Future

[Cheyenne]

Alright guys, tell me about where you see this program next year, in 3 years, 5 years and 10 years. We are building the best wrestling facility in the big 12. One of the best in the entire nation. We’re pulling some top recruits. Is it realistic to think we could be competing for national team titles in 10 years? Every time I think about where this program is going I get fired up

[TheWombat]

I think that this year is, and was always going to be, a down year for the jacks. There were just too many teams that benefitted from getting another year out of their seniors and we were not among them. Next year is their year to push for a top-ten finish with 7-9 qualifiers 3-5 All-Americans and Carlson having a legitimate shot to push for a title. If next year goes like it can, it has the potential to plant a seed. It can invigorate the fan base, drive fund raising dollars, motivate athletes, incentivize recruits and inspire a state with more wrestlers per capita than any other to really look at the next level as an option and try to be the best wrestlers that they can be. In a best case scenario, five years from now, recruits will have spent their entire high school careers in a world where SDSU is consistently a top-ten team that is producing multiple All-Americans year in and year out. I think that it's reasonable, given the support of the administration and boosters, to think that within five years the JRTC will have grown to the point where is can house a handful of nationally competitive senior athletes and justify the hiring of a new coach to run the RTC (Troy Steiner may be looking for a job). If we can provide that kind of environment, it becomes reasonable that they could land a Spencer Lee / Mark Hall, type of recruit who can, in turn, attract other top recruits. Ten years out, SDSU could be contending for team trophies every now and then. This could happen, but there are some things that could derail this project. If Brandon Eggum gets fired over at Minnesota, it would be stupid to think that Coach Hahn wouldn't get offered the job and that he wouldn't take it (this is really the only school that I could see him ending up at). If that happens, that's a whole nother rebuild within this project. It's also reasonable to think that other coaches could get poached. Cody would be a great choice to take over any of the smaller programs in Iowa if those jobs open up, Cam could get poached by any of the ivies or service academies for a bigger role, and we will probably only have Berge for a couple of years. Things like this are going to happen over the course of ten years but they need to be certain that they're attracting and producing the coaching talent that can represent a step forward for them when this happens. Justin Sell could also retire or move on to a different role, if this happens before they can produce the booster support to make up for the reduction in university support, it could represent a significant step back for the program. The university itself could also start to shrivel if admission practices aren't maintained in such a way that they are able to make up for the reduction of college seeking students among target bases and that could make the team less desirable. Any of these things could happen and any of them could derail this project but, if they don't or if they are properly mitigated, all of the pieces are in place for the jacks to continue to make gains. Given the current state of recruiting and the stratification of recruiting talent, it's very hard for me to imagine a world where any but maybe a handful of school will be able to win a national team title in the next ten years, and SDSU is not on that list, but I could be wrong.

[Cheyenne]

I have a lot of confidence in the coaches, the program, the donors, the facilities, the state, the fans, the wrestlers. I see things heading in the right direction fast. Good momentum is rolling. Nobody else wants to get all hyped up?

[THE PRIDE IS BACK!!!]

Since 2000 only 5 schools have won the team championship. I'm excited to see where this program is going, but, realistically, the Jacks will probably never win it or get close. The Big Ten teams alone have been so good and have kept everyone else away from the championship since 2006 when OK State won. The blue bloods of this sport have been around since the beginning and are going nowhere.

[opinionsaremyown]

A level playing field promotes parity. Many recruit-able athletes want the new room, plush locker room, travel (cool locations/fly/lodging), schedule, NIL $, championship tradition, "big" names (coaches/athletes) etc.

The new wrestling and locker room will help. The schedule is as good as any. It may be difficult for SDSU to match NIL $ and the budget limits travel among other things. The "big" names and tradition issues will take time and is improving yearly. Becoming a traditional power isn't impossible but difficult. Look at programs like Edinboro, Lock Haven, American, Northern Iowa. Recently they have had great years. Most of this was due to development of lesser recruited athletes and lasted only a short time.

Personally, I believe we are headed in the right direction and have the staff capable of developing championship talent. The tallest hurdle IMO is money. SDSU doesn't have the type of money the teams who are taking home trophies has. If you want a championship program help find ways to increase funding to SDSU Wrestling.