful head coach is sometimes the best path.

 

And he has a bunch of kids that can follow him

[MidwestMan]

27 minutes ago, Huskers20 said:

And he has a bunch of kids that can follow him

I'll be "planted in the pasture" by the time that happens.

[ionel]

23 hours ago, peanut said:

Who are some of the hottest D1 coaching prospects?

[Alces Alces Gigas]

I dabbled in coaching for 7 seasons (D2) and having the ability to recruit, be a CEO, and be a PR guy are the skills needed to be successful.    Most any student of the game that has been in the trenches has the wrestling knowledge to run the practice room. 

One of the better coaches in D1 was asked in an interview "what did being a D1 champ do for your coaching?" His answer was "it got me my first assistant coaching job and that's about it" 

 

[NM1965]

On 12/3/2025 at 10:45 PM, fishbane said:

Don't a lot of these guys have discipline issues in the near past that would make them less than ideal head coach candidate?  I am thinking of Snyder, Valencia, and Oliver. 

There are examples of head coaches with issues in their past like Tom Brands but that was way in the past (~15 years) by the time be became a head coach.  Valencia's suspension is the oldest of the three and that was a little over 5 years ago.

Is there an NCAA head wrestling coach that was suspended as an athlete for a failed drug test?

Snyder's arrest with the hooker ends any chance for him to be HC. 

[headshuck]

Trevor Brandvold left the Gophers for private industry, I wonder if he could be lured back?

[Gene Mills Fan]

11 hours ago, ionel said:

Sarah Hildebrandt in a sweet wholesome kinda way!

Edited December 5, 2025 by Gene Mills Fan

[D3 for LU]

42 minutes ago, Gene Mills Fan said:

Sarah Hildebrandt in a sweet wholesome kinda way!

Hmm, I dunno...

How about in a Sweet Polly Purebread kind of way (Underdog would've approved.)

D3

[Gene Mills Fan]

25 minutes ago, D3 for LU said:

Hmm, I dunno...

How about in a Sweet Polly Purebread kind of way (Underdog would've approved.)

D3

Same smile and physique but Sarah has braids! well Pollys more well...   nevermind

[Booger]

5 hours ago, Gene Mills Fan said:

Same smile and physique but Sarah has braids! well Pollys more well...   nevermind

Hoooooo, doggies!!!

That Sweet Polly is sure one fine... she's hotter than those MU's at the frat party we've thrown (I gotta tell ya!)

[D3 for LU]

1 minute ago, Booger said:

Hoooooo, doggies!!!

That Sweet Polly is sure one fine... she's hotter than those MU's at the frat party we've thrown (I gotta tell ya!)

Ah Jeez, Booger!  

Take a chill-pill bro... (pleaze!)

D3

[HokieDave87]

On 12/4/2025 at 10:37 AM, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Dr. Bryan Snyder is a great choice.

As far as Jordan Oliver: I have heard amazing things about how incredible his mind works as far as wrestling goes; to the point where far more accomplished wrestlers listen to him. However, when I was on the USADA site last week looking for updates on the AB situation, I couldn't help but notice two entries regarding JO still on the site.  An AD would not like that...

JO is spending a lot of time in Blacksburg with the RTC. He'd be an awesome coach.