Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

[joeboo22]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

If you want to get a coach, I'd go find a good high school coach in the state or region. It seemed like there was a disconnect between the hs coaches and the program at SDSU.

[SoDakJack]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

And you know what? The last few years can't have been good for Liles either.

The program can't get much worse than it is right now, so if a program has to be rebuilt then the logical choice is to go with a new head coach.

I liked Liles, he was a great guy. Everytime I got a chance to speak with him you could see that he had a passion for the sport. But, sometimes passion just isn't enough. He is still one of my favorite instructors I had in my time at SDSU. In fact, he taught me how to shoot a bow and arrow in the Barn. Gotta love HPER classes,

[zooropa]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

he taught me how to shoot a bow and arrow in the Barn

Me too.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

If you want to get a coach, I'd go find a good high school coach in the state or region. It seemed like there was a disconnect between the hs coaches and the program at SDSU.

I think as a DI Institution we are well beyond hiring high school coaches for any sport.

[joeboo22]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

I think as a DI Institution we are well beyond hiring high school coaches for any sport.

And I'd agree with you, if it was an X's and O's sport, or an X's and O's problem. But SDSU's biggest problem is getting kids to come (and stay). There are a handful of coaches in the state of South Dakota that have more respect from the wrestlers and other high school coaches then SDSU's or most of the lower college wrestling programs in the mid-west. Its not like basketball or football where there is a large coaching tree to pick off from.

[2002jack]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

And I'd agree with you, if it was an X's and O's sport, or an X's and O's problem. But SDSU's biggest problem is getting kids to come (and stay). There are a handful of coaches in the state of South Dakota that have more respect from the wrestlers and other high school coaches then SDSU's or most of the lower college wrestling programs in the mid-west. Its not like basketball or football where there is a large coaching tree to pick off from.

What do you know about college wrestling? I am going to guess very little.

[joeboo22]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

What do you know about college wrestling? I am going to guess very little.

About wrestling, not much, but I know a handful of players that wrestled at SDSU or tried to wrestle at SDSU, I know high school wrestlers, and high school wrestling coaches. I ask them about SDSU and they say they had little respect for the program. No one knows who the coach is or what the program is about. But ask them about Sturgis wrestling, or certain coaches throughout the state and the wrestlers will tell you their life stories.

What I'm getting at where I say look at high school, is that its not like basketball or football where speed, or style change greatly at higher levels. Yes, its a little different, but not that much. If you got someone who knew most of the coaches, and had the respect of the athletes I think it would help.

[bigticket1]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

About wrestling, not much, but I know a handful of players that wrestled at SDSU or tried to wrestle at SDSU, I know high school wrestlers, and high school wrestling coaches. I ask them about SDSU and they say they had little respect for the program. No one knows who the coach is or what the program is about. But ask them about Sturgis wrestling, or certain coaches throughout the state and the wrestlers will tell you their life stories.

What I'm getting at where I say look at high school, is that its not like basketball or football where speed, or style change greatly at higher levels. Yes, its a little different, but not that much. If you got someone who knew most of the coaches, and had the respect of the athletes I think it would help.

The new coach will need some recognition and cred in a wider footprint than just South Dakota to be able to field a more competitve line-up. Someone like Eustice,who was with the Iowa program,or a Gopher or Cyclone assistant would open doors in Iowa and Minnesota,which are high-school wrestling hot-beds.

[2002jack]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

R

The new coach will need some recognition and cred in a wider footprint than just South Dakota to be able to field a more competitve line-up. Someone like Eustice,who was with the Iowa program,or a Gopher or Cyclone assistant would open doors in Iowa and Minnesota,which are high-school wrestling hot-beds.

This. There is plenty is D1 assistants and D2 coaches chomping at the bit to lead a wrestling program. The next hire will not be Kenny Ruml.

[GopherHole]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

I lunch with the University of Nebraska - Kearney's top assistant coach yesterday and garnered some interesting perspectives on collegiate wrestling in the midwest. UNK won the DII national championship last week and in 2008 with 3 runner ups since 2003. His comments gave me a little perspective of what it takes to be competitive in a low budget program.

He feels really good about their program in the way it is set up and the support from the administration. Head Coach Mark Bauer has one top assistant coach in addition to two other hired assistant coaches and one student assistant coaches. A staff of five coaches enables them to handle a variety of coaching, recruiting, administration, and other responsibilities. While this has led to success on the mat with 80 DII all-americans since 1990, they are also proud of the 121 academic all-americans. The staff is relatively young. Bauer is in his mid 40's and coach Swarm became the head asssistant coach immediately after graduating as a two time all-american in 2002. The other assistants are younger.

Coaches monitor academic progress weekly and have mandatory study hall sessions for their athletes. He also feels it is important to have a good balance of fire and ice with the coaching staff. Bauer is a high energy/motivational coach who relies on his top assistant to have an even keel. The number of assistants enables them to recruit Nebraska kids hard while also finding recruits beyond the state's borders. Travel Dlagnev, their most famous alum, came from Texas. Dlagnev is the #1 ranked heavy weight wrestler competing for an Olympic spot in a few weeks. While they like to get multiple time state champions as recruits, they have much success with kids with modest success in their high school careers. They focus on kids that meet their targets and it is not always about being a state champion.

While UNK is a DII program, their facilities are comparable to SDSU's and they have had success competing against the same teams that SDSU wrestles against. In recent years they have dual victories against Northwestern, Wyoming, and Portland State. While they have not hired coaches with high school backgrounds, they have also not gone out and hired coaches with much experience at the collegiate level. Their primary focus has been on developing coaches from within their program. Their top assistant will be coaching at Kearney High School this next year, but don't be surprised when the replacement is a coach that has just completed their collegiate career. The head coach, Mark Bauer, is an alum of UNO and was named head coach of UNK after only 4 years as an assistant. While UNK had a good relationship with high school programs in the region he took it to the next level. This was done through energy and determination. It took a few years, but once the relationships were developed it didn't take long to turn this program in to an elite DII program.

While I don't know Eustice, if he has the drive and determination to advance the program he certainly has the pedigree to recruit. If he lacks the drive, I would not hesitate to find the right young assistant who has experience to lead this program. After all, look at what Cael Sanderson has done at both Iowa State University and now Penn State. At age 26 he was head coach at Iowa State and moved to Penn State three years later. He made both programs competitive immedetialy and now has Penn State looking for it's 2nd national championship. While we may not get a guy with that pedigree, there are some young assistants that could have a strong impact as either a head coach or as an assistant to Ty.

[SDSUAlum08]

Re: Jason Liles resigns as Wrestling Coach

Anyone know what Lyles is up to now?