Bigger and better: Nebraska's Jordan Burroughs ready to make run at NCAA title
Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
11/26/2008

There is a photo on page 2 of the Nebraska media guide that was taken just after the conclusion of the 2008 NCAA Championships in St. Louis.

In the picture, NU heavyweight Jon May is holding a trophy over his head while surrounded by happy teammates and coaches.

Among those pictured is a smiling Jordan Burroughs.

Burroughs capped a superb true sophomore season with a third-place national finish at 149 pounds. He led Nebraska to a fourth-place finish in the team race, marking the first time in 15 years the Huskers had won a trophy at the NCAA tournament.

Don’t get the idea that Burroughs was content with the way the 2007-08 season ended. But for Burroughs, who failed to place at the 2007 NCAA meet for a team that finished 16th, last season definitely was a sign of progress.

“Winning that trophy, it was very important for our program,” Burroughs said. “We were very close to second, but the way we finished still builds a lot of confidence for our team. We thought we should’ve had a couple of guys in the finals, but we continued to wrestle hard the whole tournament. We proved to everyone in the country that we’re a top program.”

Now a junior, Burroughs is looking for bigger and better things during the 2008-09 season. Burroughs, for one, is bigger and hopes to be better as he bumps up a weight class to 157 pounds.

Burroughs won the 157 title at Nebraska-Omaha’s Kaufman-Brand Open this past weekend, downing past NCAA champion Dustin Schlatter of Minnesota 6-4 in the finals. Burroughs, 0-3 in his career against Schlatter prior to that match, was named Outstanding Wrestler.

Burroughs was one of six champions for Nebraska in the event. Also winning titles for the Huskers were All-Americans Stephen Dwyer (165), Brandon Browne (174) and Craig Brester (197), NCAA qualifier Vince Jones (184) and talented freshman Tucker Lane (heavyweight).

Nebraska, which placed second at the 2008 National Duals, is ranked sixth nationally this season by InterMat.

“We know we can improve on what we did last year,” Burroughs said. “We have a number of guys in our room who are capable of winning individual national titles this year. We’re shooting for the top this year.”

Burroughs has certified at 149, but said his recent move up to 157 is permanent. He turned in a dominating performance in his first big meet at his new weight class on Saturday in Omaha.

Burroughs advanced to the finals against Schlatter, whom he lost twice to as a freshman and once as a sophomore. This match was scoreless after one period and was tied 2-2 entering the final period.

Burroughs, who is lethal on his feet and excels with a blast double-leg shot, scored two takedowns on a pair of leg attacks in the final period to beat Schlatter 6-4.

“It’s always good to beat a guy who you’ve lost to in the past,” Burroughs said. “I feel so much better and so much stronger at 157. It was a pretty big cut, going back down to 149. Moving up to 157, I’m able to eat better and that helps me stay focused and have more energy in practice. It’s made a big difference for me already.”

Burroughs, from Sicklerville, N.J., was not considered one of the nation’s elite recruits coming out of high school. He was ranked seventh nationally at 135 pounds by InterMat as a prep senior. But Burroughs finished strong, winning a New Jersey state title in 2006 before winning High School Nationals.

Nebraska coach Mark Manning didn’t have much trouble finding Burroughs’ house in New Jersey when he recruited him. Burroughs is the next-door neighbor to Jones, who arrived at Nebraska a year before Burroughs did.

Jones, a Cornhusker senior, is a two-time national qualifier. Burroughs and Jones are roommates at Nebraska.

“Vince was always the better wrestler when we were growing up,” Burroughs said. “I’ve always looked up to him and he always was someone who would teach me the ropes. I feed off his energy. He’s my best friend. He’s like my brother.”

Jones fell one win short of being an All-American last year.

“That was very disappointing, I felt so bad for him,” Burroughs said. “I’m looking forward to us being national champs together this year. Vince has been wrestling great this year. He has a chance to have a great season.”

Burroughs arrived in Lincoln, Neb., in the fall of 2006 with the idea that he would redshirt at 141 pounds that season for Nebraska.

Burroughs’ days as a 141-pound redshirt were short-lived. Burroughs quickly added bulk in the NU weight room and moved up to 149. Shortly after Christmas, Burroughs was pulled out of his redshirt and inserted into the Nebraska lineup as a true freshman.

Burroughs wrestled well at the end of the season and qualified for the 2007 NCAA tournament in Auburn Hills, Mich. Unseeded as a true freshman, Burroughs drew the top-seeded Schlatter in the first round and fell 3-2. He won his next match before falling to No. 2 seed Matt Storniolo of Oklahoma in a marathon, four-overtime battle. Burroughs finished his freshman season 16-13.

Burroughs made significant gains last season. He finished with a 34-6 record and was named Outstanding Wrestler after winning the Big 12 Championships.

Seeded fourth at the 2008 NCAA tournament, Burroughs knocked off returning NCAA runner-up Josh Churella of Michigan in the quarterfinals before dropping an 8-4 decision to eventual champion and Hodge Trophy winner Brent Metcalf of Iowa. Burroughs came back to beat Harvard’s J.P. O’Connor and then downed Churella again to place third.

“I improved a lot last year, and I feel like I’m a lot better this year,” Burroughs said. “I just want to keep improving. A lot of guys peak early. To me, you can never be too good. I am always eager to learn.”

Burroughs is in his junior season of college, but he won’t turn 21 until next July.

“Jordan is very young and he has a tremendous upside,” Manning said. “To see how much he’s developed, grown and matured from the time he came here is really impressive. He’s very disciplined, with everything he does. His effort is tremendous, and his focus and mindset have really improved. Every day in the practice room, he brings it 100 percent.”

Burroughs also has the physical skills to go with his work ethic.

“We saw that Jordan was really a special athlete when we watched him in high school,” Manning said. “To see him develop into this caliber of wrestler has been great to see. He’s very athletic, but he’s developed into a great wrestler.”

Burroughs qualified for the U.S. Junior World Team in freestyle this past summer. Among the wrestlers he worked out with at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs were Olympian Doug Schwab and past National Team member Jared Frayer.

Burroughs went 2-1 and placed 10th at July’s Junior World Championships in Turkey. He competed at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

“I didn’t wrestle my best, but it was still a great experience and I learned a lot,” he said. “It was my first trip outside the country. I love freestyle. My ultimate goal is to make the Olympic team in 2012 and win an Olympic gold medal.”

Manning, who has coached numerous U.S. teams on the international level, said that goal is realistic.

“I think Jordan can and will be an Olympic and World champion, if he sets his mind to it,” Manning said. “He has great ability. He’s very talented and he’s only going to get better as a wrestler. The sky’s the limit. He has a very bright future in freestyle.”

Manning said there were high expectations placed on Burroughs entering the Junior Worlds after American Bubba Jenkins won a Junior World title in the same weight class in 2007.

“I think Jordan was the best guy in his weight at the Junior World Championships,” said Manning, who served as one of the coaches of that American squad. “He just wasn’t himself and probably put too much pressure on himself. But I think that experience will help him grow in the long run. I know he learned from it.”

For now, the goal for Burroughs is to ascend to the top of the medal stand at the 2009 NCAA Championships in St. Louis.

The event will be held in the same venue, the Scottrade Center, where Burroughs and his team had a breakthrough performance last season.

Burroughs hopes to be smiling again at the end of the tournament, but for different reasons.

“I’m still not satisfied,” he said. “I won’t be satisfied until I’m the national champion and our team is holding the national championship trophy.”