When David Taylor talks, the wrestling world listens. The Oklahoma State coach and Penn State wrestling legend took to social media last week with a pretty radical idea to bring the National Duals back onto the NCAA calendar. But his old mentor, Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson, isn’t buying it.

The ever-pragmatic Sanderson is obviously skeptical, and that sets up a fascinating contrast in philosophies during a news conference. Taylor sees his vision as recapturing some of the excitement from earlier in the season, while Sanderson questions why that needs to happen. Let’s dive into this contrasting conflict of ideas.

David Taylor’s bid for National Duals

Not long after the 2025 NWCA National Dual Meet Championships came in conversation, Taylor gave his thoughts on X, “We need to reinstate National Duals. Make it in November before the conference competitions.” The NWCA event earlier this month marked history as it competed with teams of NCAA Division I men for the first time since 2017.

Aptly held at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa, the event brought 102 teams across six divisions into a depth and showcase of collegiate wrestling that has rarely been seen. To Taylor, this success was just a reinforcement of his belief in National Duals as a game-changing event for NCAA wrestling.

For Taylor, National Duals is about something more than competition; it is a chance to electrify the early-season storyline of the sport. He views the event as an opportunity to energize the fans, create rivalries, and set the tone of the season. The audacious proposal from Taylor speaks volumes for the kind of coach he has become groomed by the greats, none bigger than Cael Sanderson himself.

Sanderson was the man in charge during Taylor’s career at Penn State when he compiled one of the great collegiate resumes ever: a perfect 134-0, highlighted by two NCAA titles. It’s their relationship that provides mutual respect and an eventual friendship with Sanderson that drives the contrasting intrigue of National Duals.

Cael Sanderson’s skepticism

While David Taylor still promotes his idea, Cael Sanderson is not convinced. The head coach of Penn State was recently recorded in a press conference expressing the following about the issue, “I don’t feel really any differently about it than I did 10 years ago. I think you can create a big event without including every team in the country. It’s sad that we think we have to have the National Duals to create a big event. We have a lot of exciting teams, a lot of up-and-coming programs.”

For Sanderson, the focus is not on emulating past traditions but tapping into the talent and energy that already exist in NCAA wrestling. His cautiousness reflects a long-term approach whereby the health and optimal performance of his athletes are more important than early-season fireworks.

Penn State has always been about a systematic approach to wrestling, evidenced in their season this year where resting star wrestlers like Carter Starocci makes more sense than any possible outcome of a Big Ten result to make sure they are ready and set to go for the NCAA Championships. And for Sanderson? He is all about developing champions, not trying to bring some fleeting drama.

What better points out the great debate in college wrestling than the differing views of Taylor and Sanderson? Taylor pushes for National Duals, wanting excitement and visibility early in the season, while Sanderson’s strategy focuses on success that is sustainable along with athlete welfare. This will be the philosophical battle that will shape and define the future of NCAA wrestling.

Whether National Duals returns or stays a dream of days of yore, one thing is for sure: the passion and dedication of the sport’s biggest names mean that wrestling will forever be alive.