Originally published at: https://pistolsfiringblog.com/seven-thoughts-on-oklahoma-states-third-place-finish-at-the-ncaa-championships/
What a night.
A Big 12 title and a 3rd place NCAA finish with two national champs and a runner. Overall, a great 1st year for the David Taylor era.
I’m still a little hesitant to say that OSU wrestling is “all the way back”. Penn State is still out there and won the overall title by a wide margin again (though not a big as last year). Also, while OSU did win the Big 12 title, it was a little too close for comfort. Finally, it’s only been one year.
Having said all that, I’m very bullish for the future of OSU wrestling, and if it was a stock…
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I understand what you mean, but I think it’s fair to say we’re all the way back and the gap between us and PSU is still very big.
To me “all the way back” means we’re a relevant program with a real chance to win the national championships in the next 3-5 years.
PSU right now is the greatest active dynasty in sport - really only OU softball can compare. That’s who we’re chasing, but it’s also an unrealistic benchmark for success, at least in the short term.
But with DT proving he’s not just a hype man/recruiter and can actually take really good wrestlers and coach them to greatness, combined with a really incredible recruiting class headlined by Jax & Ross, PSU is finally feeling someone breathing down their neck.
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Over the past number of years PFB has had a few different guys covering Cowboy wrestling. I always thought their articles just did not contain enough substance considering how important wrestling has been to OSU. But Marshall’s 7 points article is one of the best OSU wrestling stories that I have ever read, and that goes back to the O’ Colly wrestling coverage from 1966. Thank you Marshall for giving Cowboy wrestling the ink it deserves. And keep asking Gundy the questions he doesn’t want to hear!
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Is Cowboy wrestling back?
Hell yes!
It’s a runaway train with no stopping it.
David Taylor and his staff exceeded expectations. I saw a 4th place finish with no individual champions. DT envisioned a team championship his first season. He will manifest his vision. He always has. I expect 10,000 fans for every dual next season.
This team has been absolutely heroic.
I’ve beaten the drum for hiring highly successful people as head coaches if you want great teams at OSU. Less than that gives you less. Chad is on board with that. Wyatt has to be awarded the Hodge trophy. Nebraska’s coach deserved to be coach of the year, not the Northern Iowa coach. So great to finish ahead of Iowa. The Brands brothers are worried. Hopefully we can get a dual with Nebraska.
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You’re talking about DT’s time as an athlete? I’m not sure it usually works that way. Nick Saban was a DB at Kent State. It’s not like he was some highly successful player. Star players don’t historically make great coaches. But, in the NIL era, maybe having marketable former player coaches like Deion Sanders will be more important. Still, with players making more and more money, not sure a lot of successful stars are going to opt for the stress and grind of coaching when they’re already filthy rich.
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We are back when #35 is in the rafters. Don’t settle. Magic Man would probably agree.
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