David Taylor is no stranger to walking the tightropes of pressure. The ‘Magic Man’ of wrestling now doesn’t have one, but two goals. One to win at the World Wrestling Championships in Tirana, Albania. Two, to train his Oklahoma State team of prodigies for their upcoming collegiate season. Balancing the pursuit of a fourth world title, Taylor must make sure his training stays on course at OSU. There is no question that he has a comprehensive plan in place for both possibilities!

At a recent conference at OSU, Taylor went on to reveal his strategies for the team. And it is rooted in precision and planning. “Every day we meet, we have a very specific plan about what we’re doing in practice for RTC athletes, what we’re doing in practice for our college athletes, and what our plan is, both short-term and long-term,” said Taylor. He understands the implications of the route he is walking but believes that it is for the greater good.

Let’s be real; nobody saw David Taylor returning to the mat, especially not four months after announcing his retirement. However, Taylor’s participation gives the prodigies of OSU a unique opportunity. The opportunity? “we talk about maybe some of the accomplishments I had had, but they hadn’t really been alongside someone that was the best in the world or somebody that was training at that level. So, they got to see that. They got to wrestle with that, and they got to kind of see what that level of intensity was like,” he added. Not too bad for someone who thought he was done competing, right?

And guess what? OSU was quick to support David. In fact, they share the same vision as their head coach. “I think it’s a great thing any time that we can put the brand of the program out in the wrestling world,” OSU Athletic Director Chad Weiberg shared before the World Trials. Taylor knows there’s a lot at stake, both in Albania and back in Oklahoma. But he’s handling it all with a champion’s calm!

Taylor then went on to talk about how the season will go. “This year, the national tournament’s in Philadelphia, so everything we do moves backwards from there,” he said. Taylor already has a plan in place to avoid surprises. He wishes to keep his team at their peak as the collegiate season begins. “We’re developing that foundation now, so I think it’s been a very successful period of time that we’ve been here. Really excited for the season to start!” added Taylor. But how exactly is this helping the program?

As Taylor himself puts it, “Now the World Championships are coming up October 30th and 31st, and that will be a conclusion of my competitive career for sure. I think the timing worked out to be able to do this. It helped. It’s definitely helping with exposure of our program and what we’re trying to build.” He is pulling a double duty, no doubt. But Taylor has it all under control. After all, he is the ‘Magic Man’.

So, what lies ahead for OSU and David Taylor?

The ‘Magic Man’, of course, has his eyes set on the World Championships. But he hasn’t sidelined OSU. Instead, he is more pumped than ever. So, what does the season look like? Taylor had the answers to that, too. “We just released our home matches… our first home weekend is November 22nd and 24th,” he revealed. The OSU team will be going against Wyoming and Arizona State in back-to-back home matches. But before that, a rough beginning awaits!

“The weekend before that is our first actual duel, as we start with Utah Valley. Then we go up to Oregon State,” said Taylor. Now, these two visits come with a lot of travel. And David Taylor knows that early-season travel won’t be easy. And if that schedule wasn’t packed enough, things get tougher after Thanksgiving. “After Thanksgiving, we’re going out to Las Vegas to the Cliff Keen Las Vegas tournament,” said Taylor. However, this match will not be an easy one.

As Taylor himself puts it, “It’s a very tough tournament for two reasons. One, it’s right after the holiday, so guys have to be disciplined with their weights. Two, it’s a tough tournament.” This is a loss that Taylor cannot afford. It is an early-season litmus test for Coach Taylor. Meanwhile, on the flip side, Taylor will be stepping onto the mats in Albania. If his trial run tells us anything, it is that David Taylor, who retired after Olympic trials, is not the one returning.

In the lead-up to qualifications, Taylor has already defeated NCAA champion Michael Macchiavello. Then he followed it up by taking down All-Americans Trent Hidlay and Marcus Coleman. These wins got him into the best-of-three finals, where he went head-to-head against Zahid Valencia and won. That is the drive that Taylor wishes to bring to OSU.

For OSU, having Taylor in their corner means they’re learning from a coach who’s not just talking the talk; he’s walking the walk, too. And honestly, who better to lead them than the ‘Magic Man’ who always has one more trick up his sleeve?