Illinois Wrestling assistant coach Carl Perry has become a hot commodity in the world of college wrestling.  Perry interviewed for the head coaching position at Illinois before fellow assistant Jim Heffernan was named head coach this spring.  Now, Perry was recently a finalist for the head job at Tennessee-Chattanooga.  Perry did not get the position, as UTC went with alum Heath Eslinger for the job.  UTC has had a solid program over the years, but recent head coaching hires like Terry Brands and Chris Bono had no ties to the university and left for assistant coaching jobs at their alma maters (Iowa and Iowa State, respectively).

In other news, the Illini have secured their first verbal commitment from the class of 2010, and it's a good one.  Two-time Michigan state champion Jackson Morse from Lowell announced his verbal commitment to Illinois through the wrestling website Michigan Grappler.  Lowell is rated as the #21 recruit in the country in his class by Intermat (password required), and Michigan Grappler rates him as the best in the state.

We're still awaiting announcement of the full 2009 recruiting class from Jim Heffernan and the Illini.  The Illini signed two wrestlers during the fall signing period. 

UPDATE:  Here's an interview with Jackson Morse by the website Wrestling Addix.  No actual quotes here, but the interviewer does a nice job of paraphrasing.

bmoline@wdws.com