REPORT: Penn State wrestling legend David Taylor to meet for Oklahoma State HC job

Penn State wrestling legend David Taylor may be throwing his hat into the ring for one of the most high-profile jobs in college wrestling. First reported by Pat Mineo Friday afternoon, Taylor is expected to meet with Oklahoma  State this weekend regarding the school’s vacant head coaching position. The two-time NCAA Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist was recently defeated trying to make a return trip to the Summer Games by fellow Nittany Lion Aaron Brooks.

David Taylor to meet with Oklahoma State, per report

According to a report from Pat Mineo (The Wrestling Room), one of the bluebloods of college wrestling could be eyeing Penn State wrestling icon David Taylor for its head coaching position. The Oklahoma State job came open two weeks ago when legendary coach John Smith retired after 33 years.

“David Taylor will fly to Stillwater for a meeting with OSU on Saturday,” Mineo wrote on social media. “He wasn’t an applicant for the HC job, but was on ‘their wish list.’ A discussion will be had.”

David Taylor will fly to Stillwater for a meeting with OSU on Saturday… He wasn’t an applicant for the HC job, but was on “their wish list”.

A discussion will be had…

— The Wrestling Room (Pat Mineo) (@MrPatMineo) May 3, 2024

Oklahoma State is one of the top jobs in the country. The Cowboys’ 34 team NCAA titles are far and away the most in the sport, with Iowa (24) and Penn State (12) a distant second and third. However, the recent run of Penn State wrestling dominance has led to an almost two-decade championship drought, with the last coming in Oklahoma City in 2006.

David Taylor is fresh off an upset loss to fellow Penn State wrestling alumnus and NLWC member Aaron Brooks at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, preventing him from returning to the Summer Olympics this summer to defend his Gold Medal at 86 kg. Many have wondered whether that would be the last time Taylor stepped on the mat, as he is already 33 years old and has mentioned before how much he enjoys his simpler life on a farm in central Pennsylvania.

How would Taylor’s move impact Penn State wrestling?

Cael Sanderson has the Penn State wrestling program rolling, so it’s only a matter of time before a coach or former wrestler attached to the program makes a move. Dan Gable had a widespread coaching tree after his success at Iowa in the 1970s-1990s. While assistant coaches Cody Sanderson and Casey Cunningham have stayed in State College since arriving with Sanderson in 2009, many waited for the first former star wrestler to make the jump.

This isn’t the first time that former Nittany Lions have entered the coaching ranks, however. Ed Ruth joined the University of Illinois as an assistant coach in 2021. Likewise, Mark Hall joined the University of Penn staff that same year. However, we haven’t seen someone make the jump to head coach, not to mention at a program like Oklahoma State.

If David Taylor were to end up in Stillwater, it would be a hit to the Penn State/NLWC room, as it would take away an Olympic Gold Medalist as a possible training partner for the Penn State wrestlers to learn from. However, it would remain to be seen just how much of a recruiting impact Taylor would have on the national scene and whether that would hurt the Nittany Lions.

All of these discussions may not matter in the end. Most people believe that the Cowboys have already picked out their head coach a few weeks ago. However, if the “Magic Man” does end up in Stillwater, it would be the biggest splash hire in the sport since Penn State hired Cael Sanderson just over a decade ago.

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