Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

[SoDakJack]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

I think that Liles had to go in order for the team to turn things around and start the long, uphill climb. The head coach is ultimately the fall guy for any short-comings.

We at SDSU have been lucky in the fact that we haven't seen many coaches leave our program. But, the downside to that is the fact that we all get to know them on a personal level. Being in a smaller community makes it even more difficult because we see them at church, the supermarket, or the gas station. That makes them seem to be a part of the family. While it's hard to see him go, I know that it is for the best of the program

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

Two factors to bear in mind

1 - The BoR mandates dollar for dollar equivalence in Title IX. This means that SDSU can't spend a boatload on wrestling without matching that investment elsewhere.

2 - While I agree with you as far as potential, I think SDSU has other priorities ahead of the wrestling program (baseball, T&F). AFAIK, no programs at SDSU are at risk of being dropped.

I don't think Sell was expecting great things, but he was clearly expecting better than 1-29 over the past two years, and even with SDSU's limited resources, I don't think that's an unreasonable target.

I mean the bottom line isn't the yardstick that we as outsiders apply to the program, it's the yardstick applied by those that know the personnel, budget, and future plans for the program. For Sell & Co., being at the bottom of the WWC for the next few years until money can be freed up for major investments might be acceptable.

I agree that better than 1-29 is not unreasonable. I made a comment about NDSU being competitive. I didn't say great. They have been regularly sending kids to the NCAA Tournament. We haven't had anyone close since Sorenson. That's unacceptable. It's reasonable we can have at least one person qualify every year. Hell NDSU's Sprenkle was one win away from being an All-American last year and he is back again this year. We might not be able to compete with Minnesote, Iowa, Nebraska, etc. But we damn sure should be closer to NDSU than we are right now.

[zooropa]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

It is my belief that if SDSU were to make a commitment to wrestling excellence that we could have a program that would be competitive at the DI level.

Two factors to bear in mind

1 - The BoR mandates dollar for dollar equivalence in Title IX. This means that SDSU can't spend a boatload on wrestling without matching that investment elsewhere.

2 - While I agree with you as far as potential, I think SDSU has other priorities ahead of the wrestling program (baseball, T&F). AFAIK, no programs at SDSU are at risk of being dropped.

I don't think Sell was expecting great things, but he was clearly expecting better than 1-29 over the past two years, and even with SDSU's limited resources, I don't think that's an unreasonable target.

I mean the bottom line isn't the yardstick that we as outsiders apply to the program, it's the yardstick applied by those that know the personnel, budget, and future plans for the program. For Sell & Co., being at the bottom of the WWC for the next few years until money can be freed up for major investments might be acceptable.

[GopherHole]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

One other thing about recruits. It takes work, but their are recruits that can be huge diamonds in the rough that can change programs like Nate has done for basketball. The following post was from Jordan Conn in his weekly blog that has a huge fan base.

A native of St. Cloud, Minnesota, Wolters didn't receive a Division I scholarship offer until SDSU approached him just before his senior year. Although he later picked up an offer from Colorado State, Wolters nearly chose to play at Division II Augustana College. "I always thought I was a D-II guy," he says now. "I just didn't see myself as a Division I player." Now a junior, Wolters is eighth in the nation in scoring, with 21.3 points per game. He's also 16th in the country in assists and second in the conference in steals. Nagy says he regularly fields calls from "NBA people" about his star, and another Summit League coach told reporters he'd recently discussed Wolters with Celtics general manager Danny Ainge. A basketball obsessive, Wolters often goes to the Jackrabbits' gym around midnight to shoot alone for a couple hours. Sometimes during team meetings, he sits on the front row with a ball in his lap, rotating it in his hands while Nagy speaks. "It really is like he has an addiction," Nagy says. "It's compulsive with him. He doesn't feel right if he's away from the basketball."

There are wrestling recruits out there in our recruiting base that can have this kind of impact. In wrestling, it takes some individual success to build a program. That type of success then builds with other wrestlers in practice and on the recruiting trail. When you get multiple recruits with success, the program builds. Others "buy-in" to the commitment to excell and soon you have a program that everyone is excited about and can be the envy of your peer programs. I'm hoping the next coach has this commitment and gets the "buy-in" from the administration, fans, donors, and the current wrestlers. We have the potential - it is time to make it happen.

[GopherHole]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

I'm with Witness and SD-STATE, I believe there are an ample number of recruits in our recruiting area. Keep in mind that our core recruiting area encompasses SD/ND/MN/IA/NE and even some of the states that border that area. While many of the elite recruits from SD may choose some of the elite DI wrestling programs that are close, there are many outstanding wrestlers that look to compete collegiately. Some of these kids can excell at the DI level in the right program. Dan Gable was able to get elite kids when he built his dynasty at Iowa. However, he often did not have the top recruiting class in DI. He focused on finding the kids with some talent who had the work ethic and drive that could thrive in his demanding program.

When you look at the level of wrestlers at the DII level, you will find some wrestlers that can compete at the DI level. There is a very good chance that the heavy weight wrestler you will see wearing the USA singlet at the Olympics this summer will be Trevel Dlagnev who wrestled collegiately a few years ago at the University of Nebraska, Kearney. His only losses during his last two years in college were to the top two ranked wrestlers in DI and he had beaten them prior to graduating. When you look at the DII championships the last few years you will see a significant number of wrestlers from our recruiting base. That is why UNO, UNK, SCSU, and Augustana are/were some of the elite wrestling programs in DII. I would venture to speculate that they have matched up very well with SDSU in invitational competitions since we have made the jump to DI.

It is my belief that if SDSU were to make a commitment to wrestling excellence that we could have a program that would be competitive at the DI level. While you may find the Iowa, Minnesota, and Oklahoma schools competing for national championships on a regular basis, you will also find schools like Cornell, Lehigh, and Wyoming ranked in the top 10 this year. Schools like UNI have been ranked at that level and I believe that NDSU will be at that level in the future. I believe SDSU has a better recruiting geography than either the Bison or Cowboys. One area that I feel could become a hot bed for Jackrabbit recruits is Nebraska. The Huskers are the only DI program and UNK is the only nationally competitive DII program. There are many elite wrestlers from "rural" areas of SD/MN/IA/NE that are very competitive at the national AAU level that do not get offers to wrestle at the DI level. These are kids that could build a very competitive program at SDSU. I've sent names of potential recruits to Jason in the past, but do to the lack of support with assistant coaches at SDSU, he does not have the ability to recruit these kids. When I send names to Stig or Nagy's staffs regarding recruits, I always hear back from them and I know the kids get confirmation too.

It is time for Sell and donors to either step up the commitment with wrestling at State, or eliminate the program. I'm hoping that we are ready to make the commitment, because I have fond memories of watching wrestling matches in the 80's in Frost. I believe Ty could be the type of young coach that could develop a program much like our baseball program has done. If we can have success with baseball in a northern climate, just think what we could do in the wrestling hot bed that we live in!

[SD-STATE]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

While programs in this state have been dealing with low numbers, the sport is not on a death march. Youth wrestling in this state has strong participation numbers. Programs haven't been dropped, instead have co-oped with other schools. It's not just a matter of declining wrestling participation in South Dakota, but declining enrollments all across the State. Participation is down in most sports all over South Dakota outside except maybe the S.F. metro area. The added competition of hockey could be a factor as well in larger towns that have it, but not many towns/schools have hockey outside ESD conference schools. South Dakota has talent, just not the overall depth that states like Iowa and MN have. There are many kids in those states and even some in South Dakota that may not show up on national high school rankings, but given the opportunity with strong coaching on a college level can develop into solid D1 wrestlers after a couple years in a college program. Again, something that a full staff for increased recruiting, retention and development is a necessity. In South Dakota, when wrestlers like the caliber of a Storley or Kokesh come up they are going to go to a big time program with tradition. Just like Riley Reif and Chad Greenway didn't choose the U or State in football and instead chose Iowa.

[SoDakJack]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

We talk about the school's lack of support for the program, but there is also a lack of fan support of the program as well. Sure, there are people that go to the matches, but where is the monetary support of the fans? I think that wrestling at SDSU just doesn't have the support of the casual fan. That is unfortunate for the student-athletes that compete. I think that, if push came to shove, that wrestling may not be in SDSU's future in the next 5-10 years.

[witness]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

I think saying South Dakota has the talent to compete is wrong, or at least not fully true.1st of all the talent of South Dakota wrestling in high school has gone down severely in the past 5 years. Ask any coach about it. It just has. Numbers are down, schools are dropping it, schools are cooping. Class B is getting rid of districts2nd of all. Unlike basketball, baseball, football. Not to many wrestlers want to keep playing the sport, especially at a none major school. Ask a high school wrestling coach, and they will say there are two types of wrestlers that move on to college, those who are good enough to go big time and want to. And those who aren't good enough to wrestle anywhere at college, but want to. Add in all the requirements that D-I sports require their athletes to do and those that could go to an SDSU to wrestle will chose to either not, or go to a lower level.

I will disagree in talent in South Dakota. Sure the numbers are down but look at recruits to come out the last 5-10 years. Logan Storley, Kris Klapprodt, Josh Keszler, Seth Lange, Robert Kokesh, Aaron Pickrel, Andy Johnson(from Yankton was a two-timer from Yankton that went to UNL but decided he wasn't for him), plus many D2 wrestlers. You can't say that if we didn't have those wrestlers stay in state that SDSU would be a very very very good program. Haha o and filbert I doubt it, because hockey is not a school sport and I was from Eastern South Dakota and wrestled.

[filbert]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

I think saying South Dakota has the talent to compete is wrong, or at least not fully true.

1st of all the talent of South Dakota wrestling in high school has gone down severely in the past 5 years. Ask any coach about it. It just has. Numbers are down, schools are dropping it, schools are cooping. Class B is getting rid of districts

2nd of all. Unlike basketball, baseball, football. Not to many wrestlers want to keep playing the sport, especially at a none major school. Ask a high school wrestling coach, and they will say there are two types of wrestlers that move on to college, those who are good enough to go big time and want to. And those who aren't good enough to wrestle anywhere at college, but want to.

Add in all the requirements that D-I sports require their athletes to do and those that could go to an SDSU to wrestle will chose to either not, or go to a lower level.

My guess is as well that a lot of the kids in the bigger SD towns who might have gone into wrestling may have migrated into hockey--in Eastern South Dakota, anyway.

[joeboo22]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

I think saying South Dakota has the talent to compete is wrong, or at least not fully true.

1st of all the talent of South Dakota wrestling in high school has gone down severely in the past 5 years. Ask any coach about it. It just has. Numbers are down, schools are dropping it, schools are cooping. Class B is getting rid of districts

2nd of all. Unlike basketball, baseball, football. Not to many wrestlers want to keep playing the sport, especially at a none major school. Ask a high school wrestling coach, and they will say there are two types of wrestlers that move on to college, those who are good enough to go big time and want to. And those who aren't good enough to wrestle anywhere at college, but want to.

Add in all the requirements that D-I sports require their athletes to do and those that could go to an SDSU to wrestle will chose to either not, or go to a lower level.

[MaddogJack]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

I agree that Coach Liles did the best with what he was given, but in the end - it just wasn't enough. Coach Nagy was teetering on a very similar "cliff" a couple of years ago - but we have given him (Nagy) the assistants he needed to back away from the edge. I would be apprehensive, if I'm Asst. Coach Eustice if the committment to Wrestling doesn't increase. We need an Iowa (similar Big program) wrestler to turn things around and take us to the next level - but he is going to need more support from the Athletic Department.

We most likely will never be a Minnesota, Iowa, Iowa State or Nebraska in recruiting - but we have some pretty good homegrown talent that has taken their skills to the aforementioned schools and had pretty good success. I'm confident that Mr. Sell will move swiftly and decisively and hopefully "ride the swell" of momentum the school is enjoying this month. Go Jacks!!!

[SD-STATE]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

With the move to Division 1, even though wrestling was fast tracked after two years for post-season elegibility, many quality kids left the program at the begining of the transition. Wrestling is not a sport to have nothing to work for for even two years. The program was scrapped to the bone talent wise at that point. Other than the fast track, there has been little investment in the program.Since the move to D-1, SDSU has funded only 7.5 of the 10 scholarships allowed in Division 1 wrestling. Also, just this past year, was something resembling a team room at the HPER center finished. While, basketball, football, volleyball, baseball, equestrian, off the top of my head, have seen some level of program facility investment from the university well before then. Also being two-full time assistants short, not even having one until this past season has hurt the program as well not only in improvement skills wise with added coaching and consistentcy, but recruiting as well. There is plenty of talent in the region for SDSU to have, but to have only one full-time coach in recruiting obviously hurts. SDSU will most likely never be a Minnesota, Iowa, Iowa State, Nebraska in recruiting. State will have to find those hidden gems and the scraps that are left after the big programs pick over the region. There is still the talent left, I believe, in the region to be successful. A coach, with two-full time assistants and a full scholarship allotment would be able to do alot for the success of the program. The young assistant coach, Eustice, would be a strong candidate for the position. An All-American at Iowa, top high school wrestler from MN, who's dad Jack Eustice was one of the best high school coaches in the state for many years. A lot of potential for the networking that has been deemed crucial in other sports. I believe Liles did the best he could, for what he had to work with, which was much less than alot of the schools SDSU competes against and is often compared too. Just my 2 cents.

[HoboD]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

I never opened the door to comparisons the AD did in the article. I just went with it. Wrestlers are different animals than any other athlete. Physical pain, self deprivation on an entirely different scale. It doesn't take much to lose heart in that sport, live on an orange and a glass of water every meal for weeks at a time, with one good meal after weigh in. Work out in rubber suits until midnight in a basement with the heater full bore. Now try try to go to school and retain anything, go to practice and not "dog it". Then actually get out on the mat and perform, sometimes 3 to 4 times in a day during tournaments. That was just high school for me.

You just made me shiver with some BAAAAAAD memories!

[Theee Catrabbit]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

NDSU has had success since making the jump. If they can do it so can we. Baseball isn't exactly using just local kids....look at the roster....of the 33 on the roster only 12 are from SD, Min, IA, and Neb. Recently we've had lots of kids from Canada that have made huge impacts. We play in a winter climate and team plays their first 20+ games on the road. How easy do you think it is to sell that to a recruit?

There may not be as many wrestling recruits to go around, but there are fewer NCAA D1 wrestling program too. Liles may be a great guy, but the facts are we have struggled mightily since making the transition. Not to mention we have had several wrestlers quit. Ryan Meyer qualified for the NCAA tournament as a freshman and didn't wrestle his sophomore year. He had a bright future. Was that something related to coach Liles? I don't know, but there has been a lot of roster turnover. That's a red flag to me that something is not right with the program.

Our baseball coaches have sold the SDSU way of playing baseball. Our wrestling coach should do the same thing.

I never opened the door to comparisons the AD did in the article. I just went with it. Wrestlers are different animals than any other athlete. Physical pain, self deprivation on an entirely different scale. It doesn't take much to lose heart in that sport, live on an orange and a glass of water every meal for weeks at a time, with one good meal after weigh in. Work out in rubber suits until midnight in a basement with the heater full bore. Now try try to go to school and retain anything, go to practice and not "dog it". Then actually get out on the mat and perform, sometimes 3 to 4 times in a day during tournaments. That was just high school for me. Then tell me if you wouldn't rather just get an extra job to pay for college rather than continue to put your body through that crap. South Dakota has great D2 talent with a couple D1 wrestlers, you aren't going to convince any D1 potential wrestler in South Dakota to come to SDSU over Iowa, ISU, UNI, Nebraska for half a scholarship and all the oranges and water they can drink. There is very little glory in wrestling, those other schools have packed houses, something most wrestlers can't even fathom. As for NDSU 6-9 and one wrestler to the tournament is a huge success then I guess we were right on target in a year or two.

[2002jack]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

I like coach Liles. Very personable and friendly. However, I think the wrestling team is 1-29 in their last 30 conference duals. Not good. Time for a change.