Jackson: Recruiting key to ISU wrestling revival

Iowa State has a lot of work ahead in order to rejoin wrestling's elite.

It starts and ends on the recruiting trail, according to Coach Kevin Jackson.

“Recruiting is the name of the game, more so than anything else,” Jackson said. “The coaching part is the easy part. The toughest part is getting the best kid in and getting them to understand the overall plan and buying in to every single component.”

The Cyclones crowned one individual champion at this year's NCAA Championships, but placed 20th as a team, its lowest finish at nationals since 1962.

Meanwhile, former coach Cael Sanderson led Penn State to its first NCAA team title since 1953.

Jackson pieced together a lineup with Sanderson's remaining recruits and guys he has brought in since taking over for the four-time NCAA and Olympic champion.

Jackson missed national champions Jake Varner and David Zabriskie and a few other key seniors. He also dismissed freshman 125-pound NCAA finalist Andrew Long for conduct detrimental to the team.

Injuries, a staff change and a big roster overhaul made a challenging second season at the helm.

“I really did believe it would be a reload as opposed to rebuilding,” Jackson said. “I found out real quick it was a rebuilding phase. (This year) has taught me that it's a process and it really does take time and energy to build your team that's going to be one that's going to sustain winning each and every year.”

As much of an uphill climb as it was this past season finishing with a 9-10 dual record, next year appears maybe even more difficult for with 174-pound titlist Jon Reader out of eligibility and no All-Americans returning.

ISU sent only five to nationals, senior Chris Drouin (141) as an at-large qualifier and first-timers Kyle Simonson (heavyweight) and Cole Shafer (184).

Junior Jerome Ward finished one victory shy of the medal stand at 197 and will be the team's most accomplished returner. Still, Ward sees a bounce back season ahead.

“Every program has a down year eventually,” he said. “I really think we are going to start moving forward. This is the lowest we've been in a while. I don't see us getting any lower than this.”

Five of the 10 starters were in their first season, including two true freshmen.

Shafer, a red-shirt freshman, feel good about the improvement he has seen in himself and young teammates like Trent Weatherman (157), Ben Cash (133) and Brandon Jones (125).

“It's a learning atmosphere,” he said. “We are all trying to learn as fast as we can. We are going to be fine next year. It would have been nice to learn though wins, but you learn any way you learn.”