Takedown Report

One Year of David Taylor at Oklahoma State

On May 7th, it marked the first anniversary of one of the most surprising and potentially transformative moves in recent college wrestling history. Of course, that was the day that Oklahoma State named David Taylor as their new head wrestling coach. As of only a few weeks prior, Taylor was competing for a spot on the Olympic Team and had no head coaching experience; however, he was one of the most popular and recognizable names in the sport. 
As you might have guessed, the first year under Taylor was very notable. On the mat, on the recruiting trail, in the freestyle world, and much more. We’ve documented some of the key moments of year one under Taylor in one article. 
May 7th, 2024: David Taylor Named Oklahoma State head coach
After about a week of “he is or isn’t he” Taylor made it official in a late-night release that sent shockwaves through the wrestling community. 
May 9th, 2024: Taylor adds Jimmy Kennedy and Thomas Gilman to staff
The addition of Taylor’s brother-in-law, Jimmy Kennedy, was an expected move; however, bringing in Thomas Gilman from the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club was a bit unexpected. 
May 10th, 2024: David Taylor’s introductory news conference
We got to see Taylor in the orange and black for the first time and heard from him along with legendary Oklahoma State head coach John Smith and athletic director Chad Weiberg. … moe at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/college/big-12/one-year-of-david-taylor-at-oklahoma-state-r100246/

May 15, 2025 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized