5-year anniversary of Gavin hire

[Eric_Knopsnyder]

My social media timelines are reminding me that it's been five years since Keith Gavin was hired as coach. Interested in the thoughts on here as to how it's gone so far.
Has the program progressed as you thought it would during that time?
What about recruiting?
What do you think the next five years will hold?
Here's what I was thinking before the announcement:

 

[Eric_Knopsnyder]

Interesting tidbit: LinkedIn suggested that I wish Keith a happy 5-year anniversary today. I googled his hire date to see if it was announced on April 5. Turns out it hadn't been, but I did stumble across a blog post crediting me with breaking the news eight days later.

I honestly don't remember if I broke the news or not, but it gave me a chuckle to see my tweet in a post that I didn't even realize was gave me credit for it. 😂

 

[_DBHoops]

Has the program progressed as you thought it would during that time?
What about recruiting?
What do you think the next five years will hold?

I am, as usual, cautiously optimistic! You don't want to be counting chickens before they hatch, but this recruiting class looks like it has the roots and personal bonds to stick through five years together.

I would like to hear why the staff thinks we have not qualified a 125 or 149 for NCAAs since KG's arrival? Specifically at 125 where (1) the same RTC position coach has been in that role for almost the whole time, (2) we have had five different starters in five years and (3) three of those five transferred out.

Who will be Mac & Dayton's main coach? A combo of HCKG and Meech?

 

[Harleyst99]

I’m going to say that even though the recruits coming in look good, I’m not so sure they all stay on the team for the long haul or stay healthy. I think we have the wrong strength and conditioning coach. I understand not every wrestler has a body that looks like they live in the gym, but most of our guys don’t look like they even lift weights, outside of 2-3. The conditioning in most of the lineup has looked suspect alot of the time, guys gassing out in the 3rd. I also think they made a big mistake last year inserting McGill in at 174, moving up Harvey and Nino, while trying to put weight on Cooley. Think would have been better off just putting Cooley in at 197. Nino showed that he could hang a weight class up, but Harvey was clearly better at 174. Believe it would have been a better lineup. Regardless, McGill was removed from the team, and then Cooley ended up transferring, so I’d say they didn't do well with that recruiting class, considering Ryan Sullivan was also part of that group. Bringing in Pletcher was a great pickup, atleast where Mathews is concerned.

 

[lucac]

I feel like Keith has done a solid job the facilities dont help at all being that they are absolute garbage but I did think 5 years in we might be a little further ahead than we are. I still believe the program is heading in the right direction and Gavin feels like the right guy for the job but we need to start being more competitive with VT and NC State

 

[NAtiger112]

I agree with everything stated above. I think the program has made strides, 2 finalists last year was huge, but I was hoping for some better results from some of their recruits: Sullivan, Kemmerer, and McGill. I get that’s not all on coaching, but the lack of progression with them/transferring out has led to some pretty big holes in the lineup.

I’ve really liked the upcoming recruiting classes and hope everyone pans out and sticks around. I’ve always had high hopes for Pitt due to the location and it looks like we are finally able to keep the local kids around.

I don’t expect to be on the same tier as NC State soon, but hopefully we can be close and pull ahead of Virginia Tech

I would give Gavin a B right now until we see where these upcoming recruiting classes pan out.

 

[Ryno53]

Almost kind of following the same path Narduzzi was on. Steps in the right direction but not a major break out despite being close, has stabilized the program from the turmoil it had recently gone through (midlands incident for wrestling/ all the coaching changes for football), had some big wins (Clemson football/ASU this year for wrestling) and the recruiting has been above average but not elite. Obviously worked out well for Pitt this year staying patient with Narduzzi and hopefully will start to see it with coach Gavin. Really feel like this class has the ability to become program changers like Pickett and co were for the football team

 

[Eric_Knopsnyder]

Almost kind of following the same path Narduzzi was on. Steps in the right direction but not a major break out despite being close, has stabilized the program from the turmoil it had recently gone through (midlands incident for wrestling/ all the coaching changes for football), had some big wins (Clemson football/ASU this year for wrestling) and the recruiting has been above average but not elite. Obviously worked out well for Pitt this year staying patient with Narduzzi and hopefully will start to see it with coach Gavin. Really feel like this class has the ability to become program changers like Pickett and co were for the football team

That's a good comparison, Ryno. I hadn't thought of it in regards to Naduzzi's path, but there certainly are some similarities. At some point, I'd like to take a deep dive into WPIAL recruits over the past five years. It feels like Pitt has done a better job of keeping high-level guys at home since his hire, but there are still too many slipping away to NC State and Virginia Tech.

 

[lucac]

That's a good comparison, Ryno. I hadn't thought of it in regards to Naduzzi's path, but there certainly are some similarities. At some point, I'd like to take a deep dive into WPIAL recruits over the past five years. It feels like Pitt has done a better job of keeping high-level guys at home since his hire, but there are still too many slipping away to NC State and Virginia Tech.

It's one thing when you lose them to PSU or Iowa not much you can do about that but unless it's one of those teams Pitt needs to keep the rest home they would be an easy top 10 team every year and fighting for podiums if they did which is what the program should be considering its location

 

[Silkky1982]

I know this is on a different note but I’m seeing a lot of action on Facebook regarding Spencer Lee’s dad recruiting wrestlers from other schools and offering money for NIL deals when they’re not even in the portal. seems like a lot of tampering going on. They mentioned the Willits boys from Oregon state(one brother beat Matthew’s in consi semis at nationals)

 

[Captainpitt]

Who are the wpial guys that slipped away to nc state or vtech? Hillegas? Mac church committed to vtech but pitt has Matthews and Mcmillen at his potential weight classes. Who from wpial is on Penn states team. The idea that you can keep wpial guys home and be in top ten is just false. Spencer Lee and Kemerer were the two wpial guys on Iowa’s team. Penn state, vtech, nc state all have 0 wpial guys starting on their teams. Pitt needs to be able to get high level guys from anywhere

 

[Ryno53]

Finn Solomon and Troy hohman are going to nc state next year. I know he is technically not wpial but Ed Scott hurts. He is close enough and that is the type of guy Pitt needs to land to make it to top 10 status. Arrington is another guy who I think is going to be a super star

 

[Silkky1982]

This has nothing to do with NC State Or Virginia tech but losing Rocco Welsh and Vinny Kilkeary to Ohio State definitely hurts as well

 

[pafootballguy]

I know this is on a different note but I’m seeing a lot of action on Facebook regarding Spencer Lee’s dad recruiting wrestlers from other schools and offering money for NIL deals when they’re not even in the portal. seems like a lot of tampering going on. They mentioned the Willits boys from Oregon state(one brother beat Matthew’s in consi semis at nationals)

They really want a competitive team that can challenge for the team title in Spencer's final season and as it stands right now they are not close.

 

[pafootballguy]

This has nothing to do with NC State Or Virginia tech but losing Rocco Welsh and Vinny Kilkeary to Ohio State definitely hurts as well

Ohio State is doing really well with NIL right now. I am more curious how much it will cost them to get the elite kids in a few years when they struggle to develop those guys.

 

[Pantherguy4]

I feel like Keith has done a solid job the facilities dont help at all being that they are absolute garbage but I did think 5 years in we might be a little further ahead than we are. I still believe the program is heading in the right direction and Gavin feels like the right guy for the job but we need to start being more competitive with VT and NC State

 

[Pantherguy4]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

 

[Dallas Burgher]

I’m going to say that even though the recruits coming in look good, I’m not so sure they all stay on the team for the long haul or stay healthy. I think we have the wrong strength and conditioning coach. I understand not every wrestler has a body that looks like they live in the gym, but most of our guys don’t look like they even lift weights, outside of 2-3. The conditioning in most of the lineup has looked suspect alot of the time, guys gassing out in the 3rd. I also think they made a big mistake last year inserting McGill in at 174, moving up Harvey and Nino, while trying to put weight on Cooley. Think would have been better off just putting Cooley in at 197. Nino showed that he could hang a weight class up, but Harvey was clearly better at 174. Believe it would have been a better lineup. Regardless, McGill was removed from the team, and then Cooley ended up transferring, so I’d say they didn't do well with that recruiting class, considering Ryan Sullivan was also part of that group. Bringing in Pletcher was a great pickup, atleast where Mathews is concerned.

Funny you would say that. When I have watched them I thought the same thing but being out of the game for fifty years made me hesitate to say anything.