Brands didn’t hold anything back in his analysis of that team performance.

“We underperformed. You underperform and you’re at USC and you still win the national title, there’s going to be jubilation in the locker room,” said Brands. “Underperforming in a sport where you’re judged with individual results is a little bit different.”

Brands also tackled the misperception that winning is everything and second place is nothing — that’s not the case in the mind of one of wrestling’s all-time greats — athlete or coach.

“I think a lot of people misinterpret my single-mindedness that winning is the most important thing. Doing the right thing every time is the most important thing,” said Brands. “I think getting what you want, when you want it is the most important thing. Being a champion — it’s about the process.”

It’s those first places that weren’t achieved that led to a first-place team finish that should make this an even better and more dangerous Hawkeye squad this season.

Take for example Metcalf’s heartbreaking disappointment after winning NCAA gold the year before. He’s considered to be by many the best college wrestler in the land.

“What do you say about Brent Metcalf? He lost in the finals and that doesn’t change how he represents our program,” said Brands. “He’s devastated by it. He’s driven by it. It takes a long time to get over that type of thing. I don’t know if he’ll ever get over it. He’ll have to get over it to a certain extent to get to the next step.”

Iowa returns several key performers from a year ago in Metcalf, Jay Borschel, Joe Slaton, Ryan Morningstar, Phil Keddy — just to name of few.

“I felt all last year something was missing and I didn’t figure it out. My job is to figure that out,” said Brands. “I feel like we have our finger on it now.”

Bad news for the Big Ten and bad news for the nation.

Iowa men’s basketball coach Todd Lickliter was the featured speaker and he’s looking to bounce back after two sub-.500 seasons.

He’s in his third season now in Iowa City, after accepting the job from Iowa A.D. Gary Barta from his previous post at Butler — where he was NCAA coach of the year in 2007.

That process of getting over the hump and attaining the ultimate goal of an NCAA berth took a hit with mass defections in the offseason — mainly starting guards Jake Kelly and Jeff Peterson transferring.

That hasn’t hindered Lickliter’s enthusiasm and passion to win in the Hawkeye state.

“We’ve had two tough years. At any place else, it probably would have been miserable,” said Lickliter. “We didn’t play well.”