Can Sun Devils Wrestling Bounce Back?

Four wins and eleven losses was the record for the Arizona State Sun Devils Men's Wrestling team last season. Not great, especially considering they had seven wins over the past two years.

So, following a disappointing season, can the Sun Devils' Wrestling bounce back? Let's look at the two biggest factors

Coaching

First on the docket is coaching. Sun Devils fans have seen new coaches in recent years. Such as Kenny Dillingham taking over the football program or Bob Bowman coming in for a season for Swim and Dive before leaving for Texas. However, Wrestling Head Coach Zeke Jones has been the leader of men's wrestling since 2014.

This is both a major pro and a significant con. With being with the Sun Devils for a lengthy amount of time, Jones is a well-respected figure in the building. He brings a confident, respect-driven type of leadership to the program. Jones reminds me a lot of Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin. 

Both Tomlin and Jones are coaches who focus on the physical fundamentals. This is particularly important for wrestling, a sport that is heavily based on tough and intense play.

However, this is also an issue, as when coaches are often stationary, they tend to become less innovative. A primary example that comes to mind is Former Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach and ASU assistant coach, Marvin Lewis.

As someone who met Lewis, he was a kind and respectable person. However, if you ask any Bengals fans, Lewis got stale after a couple of years, especially with no playoff wins. I think Jones is heading down a similar path to Lewis. He had a great year in 2022, but can he return to that level?

Many Sun Devils fans respect Jones, but the truth is that all sports evolve. If Jones has another down year, it could be time for a new face for the wrestling program.

Recruiting

The Sun Devils were able to land seven players in the most recent recruiting class. This does not sound bad, but only one player was ranked. Melvin Whitehead from Nevada was ranked 98th.

Whitehead does bring some excitement to the wrestling program. He is a four-time state champion in his weight division in high school.

However, when it comes to recruiting, it is more often quality over quantity. So, while seven players sounds solid, having only one ranked player is disappointing.

The ASU Men Wreslting has a big season in front of them. It will be interesting to see how things go for them. Please let us know your thoughts on this story when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.