CEDAR FALLS - Brad Penrith's fate as Northern Iowa's wrestling head coach is now in Panther athletic director Troy Dannen's court.

Where the nine-year veteran stands with Dannen is hard to tell. Dannen has been eerily quiet about which way he is leaning.

All that Dannen has admitted is that he is evaluating all aspects of the program and plans to meet with Penrith soon to discuss that evaluation.

The decision, however, should be easy. Sign Penrith, whose current contract is up in June, to a new contract.

Penrith is the right man for UNI's wrestling program. He loves his job. He lives for the purple and gold. His family is rooted in the Cedar Valley.

It would not make sense to show Penrith the door and look for a new coach at this time.

Economically, I don't think UNI's program can afford to do it. Recently the athletic department was told to cut a significant amount of money from its budget, forcing Dannen to make a decision he hoped would never happen when he announced the decision to eliminate baseball.

Sure, UNI would not have to buy out any remaining years of a contract, because Penrith doesn't have one beyond this season. But does Dannen have the money to afford a new coach? I'm not sure a top-notch, big name assistant would come cheap. Penrith probably ranks in the bottom fourth of Division I coaches when it comes to base salary.

Furthermore, a new coach would want some concessions, primarily in the facilities department.

The practice room at the West Gym is adequate. It serves its purpose. But the weight room and locker room facilities, to be fair, are beyond sub-par.

The weight room is smaller than the first bathroom I had in the one bedroom apartment I rented in Spencer after landing my first newspaper job. That bathroom was so small, the door only opened halfway because it hit the tub.

If a new coach came for less money, he probably would want a full allotment of scholarship money, which Penrith doesn't have.

He probably would also want a bigger recruiting budget. He would want an unlimited number of athletes in his room.

Unless UNI athletics has some magic wallet filled with money somewhere, I don't see an increase in any of those things. And if such wallet did exist, the baseball program wouldn't be trying to raise $1.2 millon to save themselves.

A lot of rumors have been flying around. One is the decision has been made to move on.

Another has UNI going after Wartburg coach Jim Miller - again.

That's not going to happen. Miller has already turned down the Panthers twice previously, both when Mark Manning was hired and when Penrith was hired. Miller pulled his name out of the hat on both occasions.

Furthermore, he's already told me he's not interested and feels he's got the best job in the country regardless of the division.

Looking at Penrith's body of work objectively, it has been full of ups and downs. He probably hasn't done everything by the book, and his bosses and he probably haven't seen eye to eye on things.

But if the expectations of his program are to be Top Ten or Top 15 on an annual basis, that is going to be nearly impossibly without that magic wallet.

Does he need to have more all-Americans on an annual basis? Does he need more national qualifiers? More duals wins?

Penrith already has high expectations, and he wants them to be higher.

But the odds, without the magic wallet, are stacked against him or any possible replacement.

Iowa and Iowa State, to in-state recruits, are more attractive locations. That is not a knock against UNI.

I'm a UNI alum. I think it is a great place.

In the wrestling business, Iowa and Iowa State are name brands. So are Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri and Nebraska. Those are the people the Panthers are battling on a yearly basis.

As far as all-Americans?

Since 1981, when Northern Iowa returned to the Division I ranks after 18 years as a Division II program, only five times have the Panthers had three or more all-Americans.

Fifteen times, UNI has had two all-Americans. Penrith owns five of those seasons, and one of those with three.

Unfortunately, in the last four seasons, the Panthers have had only two - Moza Fay earning both, including Saturday's sixth-place finish at 165.

That has to be better, and I don't think UNI's wrestling staff will deny it.

But the talent is in the room and on the way. Penrith's incoming recruiting class is loaded with talent, and with guys like Trenton Washington, who was wrestling well enough to All-America this past weekend before his concussion, Trevor Kittleson and Christian Brantley left in the room … a multiple all-America season is in the near future.

Let's keep a guy who bleeds purple and gold.

A new upgrade? What happens if he's another Manning, bolts for his next best offer? Now you are back to square one.

Penrith is the right guy for the job.

Contact Jim Nelson at (319) 291-1521 or jim.nelson@wcfcourier.com