In May, David Taylor joined Oklahoma State University’s wrestling program, stunning the whole community. It was quite an unexpected move that also came with a ton of expectations on the Olympic champion to take the Cowboys up to the NCAA rankings. However, despite the lingering questions about his newfound coaching career, the performances his wrestlers are putting up showcase his capabilities.

The 34-year-old’s presence on the team has contributed to the Cowboys’ recent rise to wrestling dominance in the college scene, and fans are expecting even more from them. Due to their NCAA journey, Taylor and his team visited the Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas and once again found themselves at the top of the standings. However, with all the glitz and glamor surrounding OSU wrestlers, he doesn’t want them to stray from their goals and has issued a stern message.

Talking with experience

The OSU management didn’t just pick up David Taylor with a single decision. When they learned that their head coach, John Smith, was about to retire after serving the team for 33 years, they needed to fill the void with the best available candidate. Who better to fill the void than the Olympic champion himself? Surely, Taylor had no prior coaching experience, but his accolades do speak for his career.

The 34-year-old brought a ton of changes to the Cowboys, especially setting a strong mindset for his wrestlers to push beyond their current limits every single time they are on the mat. Following his advice, the OSU wrestlers have been a dominant force in the current NCAA season. While he has appreciated his team multiple times, he doesn’t want them to ripple away from the objectives of the entire campaign.

“Yeah, I mean, I think we’re just focus on getting better. I mean, it’s still a long season, and this is a tournament where guys can come in if they’re not focused; they leave banged up,” said Taylor with the experience he has with wrestling during an interview with FloWrestling. He was a star in the NCAA, so he knows the way the sport works. Even though they are currently dominating, it won’t take time for another team to show up and get the best out of them. This is also the reason why he wants his wrestlers to look towards the bigger picture and be always determined. 

Taylor also revealed the reason behind the Cowboys’ current dominance, stating, “You know when our guys came in focused and, um, healthy, we’re leaving healthy. I think that’s awesome. We’re leaving with some, a lot of progress, and a lot of momentum. I think for our guys it’s just belief. You got to believe. Not only believe but also have an expectation, and I think that’s what they started to do this weekend. You can see that every single round, so, um, it’s a good building box.”

While the Olympic champion believes in taking risks, he’s also aware of the gradual pace of success. He isn’t much bothered about his wrestlers because he knows what they are capable of, but he hasn’t completely kept a blind eye on them. At the Cliff Keen Invitational, OSU (192 points) was on top of the standings, with a huge difference in points from Nebraska (115 points), who were in second. This gap showcased the dominance of the Cowboys and the many more performances that were about to come from them. There was plenty of epic wrestling action, but one wrestler in particular caught Taylor’s attention after the match.

David Taylor’s thoughts on his rising OSU star

David Taylor gives equal priority to all his wrestlers. However, Wyatt Hendrickson has particularly captivated his attention since the Las Vegas tournament. The Second Lieutenant, who is an Air Force Academy graduate, has been having a time of life under the Cowboys, as he had a dream to compete for the NCAA team since he was a kid. In the 285 lbs division, he was unstoppable, winning all of his bouts in a dominant manner up until the finals. In his last bout too, the results weren’t any different, as the Cowboys wrestler was up against NC State’s Issac Trumble and just dominated him on the mat.

Hendrickson also received the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler award, and all of his bouts were a sight to behold for Taylor, stating, “He’s always been a pinner; um, he’s found ways to pin guys, but now he’s starting to develop a system; you know he’s having something he can replicate every time he goes out there. You know he had some really good opponents and was able to continue to, you know, assert himself, which was awesome.” The way Hendrickson has developed himself into a beast in the NCAA is something the Olympic champion was fond of. He is just in awe of his wrestler and would be expecting nothing less from him next time on the mat.