We had three state qualifiers two years ago. They all three pretty much started wrestling in middle school. We are a 4A school, I used to teach/coach at a 1A school. At both football is the top dog.
1/2. Of those three, 1 did a lot of offseason (126, 4 time qualifier, three time placer, three sport athlete. Started on football, two-time regional qualifier in pole vault) One did a few camps/open mats (170, two sport- tennis and wrestling). One only wrestled and did very little in the offseason in terms of wrestling, spent most of this time working (106 2X qualifier, injured senior year)… he did do Frosh/Soph state his first two years.
3. It can be done, but is much more difficult. I gave some examples that show its possible... but I would say it is difficult. Placing high would be almost impossible IMO. I think you could make a fair argument that the semi-state we are in makes it possible to not do offseason and still go to state.
4. More often than not offseason work is needed to get to state/place. I also feel that it can be done while an athlete is doing multiple sports. We still push our kids to do three sports. The ones who want to do well will find the time to get to some offseason opportunities/ take advantage of yours.
As a team I think you can have success at the small school level with kids doing multiple sports. Busco has had two 5th place finishes, a runner-up, and a state championship during the team state era, while in many ways being the third sport for many of the wrestlers (football, and track are both big there). Working with the other coaches will really help, doing things like following the schools weight program is a big help in getting those other sports to push kids into wrestling.