Oklahoma State wrestling is buzzing with anticipation as the NCAA season promises exciting matchups with the potential to determine the champion. The person who has ignited them is the head coach, David Taylor, whose impact on the team’s game plan is already evident. Taylor has shown his mettle from wrestling on the mat to coaching young athletes. Hence, Taylor is in the process of creating a strategy that reveals their toughness and adaptability.

But what does Taylor think of the young heavyweight’s chances? The Oklahoma State team is becoming methodical, and Taylor’s strong ideas are helping win the tough bouts. The recent win against Arizona has proved the worth of both athletes and Taylor as a coach. He’s praised his wrestlers for their hunger to score, even in the face of challenges, including Wyatt Hendrickson. The upcoming showdown will not only test the mettle of individuals but also Oklahoma State’s overall readiness to contend for NCAA glory.

David Taylor talks about the adjustments

The coach’s recent comments give a glimpse into the adjustments being made to sharpen Hendrickson’s performance. From his relentless scoring to his reputation-building mindset, Hendrickson’s evolution under Taylor’s guidance sets the stage for a thrilling narrative of ambition, preparation, and resilience.

David Taylor did a press conference after OSU’s victory against Arizona State on November 24 at Gallagher-Iba Arena. The “Pistols Firing” has uploaded a video of him on their YouTube channel. Talking about the performance, Taylor said, “You know, uh, there’s just adjustments that we’re talking about, and it’s just good to see him out there doing those things.” In the recent match with Arizona State, OSU dominated them by a score of 33-6 and clinched eight of ten matches against the Sun Devils.

Future talking about Wyatt Hendrickson, Taylor said, “That guy’s a hard guy to take down. You know, when Wyatt wanted to go score, and again, like wrestling, pretty tough guy.” Heavyweight Hendrickson set the tone against fifth-ranked Cohlton Schultz and featured six combined All-America finishes.

“Continues to try and score bonus points there at the end. You know, it’s good to see that because now we can make some adjustments there, you know, and, um, he’s a continuous score, so yeah, it’s just good,” Taylor added. Hendrickson was seen controlling the match; the first period was all in his favor, and Schultz was completely out in the second period. In the third period, Hendrickson managed to score eight more points and finally won the match with 11-5.

The head coach of OSU, David Taylor, reflected on how excited Wyatt Hendrickson is ahead of the match. “It’s just a reputation-building thing, you know, so you know he’s excited because he’s like, Man, I can make an adjustment.” Taylor has immense confidence in Hendrickson, but what is he going to face next?

What does Hendrickson’s future hold under coach Taylor?

David Taylor has been making headlines since he joined OSU as a head coach back in May, replacing long-term coach John Smith. No. 3 OSU dominated Wyoming with a 32-6 score in David Taylor’s first home win as head coach. After the victory, he said, “That was pretty fun. That was a good start.”

After winning the match against Schultz, Hendrickson has recorded his third win against top-five opponents and 39th straight in dual competition. Now, he is all geared up for his next match against Gable Steveson of Minnesota and Penn State’s Greg Kerkvliet in the NCAA season. The next matches of Oklahoma State University are scheduled for November 6 and 13.

They trounced Utah Valley with a score of 38-6 to secure the win, improving their record to eight wins in ten matches. Players like Luke Sarber, Troy Spratley, Dean Hamiti Jr., and Wyatt Hendrickson turned in stellar performances and played a crucial role in the team’s victory. When Wyatt Hendrickson shifted to OSU from the Air Force, he praised Taylor: “Coach Taylor is the best wrestler in the world, so when I’m wrestling him and he’s making moves on me, he can simulate exactly what it’s going to feel like.”

David Taylor made shifts from competitive wrestling to coaching and then again to fighting on the mat and clinched a bronze medal at the Wrestling World Championships 2024 in Albania. Now that he has accepted the coaching role again, recent wins prove his worth as a coach also. Wrestling fans are looking forward to the upcoming NCAA matches; are you also one of them?