Man how good is Brian Smith?

[MSU158 1,519]

Missouri isn’t exactly a long time top wrestling destination and yet Smith has them up near the top every season. Even with top coaches like Henson and Eierman leaving.

Man, I really wanted him back at MSU once Minkel finally left. Not that he would have came back after a 5 minute conversation with anyone representing the dumpster fire that MSU’s Athletic Department currently is. 
 

Still, back on topic. They lose both Eiermans and haven’t missed a beat. Many thought the way the left showed some internal problems that could cause a serious drop off. Instead,  Hart takes over 141 and is ranked 4th.  On top of that, they should rather easily have all 10 qualify for NCAA’s. 
 

I just can’t imagine any coach doing more with what Missouri has to offer. I am truly very impressed!

Edited January 25 by MSU158

[gallison 45]

Couldn't agree with you more.  Great recruiting class this year.  On top of that, Smith and his staff do a great job in developing wrestlers.  In many cases they've taken good (not great) wrestlers who aren't highly recruited and developed them into AA's. 

I also like the way Smith and his staff keep wrestlers involved getting them matches in tourny's and duals even if they are quality backups vs starters.

Here's hoping Mizzou Athletic Dept keeps Brian Smith and his staff challenged, happy and paid well so they stay at Mizzou and continue doing a great job!

 

[Drake_Mallard 149]

Met him awhile back at the NWCA coaches clinic they do down in FL. He is just a professional and I am not shocked he keeps turning out successful teams year after year.

[MizzouGrad 34]

He’s an elite coach right up there with Cael, John Smith, Brands brothers etc. 

He’s also a great vision guy and when he was able to steal Kendric Maple from Nebraska, it showed me how respected he was. He’s also one of the few coaches in college wrestling that has a coaching tree. 
 

There’s a reason Mizzou pays him north of $300k. 

[Perry 1,188]

My own take on Brian Smith is that he fills a very different role in the Mizzou staff compared to other top head coaches. From what I have been told from alumni and others familiar with the program is he is more of a business administrative type role and leaves the detailed coaching to the other members of his team. He runs the ship like a business, and the results are generally very consistent - top 6 finishes year in and year out. They don't generally draw the best talent, but they work well with what they have and do get the occasional blue chip that is a phenom (Cox, Askren, etc.). Eiremann(s) leaving was a shot to the gut for the program. May be part of the reason Cox is part time in Ohio now as well. Even so, the team is solid as ever. They won't win a national title (especially not with Iowa fielding one of the greatest teams arguably ever) but they will fight for a team trophy and that is special. 

[MizzouGrad 34]

9 minutes ago, Perry said:

My own take on Brian Smith is that he fills a very different role in the Mizzou staff compared to other top head coaches. From what I have been told from alumni and others familiar with the program is he is more of a business administrative type role and leaves the detailed coaching to the other members of his team. He runs the ship like a business, and the results are generally very consistent - top 6 finishes year in and year out. They don't generally draw the best talent, but they work well with what they have and do get the occasional blue chip that is a phenom (Cox, Askren, etc.). Eiremann(s) leaving was a shot to the gut for the program. May be part of the reason Cox is part time in Ohio now as well. Even so, the team is solid as ever. They won't win a national title (especially not with Iowa fielding one of the greatest teams arguably ever) but they will fight for a team trophy and that is special. 

Cox left because he was a local celebrity and felt like he needed to get out of his hometown so he could focus. Coach Smith said he was getting dozens of speaking requests a month. 

[drag it 268]

This is extremely anecdotal, but I've noted several times when Missouri wrestlers showed excellent sportsmanship after matches, both wins and losses, and I'd thought that might have something to do with the program's culture, which I otherwise know little about. 

I realize this might seem counter intuitive because they had a really bad incident a few years back with one of their guys at NCAAs (I'm getting old, can't remember who), but it's nonetheless an impression I've formed and was notable to me because, in my opinion, you don't see a lot of that in D1 wrestling.

[Drake_Mallard 149]

1 hour ago, drag it said:

I'd thought that might have something to do with the program's culture, which I otherwise know little about. 

Ssshiiiit, you dont know about #tigerstyle?

[Idaho 790]

13 hours ago, MSU158 said:

Missouri isn’t exactly a long time top wrestling destination and yet Smith has them up near the top every season. Even with top coaches like Henson and Eierman leaving.

Man, I really wanted him back at MSU once Minkel finally left. Not that he would have came back after a 5 minute conversation with anyone representing the dumpster fire that MSU’s Athletic Department currently is. 
 

Still, back on topic. They lose both Eiermans and haven’t missed a beat. Many thought the way the left showed some internal problems that could cause a serious drop off. Instead,  Hart takes over 141 and is ranked 4th.  On top of that, they should rather easily have all 10 qualify for NCAA’s. 
 

I just can’t imagine any coach doing more with what Missouri has to offer. I am truly very impressed!

If Hart beats Eierman.....

[Perry 1,188]

11 hours ago, drag it said:

This is extremely anecdotal, but I've noted several times when Missouri wrestlers showed excellent sportsmanship after matches, both wins and losses, and I'd thought that might have something to do with the program's culture, which I otherwise know little about. 

I realize this might seem counter intuitive because they had a really bad incident a few years back with one of their guys at NCAAs (I'm getting old, can't remember who), but it's nonetheless an impression I've formed and was notable to me because, in my opinion, you don't see a lot of that in D1 wrestling.

Are you thinking about the 184 who was ejected from ncaas for a headbutt in the R12? 

I have heard from multiple sources that mauller got the better of eirman pretty consistently in the room. If there's a te that knows the ins and outs of his style and how to beat it that would be missouri (and probably Penn state). If hart does it this year that would be pretty funny

[drag it 268]

2 hours ago, Perry said:

Are you thinking about the 184 who was ejected from ncaas for a headbutt in the R12? 

That sounds right.  Best I remember, it was at NCAAs, it was a late round, it was really bad, and that there was discussion that a team penalty point could either cost them or almost cost them a team trophy.  But I'm really fuzzy on the details and couldn't find anything with some quick searches on line.  

[Perry 1,188]

17 minutes ago, drag it said:

That sounds right.  Best I remember, it was at NCAAs, it was a late round, it was really bad, and that there was discussion that a team penalty point could either cost them or almost cost them a team trophy.  But I'm really fuzzy on the details and couldn't find anything with some quick searches on line.  

I believe that was Johnny eblen who did that. I recall at the time I thought am ejection was over the top based on what I saw but it's been a while so I don't remember the details. I believe that was the difference in them placing 4th instead of 3rd (that was the year iowa did not get a team trophy)

[gimpeltf 1,521]

1 hour ago, Perry said:

I believe that was Johnny eblen who did that. I recall at the time I thought am ejection was over the top based on what I saw but it's been a while so I don't remember the details. I believe that was the difference in them placing 4th instead of 3rd (that was the year iowa did not get a team trophy)

At NCAAs? I don't even see a DQ in the brackets near that round around 184 from around 2010-2016

[SetonHallPirate 831]

It was the Consolation Round of 16 in St. Louis (2015). Steven Curtis was the official...anything else we need to know?

Edited January 25 by SetonHallPirate

[gimpeltf 1,521]

7 minutes ago, SetonHallPirate said:

It was the Consolation Round of 16 in St. Louis (2015).

And at 174 with Iowa being 2nd not 4th although he must have meant Missouri who did finish 4th by 2 points.

[SetonHallPirate 831]

1 hour ago, Perry said:

I believe that was Johnny eblen who did that. I recall at the time I thought am ejection was over the top based on what I saw but it's been a while so I don't remember the details. I believe that was the difference in them placing 4th instead of 3rd (that was the year iowa did not get a team trophy)

At first (it happened right in front of me, but I had a side view of Eblen's actions) I thought it was a bad call, but it was pretty darned clear that it was a headbutt on video review. (it was also only called unsportsmanlike initially, was called as flagrant misconduct upon review...believe it was that summer that it was decided that all flagrant misconduct calls MUST be reviewed if the review is available)

[gimpeltf 1,521]

11 minutes ago, SetonHallPirate said:

At first (it happened right in front of me, but I had a side view of Eblen's actions) I thought it was a bad call, but it was pretty darned clear that it was a headbutt on video review. (it was also only called unsportsmanlike initially, was called as flagrant misconduct upon review...believe it was that summer that it was decided that all flagrant misconduct calls MUST be reviewed if the review is available)

So does that mean they had to review it again since it was called on review? 

[Missourimatman 51]

18 hours ago, MizzouGrad said:

He’s an elite coach right up there with Cael, John Smith, Brands brothers etc. 

He’s also a great vision guy and when he was able to steal Kendric Maple from Nebraska, it showed me how respected he was. He’s also one of the few coaches in college wrestling that has a coaching tree. 
 

There’s a reason Mizzou pays him north of $300k. 

Cael, John Smith and the Brands brothers don't run a program with a $1 million+ budget deficit every year, a meager fan base at a school who belongs to a conference that does not have wrestling. Mizzou's wrestling program could be gone tomorrow and not too many people would say a word.

[MizzouGrad 34]

6 minutes ago, Missourimatman said:

Cael, John Smith and the Brands brothers don't run a program with a $1 million+ budget deficit every year, a meager fan base at a school who belongs to a conference that does not have wrestling. Mizzou's wrestling program could be gone tomorrow and not too many people would say a word.

A meager fan base? That draw around 1000-2000 a dual and upwards of 5,000 for big duals. I wouldn't call that meager. Secondly, despite your name, it's pretty clear you have no idea about the inner workings at Mizzou. 

I can guarantee you they would cut Women's Tennis & the Swimming/Diving program before they cut Wrestling. Additionally, unlike every single other conference in America, the SEC played their full schedule this year, guaranteeing around $50-$60 million in TV revenue. So while COVID has damaged the athletic department budgets, it's not devastated them like at other places

[Perry 1,188]

44 minutes ago, gimpeltf said:

And at 174 with Iowa being 2nd not 4th although he must have meant Missouri who did finish 4th by 2 points.

Yes, I mistook Iowa's placement that year with 2016, good catch. I also thought Eblen was a 184 pounder for some reason. Thanks for the corrections.

[Perry 1,188]

Man, Edinboro had a tough team that year placing third. Pretty impressive performance especially considering what they have to work with. 

[gimpeltf 1,521]

1 minute ago, Perry said:

Yes, I mistook Iowa's placement that year with 2016, good catch. I also thought Eblen was a 184 pounder for some reason. Thanks for the corrections.

He was other years.

[SetonHallPirate 831]

1 hour ago, gimpeltf said:

So does that mean they had to review it again since it was called on review? 

They changed the rule the summer after that incident. Rule changes only take place in odd-numbered years.

[The_MO_Godfather 41]

1 hour ago, gimpeltf said:

At NCAAs? I don't even see a DQ in the brackets near that round around 184 from around 2010-2016

I know they lost all team points that he contributed...almost like he never wrestled in the tournament at all.

Interesting that this is a discussion topic...I just watched Mizzou All Access on Flo this weekend and this was one of the storylines...

[gimpeltf 1,521]

11 minutes ago, The_MO_Godfather said:

I know they lost all team points that he contributed...almost like he never wrestled in the tournament at all.

Interesting that this is a discussion topic...I just watched Mizzou All Access on Flo this weekend and this was one of the storylines...

He had scored 3 points up until then. 2 Majors in the consolations. Would have moved them up a notch.