David Taylor might not have had his elusive magic during the World Championships, but he sure does have it now! The Magic Man is officially back, but this time, it’s not him donning the singlet, it’s his students. After stepping in as the head coach of the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Coach Taylor just had his debut match. This was no ordinary face-off either – it was against Utah Valley.

Oklahoma State and Utah Valley haven’t squared off since 2021-22. Interestingly, this time, both teams were stepping on the mat with first-time coaches, too. It was only this year, after 9 seasons at NC State, that Adam Hall joined Utah. So, how did the debut go for Oklahoma State? Well, let’s say the Magic Man sure has many more tricks up his sleeve!

David Taylor silences all critics after the first stop

The world wondered if, amidst walking the tightrope between Worlds and NCAA season, there was some Taylor could do. He, too, after all, is a first-time coach. With the debut match against Utah Valley, Taylor has answered all the doubts. The Cowboys have wasted no time in setting the tone for the season. Wondering how they did? Let’s start with the 174-pound weight class.

Dean Hamiti Jr., who also happened to be a Wisconsin transfer, went on to win the 174-pound weight class with a 20-5 technical fall. There was also the celebrated Dustin Plott, who went on to wrestle in the 184 pounds category. The No. 3-ranked wrestler went on to win with yet another tech fall. Cowboys took a 10-0 lead, and then it came to the heavy-weight matches.

In the recent transfer from the Air Force, heavyweight wrestler Wyatt Hendrickson got on the mat for the Cowboys. He went on to finish his match with a 24-7 technical fall. Wyatt returned to the mat this year, keeping his military dreams aside. And it sure seems like he is giving it his all on the mat! Meanwhile, in 125 pounds, another Cowboy was busted, extending the lead.

At 125 pounds, Troy Spratley, in the third period, scored five points to take a 5-3 win. This pushed Cowboy’s lead to 24 before the break. However, the Cowboys slaughtered competition after the intermission, too. By the end of the matches, Oklahoma State had a 27-9 lead and won. Perhaps David Taylor himself put it best, “Tonight was a lot of fun. Utah Valley gave us a great environment, and our guys got challenged in unique ways. It’s good to face these challenges early to make adjustments.” If that was the beginning, well, the wrestling fandom is in for a great season. So, where do the Cowboys go from here?

But as Coach Taylor celebrates, the road ahead only gets tougher

The Cowboys and their Magic Man will next be going up against Oregon State. Now, this is a match that is rooted in history. Oklahoma State has not lost to Oregon State in 23 meetings – that’s a streak that began in 1961! However, now there’s a slight change in order. The coaching at Oregon State has changed. And it is, in fact, a former Cowboy that is training them.

The current Oregon State head coach is Chris Pendleton. He is a two-time NCAA Champion from Oklahoma State and, since joining the Beavers, has done some good. But that’s not the only thing making the upcoming matches exciting – the projected lineups are worth the hype. Troy Spratley, OSU’s No. 6-ranked wrestler, will go up against No. 10 Maximo Renteria. Now that’s a match worth watching, but there’s more!

Wyatt Hendrickson will be going up against Brett Mower. Meanwhile, Dustin Plott, coming off his NCAA runner-up season, will be going up against Oregon State’s redshirt freshman TJ McDonnell. Taylor knows the Beavers won’t go down without a fight, but OSU’s roster depth and momentum might just give them the overall edge. Will Taylor’s magic extend to Corvallis? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure: this season is surely getting exciting.