Nebraska's Jordan Burroughs

One of the most exciting and competitive weight classes at the 2009 NCAA Tournament will be 157lbs.  The weight class features two former National Champions and three wrestlers who are currently undefeated.  One of them is Nebraska's Jordan Burroughs.  Jordan, a Sicklerville, New Jersey native ended his Sophomore year on the podium in St. Louis for the first time with a 3rd Place finish at 149lbs.  A year later and a weight class higher, Burroughs looks like twice the wrestler he was in 2008.  Here is a conversation that D1CW had with its top ranked 157lber...

D1CW: Jordan, you are currently undefeated and ranked near the top of all of the rankings.  Is this how you pictured your season playing out?

Jordan Burroughs: Yes it is.  It has been successful so far.  Last season I ended up third at Nationals and that kind of prepared me for this year.  Coming into this season, the main goal was a National Title.  The undefeated record really doesn't mean anything if I finish without a National Title.  

D1CW: In your first tournament of the season you defeated 2006 NCAA Champ Dustin Schlatter, then about a week later you beat the defending National Champ at 157lbs, Jordan Leen.  What did those two wins do for your confidence?

JB: Yeah, those were big wins.  They really set the tone for my season.  Before that I had wrestled Schlatter three times and lost every time.  Leen, is the National Champ and he is really tough too.  It doesn't matter though who my opponent is, whenever I go out on the mat my mindset is that I expect to win.

D1CW: How do you feel about the competition at 157.  It appears that it is one of, if not the toughest weight class this season?

JB: So far I have beat most of the top guys.  (Mike) Poeta and (Gregor) Gillespie are both still undefeated.  I won't get the chance to see either of them before Nationals, but I wish they were on our schedule.  I'm prepared for them or anyone else that I see at Nationals.  I'm just ready for big things in March and it doesn't matter to me where I end up in the brackets. 

D1CW: In each season of your career you have gotten progressively better.  An appearance at Nationals as a true Freshman, 3rd Place as a Sophomore, now undefeated 3/4's of the way through your junior season.  What are some reason for your improvements?

JB: I just keep working hard and have had good coaches working with me.  I think that I have started to wrestle smarter.  I've always had athleticism, now I want to be sound technically.  Now I am trying to control the pace of matches and focus on small things like positioning.  We have some really tough practice partners that I work with every day and when Trent Paulson is in the room, he really pushes me.

D1CW: During the off-season was there anything specifically you wanted to improve?

JB: There was a lot that I worked on.  Mainly, I wanted to make sure I opened up my offense more.  Before, my opponents were looking to stay on their feet with me, get a low stance, keep their hands low and just block off.  Now, I think I have a larger variety of takedowns.  Overall, I just wanted to improve a little bit everyday.

D1CW: Over the summer D1CW polled a group of coaches nationally and they said that you had the best "Double-Leg Takedown".  Is there anything special that goes into that particular technique?

JB: Well I have long arms and big hands, so I think that helps.  It was pretty good when I got here, but it has improved over the years working with my coaches.  Now, it's pretty difficult to stop.

D1CW: As a team last season, Nebraska earned a fourth place trophy.  With the strength of this years team coming at your weight class and above, will you be able to make another run at a National Team Title?

JB: Quite a few of us are ranked in the top 3 in our weight classes.  I really think that we have a good shot at putting four wrestlers in the finals.  When you do that you become really tough to beat.  I just have a really good feeling about this year's team. We are all looking forward to improve on our 4th Place finish in 2008. 

D1CW: Coming out of high school, what made you decide to attend Nebraska?

JB: (184 lber) Vince Jones and I grew up wrestling together and he chose to go here first.  Coach Manning came out to New Jersey to see him wrestle his senior year and saw me getting to the finals.  When it was my senior year and I won a state title and Senior Nationals, Coach Manning was back recruiting me too. 

D1CW: How would you describe yourself as a wrestler or your style of wrestling?

JB: I would say I'm quick and powerful.  I like to be explosive. I like to punish my opponents when they shoot and then score off of reshots.  I don't like to wait around, I want to be the guy who controls the pace of the match and set the tone.

D1CW: When and why did you begin wrestling?

JB: I didn't come from one of those wrestling families.  I'm the first one in my family to wrestle.  My parents enjoy it though.  I think that I just got a flyer in school one day and told them that I wanted to give wrestling a shot.  Once I did, I liked it and wanted to stick with it.

D1CW: Thanks Jordan!!!