“When you hang around a magician, you tend to learn magic!” remarked Wyatt Hendrickson in one of several social media updates following his victory over Minnesota’s Gable Steveson to claim the heavyweight NCAA title. It was a significant surprise, as it’s not every day that a college wrestler manages to defeat an Olympic champion in a match. Hendrickson celebrated his victory with a gesture of acknowledgment towards President Donald Trump, who attended the event. What about the credit?

Clearly, it was awarded to none other than the Cowboys’ very own Magicman, David Taylor! However, has Wyatt Hendrickson’s wrestling career come to an end? Not quite.

On X, Pat McAfee shared a clip from his interview with Hendrickson, in which the wrestler disclosed his future plans, saying, “Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, obviously it feels great to fly that flag here, but you know, even, I mean, LA 2028, that’s also going to be here. So that’ll be exciting. You know, I mean, in that moment, I can only imagine comparing the clips years from now when I’m, you know, in LA, I got that American flag around my back once again. And it’s just that’s going to be; that’s the ultimate goal right now.”

Wyatt Hendrickson embarked on his collegiate wrestling journey at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Throughout his time with the Air Force Falcons, Hendrickson secured consecutive third-place finishes at the NCAA Championships in 2023 and 2024, amassing an impressive 31-2 record in his senior year.

After completing his undergraduate studies in 2024, he made the move to Oklahoma State University to continue his education as a graduate student, working towards a Master’s in Business Administration while also taking advantage of his last year of NCAA eligibility. In a remarkable display of skill and teamwork, Hendrickson, representing the Cowboys, achieved an impressive feat by finishing the season without a single loss, boasting a flawless 30-0 record.

In summary, he enjoyed a remarkable career in the sport, and it’s clear he has no intention of letting it go. During the interview, it became evident that Hendrickson remains eager for additional titles. What will be his next stop? Similar to numerous wrestlers, it’s the LA Olympics. Moreover, he expressed a desire to replicate the level of dominance he achieved during his college career. It’s intriguing to consider how different choices could have altered the course of events, particularly if David Taylor had pursued an alternative career.

Wyatt Hendrickson’s coach could’ve missed it all

On a recent episode of The Ariel Helwani Show, shared by Saturday Night Lights on X, David Taylor offered his perspective, stating, “Uh, I mean, I think when it came to coaching, you know, the, the, the places that I would have been interested in just had established options. So it wasn’t something that I had a strong desire. I’d be like, John Smith was the coach here for 33 years, my entire livelihood, since I was born, he was head coach here, you know, so the tenure of coaches in these situations, like there’s not a lot of turnover.”

John Smith was a truly exceptional coach. His commitment to the Cowboys was unmatched by any coach in the field. During his tenure, OSU secured five NCAA team championships in 1994, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 and played a pivotal role in the emergence of 33 individual national champions. He played a crucial role in coaching over 150 All-Americans, greatly enhancing Oklahoma State’s standing as a powerhouse in collegiate wrestling. With Taylor’s arrival, expectations surged, and even he was caught off guard by the unforeseen turns that life had prepared for him.

“I achieved everything I wanted to do, you know, as a competitor and was starting to look at what’s next and this job was available and it was something that, uh, when looking at it was just a great opportunity, you know, for the next step, you know, in my career. And, um, I just felt that. This was an opportunity to impact wrestling at the highest level. You know, you get a chance to recruit these young athletes and develop them and help them achieve their dreams. So the ups and the downs and, um, and it’s just, I feel like it was a calling for me to do, and I’m really grateful to be here,” Taylor stated.

With the Cowboys, the possibilities were unlimited. And Taylor sought a more significant challenge, though in a different way. When the opportunity presented itself for him to assume the position of the program’s coach, he embraced it without a moment’s pause. Only time will reveal how he will perform against the other programs in the upcoming NCAA season.