Recall the remarks made by David Taylor upon his appointment as the head coach for wrestling at Oklahoma State University? “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.” Now, that’s commitment!

Taylor was acutely aware that he was stepping into the formidable legacy of John Smith, a challenge that would not come without its difficulties. Additionally, he inked a $6.45 million, six-year contract that runs through March 31, 2030. In his inaugural year, he is poised to earn an impressive $1 million. That’s a significant investment from OKSU, clearly demonstrating their expertise in the field. And would you believe it? Taylor has not let his fans down, even in the Big 12 Championships.

Seth Duckworth reported on X, noting, “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.” This marks a significant milestone for a coach in the inaugural year of his contract. David Taylor is far from inexperienced; he is an Olympic champion with a collection of world championships and NCAA titles to his name. On the mat, the information he is imparting to his students is very evident.

Yet, there remains a single wrestler poised to leave his imprint on the Big 12 Championship. According to Duckworth, Reece Witcraft has yet to secure a breakthrough at the tournament. What’s the reason for that? At 133 lbs, he stands out as the contender for OKSU. At the Big 12 Championships, he faced setbacks, losing two matches on Saturday.

The initial match resulted in a 10-6 defeat to Kyle Burwick from Northern Dakota State, followed by a 6-3 loss to Julian Farber of Northern Iowa. Clearly, if Taylor aims to position his entire roster for the NCAA title chase, Witcraft represents the crucial final piece of the puzzle. Ultimately, the true measure of his performance in the upcoming matches of the tournament will unfold with time. However, even for a formidable team like the Cowboys, they found themselves entangled in a particular controversy.

David Taylor’s OKSU getting into problems

Recall the moment when Justin Basch posted on X, “Oklahoma State’s Tagen Jamison got DQ’d, he’ll be out for the tournament.” Shortly thereafter, he provided an update, noting, “UPDATE: Belton & Jamison are now both back in and warming up and are in the hole on Mats 3 and 4. Their matches were skipped, and the opposing teams were told they were DQ’d. Decision reversed.” The OKSU fans initially experienced a wave of terror, but soon after, they were able to exhale and find some relief. What’s the reason for that?

Tagen Jamison stands out as a top competitor in the 141 lbs division, and he certainly showcased his skills at the Big 12 Championships. The Cowboys wrestler faced off against Carter Nogle, Andrew Alirez, and Mosha Schwartz in the tournament, securing victory over all three, which elevated his season record to an impressive 20-3. Indeed, this outcome might have taken a different turn entirely.

Expressing his discontent with the officials’ decision, Iowa State head coach Kevin Dresser remarked, “Just disappointed in, you know, nobody wants anybody to sit out. But, you know, if this was the NCAA tournament, there would have been two or three wrestlers that would not have wrestled because the NCAA wouldn’t have put up with the hooey that went on this morning. Right? So there’s policies and there’s procedures that you follow. So I hope all those guys learn because they got a freebie today.”

Dresser holds a prominent position within the wrestling community. Nonetheless, he maintains a firm stance on regulations, expressing discontent with the sequence of events where the wrestler faced disqualification only to be allowed to compete again. He believes this undermines the integrity of the sport, a situation he finds unfavorable, and it is detrimental to wrestling as a whole.