No Ranting & Raving for Brands

Dec. 10, 2013

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IOWA CITY, Iowa — Following a come-from-behind 22-19 victory over No. 15 Edinboro on Dec. 5, University of Iowa head wrestling coach Tom Brands says you won’t see him ranting and raving to his third-ranked Hawkeyes.

“You don’t change much,” Brands said Tuesday while meeting with media inside the Dan Gable Wrestling Complex. “You don’t become a ranting and raving guy. Coaching is more steady than people on the outside think, and I am steadier than people on the outside think.”

The Hawkeyes trailed Edinboro, 13-4, through the first four matches, which included a 3-2 defeat by top-ranked Tony Ramos to A.J. Schopp at 133 pounds. Iowa rallied to win the next five matches to take a 22-13 lead before the Fighting Scots got a fall at heavyweight to close out the dual.

Brands says the wrestlers that lost now have a chance to get back on the mat and redeem themselves.

“If you do stumble, let’s get the cob-webs out, get the urgency up and go to work,” he said.

Brands isn’t worried about Ramos’ psyche following his first loss of the season, unless the result becomes a habit.

“I am not worried about his motivation,” said Brands. “We’re not worried about him bouncing back, his motivation or how he trains or works. He is doing the things he needs to do to not get caught in those situations.”

Ramos says he gave himself a chance to defeat Schopp, even though he didn’t wrestle up to his capability. Even in defeat, he isn’t changing his day-to-day approach.

“Why change anything,” he said. “Something happened that didn’t go my way. Nothing changes; you keep moving forward and fix the little things.”

Ramos says Buffalo’s Justin Farmer will likely be on the brunt end of some of Ramos’ frustrations, but he is more looking forward to the end of the month at the Midlands Championships.

“The biggest thing is I don’t have to wait that long to wrestle Schoop again because I’ll (likely) see him at the Midlands,” said Ramos. “That’s exciting and motivating.”

Brands lauded redshirt freshman Sammy Brooks’ effort at 197 pounds despite weighing in at 184 pounds each meet. Brooks is 8-3 this season, including 1-1 at 197.

“It’s not easy to make the weight and move up a weight,” said Brands. “He is making scratch weight at 184 to keep his certification because we need him and the depth down below as well. Brooks is throwing his hat in the ring to be in there somewhere, and that’s what we want.”

Brands says sophomore 197-pounder Nathan Burak and heavyweight Bobby Telford are a go for Thursday’s Buffalo dual.

“Burak and Telford are both a go, and if they don’t go, I guess they weren’t a go,” said Brands with a smirk.

Thursday’s dual is set to begin at 7 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Mat inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.