Brent Metcalf joins the Full Tilt Podcast for a deep dive into one of wrestling’s most respected minds. He walks through the legendary Davidson, Michigan room with Roy Hall, his undefeated high school career and Fargo dominance, the Virginia Tech-to-Iowa transfer storm, Carver-Hawkeye showdowns, wild overseas trips to Russia, Dagestan, and Iran, and why he believes in “chasing losing” to become the best. Metcalf also breaks down his relationship with Jordan Burroughs, what he’s learned from Kevin Dresser, coaching David Carr, and his vision for turning Iowa State into a world-level factory.

Timed Highlights:
00:49 New Cyclone head coach Brent Metcalf joins the show
02:12 How a public school in Michigan built three NCAA champs
06:37 Seventh grader in high school practice and free open rooms
09:11 Six Fargo titles, chasing tough brackets, and never protecting a record
15:24 Big Ten battles with Dustin Schlater
16:04 Following Tom Brands, Virginia Tech days, and transfer controversy
19:12 Losing a year, going overseas, and realizing he could beat world champs
22:31 Why getting beat can be the best thing for young wrestlers
27:25 Culture and accountability inside the Iowa room
33:18 Training with Borschel, Morningstar, Montell and others
35:34 Carver-Hawkeye roar vs World Cup in Iran
47:20 The reality of his international career: big wins, no medals
53:15 Beating Sidakov, wrestling Yaminitsu, and getting schooled by Gadzalov
58:06 The Iran World Cup: 15,000 fans, drums, and staying through intermission
1:09:03 Sketchy trips to Dagestan and early overseas experiences
1:16:18 Turning down other college jobs to support his wife’s PhD
1:19:26 The call from Kevin Dresser that brought him to Ames
1:27:03 What Metcalf learned from Dresser about building programs and fanbases
1:30:57 His vision for Cyclone Wrestling and putting guys on the world wall
1:38:30 Coaching David Carr and “failing forward” at the senior level
1:40:48 Roy Hall, his parents, and the legacy he wants his wrestlers to build

If you enjoy this episode, hit subscribe, drop a comment with your favorite story, and tell us which wrestling legend you want to hear from next!

www.thefulltiltpodcast.com

Produced by: ItsYourShow.co