“I knew in 2024 that this was going to be it for me as a competitor,” said Tokyo gold medalist David Taylor. By May this year, within a span of three weeks, Taylor had transitioned from being one of the best wrestlers to the head coach for the Oklahoma Cowboys. Though it was quite a shock to see him move from Penn State to OSU, there were always speculations that he might do wonders for Oklahoma’s recruitment. Now it seems those speculations were somewhat true as OSU hit the recruit jackpot.

Taylor recently offered a rare, unfiltered look into Oklahoma State University’s wrestling practice. This exclusive look comes at a pivotal time for the team, which has experienced significant roster growth. Taylor’s observations reveal the strategies and training methods Oklahoma State employs to stay competitive with its expanded lineup under his leadership.

In a recent Twitter Post, David Taylor shared glimpses from his coaching hours at Oklahoma State University. He captioned it, “First to 15. #gopokes.” The training session seemed to be quite intensive, but it was evident his trainees were having fun. The post came just days after OSU’s biggest recruitments of the season. Kody Routledge, a Fargo champion who was originally committed to Nebraska, recently flipped tracks to OSU for 2025. However, the university also faced a significant loss when freshman recruit and U23 World Team trials bronze medalist Christian Carroll decided to go for the transfer portal. 

They had another disappointing and failed recruit in Andrew Alirez. Both Oklahoma and Iowa State were willing to give Alirez around $500,000 through NIL deals. However, the 23-year-old decided to stay put at the University of Northern Colorado. Though it might not have been that big of a loss since Alirez unfortunately wasn’t able to make it to the Paris Olympics this year. On a brighter side, the 2025 lineup is shaping up quite nicely with in-house powerhouses as Taylor said, “The state of Oklahoma will be our foundation.” There’s Ladarion Lockett who is the No. 3 pound-for-pound prospect in the class. Additionally, there’s Kruz Goff, the 3x state champion from Blackwell, and Beau Hickman from Tuttle. As well as Ethan Teague, Ishmael Guerrero and Kaden Purler. 

Oklahoma State University looking to sweep medals in 2024

Upon his arrival at Oklahoma State University, 3X world champion David Taylor stepped into the shoes of legendary coach John Smith. This transition from elite competitor to head coach has already proven fruitful for OSU’s wrestling team. Adding to the coaching prowess is Jimmy Kennedy, who takes on the role of Associate Head Coach. Kennedy brings valuable experience from his three-year tenure as an assistant coach at Penn State. Together, Taylor and Kennedy form a dynamic coaching duo, poised to lead Oklahoma State’s wrestling program to new heights. During his time, the Penn State Nittany Lions won a national title every season. They were undefeated in dual meets 45-0. Additionally, there’s Thomas Gilman who is the new assistant coach. The three of them have extensive coaching experience and along with Bryan Pearsall who is the Recruiting Coordinator are hoping to bring OSU’s wrestling division back on top. 

While looking ahead at the end of 2024, one of the biggest events stands out to be the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and the Big 12 Championships. As well as the NCAA championship. The Oklahoma wrestling team is ranked at no. 11 nationally and is predicted to have a strong line-up going into the 2024 season. The wrestlers will surely do their best to make OSU proud. Coach David Taylor’s influence is expected to drive OSU’s wrestling team towards ongoing success amid significant roster growth.