For college sports fans, March and April feel like one long Christmas. With many college sport gearing up for their post season tourneys, how can it not feel like anything but? And for wrestling fans, their Christmas has just kicked off in Philadelphia. The stakes are higher than ever, and who better to understand the fact than David Taylor — the man who’s experienced this pressure cooker tournament as a player and now as a coach. But this time, there’s something that puts everything into perspective, something’s that’s more important than all the wrestling set to take place.

Amidst the fervor surrounding wrestling, Stillwater, Oklahoma, is grappling with serious challenges posed by the devastating wildfires. Multiple reports indicate that strong winds and arid conditions have intensified fires, resulting in the destruction or damage of more than 400 homes across the state, including at least 74 homes in the Stillwater region. And most unfortunately, these wildfires caused four deaths as well. Residents in the impacted regions are currently evaluating the significant damage, while officials caution about ongoing fire hazards stemming from relentless high winds and arid conditions.

Naturally during a press conference at the Championships, David Taylor was asked about the situation. The Cowboys coach addressed the ongoing fires, remarking, “Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, Stillwater was, you know, we were, you know, had some adversity obviously with these fires and just kind of we had really high winds, and I think there was a power line that went down. And, you know, just those two things kind of make for not a great combination, and the fire started. They were moving really fast at the time. They’re moving pretty fast, so it wasn’t as much of an impact, and then it started to slow down, and there were some areas of Stillwater that got, um, you know, burned up pretty good.”

Although the Cowboys coach noted that the fires didn’t spread extensively, he acknowledged the considerable damage to the impacted regions. Taylor also disclosed the impact of the wildfires on one of their own. “And, you know Dr. Cook; he’s our academic adviser, you know. He lost his house, you know, and it’s just a reality check for the things, just being grateful every single day. You know, I know they’re struggling right now; you know, obviously we’re there to support them, and I think just our, and I think there’s just it’s a way to continue to get stronger together as a community and support people, you know.”

Despite the challenges facing the residents of Stillwater, he emphasizes the importance of coming together and finding strength in unity during this difficult period. Supporting one another as a community is what’s needed during such times, and Taylor was advocating for that approach. Despite the wildfires, the Cowboys coach has also made enough time to focus on the wrestling as well.

David Taylor proving himself worthy of that contract

Recall the time when the community expressed significant concerns regarding David Taylor’s six-year contract valued at $6.45 million, which extends until March 31, 2030? He is poised to secure an impressive $1 million in his inaugural year. But as time went on, the initial criticisms faded away, and Taylor solidified Oklahoma State’s reputation as a leading force in college wrestling. Certainly, the Cowboys finished the regular season with an impressive record of 13-1, their sole defeat occurring at the hands of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Oklahoma State continued to showcase their impressive form at the Big 12 Championships as well. Seth Duckworth reported on X, emphasizing, “Every weight for Oklahoma State has locked in an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament except 133. Reece Witcraft will need an at-large to make the tournament.” It’s quite remarkable for an individual to achieve such statistics in their inaugural year, coaching a leading team.

Recall Taylor’s observation: “What I realized yesterday (when I first met with the team) was that it looked like family. These kids look like they really care about each other, which is awesome. And we’re gonna keep building on that and moving forward… We want to win national championships at Oklahoma State. We want a team championship at Oklahoma State. We want to stay and win gold medals at Oklahoma State.”

Taylor’s entry into the Cowboys was a display of pure confidence. He certainly had a clear vision for the program, and now, through his dedication as a coach, he has propelled the team to the pinnacle of success. How well his wrestlers do in the NCAA finals is a matter of time.