Zalesky benefitted from the Gable Dynasty. Brands had to follow Zalesky. That point goes in Brands favor.
Brands had to coach against the superior Sanderson, but Zalesky had to coach against the superior Oklahoma State. In each case the superior coach was better than the Iowa coach.
One added point. When Brands won three straight at the front end of his Iowa tenure, in that moment in time Brands was viewed by almost everyone not at Iowa State or Penn State as the superior coach. Sanderson walked into Penn State and just took that mantle from him with a force previously not seen since Gable landed at Iowa. Turns out Sanderson is built to coach pretty much as he was built to wrestle. That man has staying power. Nothing bothers him.
Iowa fans are pretty much in for a long wait until Cael Sanderson retires, and maybe even then he can put the right guy into the job to succeed him and keep it going.