“In some ways, it feels like you’ve been there for 10 years. Some days, it feels like we just got there yesterday,” David Taylor told reporters while reminiscing about his time so far at Oklahoma. It’s a statement that shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, the situation at OSU and Oklahoma at large is nothing short of a rollercoaster of emotions. Taylor’s success on the coaching front continues. Despite the 2024-25 season being his first season as a coach, the former Olympic gold medalist is living up to the hype.

Looking at the success he has had in leading OSU to the NCAA Championship, you’d think he’s been doing it for years. On the flip side, the raging wildfires have affected both the state and Taylor’s team. OSU’s academic adviser, Dr. Cook, lost his house in the wildfires. Meanwhile, David Taylor’s pupil, the 135-pounder Troy Spratley, “was out in his dozer pushing dirt to try to divert fire away from his house,” said Taylor. And it’s with all of this flowing through this mind that the 34-year-old dubbed his first year at Oklahoma as “crazy.”

Yet, despite the rollercoaster ride, the former world champion has continued Oklahoma State’s legacy, by taking them to another National  Championship. And for that, Taylor is grateful. “I mean, every day we get to go to work, it’s a blessing. We get to go in there, and we get to help these guys get great at wrestling,” Coach Taylor added during a press conference.

David Taylor also explained that his job at OSU gave him exactly what he was looking for. The Olympian hoped to “impact” the lives of the “highest level” wrestlers after retiring from competitive wrestling for good. That’s where OSU has accepted the rookie coach with open arms, and their trust may just bear fruit in the national championships.

The David Taylor impact on OSU’s odds

While this may be his first year as an NCAA coach, David Taylor has trained under the most successful NCAA coach of the last decade, Cael Sanderson. That, coupled with his own world championship and Olympic gold medal-winning experience, has already equipped the former Penn State wrestler with the right tools for the NCAA.

In fact, the projections put David Taylor’s Oklahoma in the top three teams at the National Championships. The only two colleges in front of them are Iowa and, of course, Penn State. Yet, even a 3rd place finish would be a massive achievement for Taylor as well as OSU, which finished 10th last year before Taylor came on board as head coach.

However, OSU may even pull ahead of Iowa if these things fall into place. However, winning on the national stage won’t be easy. After all, Penn State remains the favorite, and dealing with the top five teams will be a handful. That being said, OSU’s Wyatt Hendrickson (285 lbs), Dean Hamiti (174 lbs), Dustin Plott (184 lbs), Troy Spratley (125 lbs), and more will spice up the competition.

Let’s take the 174-pound division, for example. OSU’s Dean Hamiti and Penn State’s Levi Haines are nearly equal favorites to win the title. Hamiti and Haines have lost No. 1 seed Keegan O’Toole during the regular season. So, both wrestlers will look to avenge their loss. Meanwhile, David Taylor’s pupil, Dustin Plott, will jump into the boiling pot looking to upset Carter Starocci’s dream run.

Despite his troubles with the wildfires, last year’s 125 Lbs runner-up Troy Spratley, and No. 2 heavy Wyatt Hendrickson could also give OSU titles on the national stage. So, it’s easy to see, why David Taylor’s first year at Oklahoma has been a colorful one.