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![]() By all accounts, the highest-paid college wrestling coach in the country now resides in Stillwater. PFB obtained details of new Oklahoma State wrestling coach David Taylor’s contact on Friday. Taylor, 33, was hired to replace John Smith, who retired after leading the Cowboys for 33 years. Smith made $500,000 in 2023, according to Tulsa World’s state employee salary database. According to the six-year contract, which runs through 2030, Taylor is set to make $1 million the first year, followed by $30,000 raises each year after, putting Taylor’s contract at $1,150,000 in the final year of the contract. According to available public records, Taylor is now the highest-paid college wrestling coach in the country and is the first college wrestling coach to have a salary reach the $1 million threshold. On top of the salary, Taylor will also have the opportunity for performance incentive bonuses. Those include $125,000 for an NCAA championship, $80,000 for a runner-up finish, $60,000 for a third-place finish and $10,000 for every individual NCAA champion. Benefits also include a golf course membership, four tickets to OSU football games, the use of a luxury suite during wrestling duals, up to 12 tickets to wrestling duals and up to 12 tickets to postseason tournaments. Here’s how the contract’s payout structure looks: Year 1 (2024-25): $1,000,000 For comparison, Iowa coach Tom Brands will make $700,000 during the 2024-25 season, according to his contract details reported by Hawk Central. Brands signed a contract extension in 2022 that included a large salary increase and extends until the 2028-29 season, during which Brands will make $800,000, the most during the contract. Brands’ contract had him getting a $75,000 raise after the first year, then $25,000 each year after until 2028. Brands made $350,000 during the 2021-22 season before the extension, according to Hawk Central. Penn State coach Cael Sanderson has led the Nittany Lions to the past three national titles and 11 total, but Penn State does not release contract details for its wrestling coach. Based on success, it’s fair to assume Sanderson makes more than Brands, but according to what’s been reported, Brands was the highest-paid college wrestling coach before Taylor’s contract. Other reports indicate Sanderson’s salary still would not match or surpass Taylor’s. But Iowa and Penn State don’t have Paycom founder and CEO Chad Richison backing their programs. Richison, with a net worth of $1.4 billion according to Forbes, was an integrate part in attracting Taylor to Stillwater during OSU’s coaching search. “As you can imagine, Chad is a very busy leading a large company, but I’m grateful for him being willing to join us in the process, being exceedingly generous with this time and counsel, for providing his plane to get us where we needed to be and for the contributions to our program,” said OSU athletic director Chad Weiberg of Richison at Taylor’s introduction news conference. “It put us in a position to hire the best leader and coach for Cowboy wrestling. Again, as I said in the press release, we are allowed to have the expectations we have for this program only because of the elite support we have. While there are many others to thank, and we will, Chad embodies the commitment that is necessary if you want to be great. It isn’t a one-time thing. It has to be ongoing. So, thank you, Chad, for your support that you provide and commitment to the future of Cowboy wrestling and for the sport of wrestling in Oklahoma. Said Richison: “To be able to play a part in this, I’m just grateful. I’m not administration. I’m support staff. When I saw the university step forward with what they’re willing to do to put wrestling first, it was a pretty easy thing for me to follow because it fits with my passion. Helping fund a sustainable organization like the regional training center that David is going to continue to build, I think is just a great opportunity for me and for Oklahoma wrestling in general.” Richison has committed to financially support Cowboy wrestling going forward, as well, and also did so when Smith was in charge. The wrestling locker room was recently upgraded, but the program is also set to get a new facility that includes a larger wrestling room, a dedicated space for spectators for recruiting and donor visits, and meeting spaces, according to an OSU release. The Cowboys are also apparently not without NIL backing, bringing in four additions from the transfer portal so far this offseason, three of which are multi-time All-Americans. “I think that’s what makes this place special,” Taylor said. “The administration, Chad, Reid and Chad Richison, obviously a huge supporter, as Chad [Weiberg] talked about. There was a genuine passion. That was a word that I just kept coming back to. How many athletic departments love wrestling like these guys love wrestling? Not many, if any, and you need that. We need that to be successful. And that’s something that’s special. They’re going to pour into this program, and they’re going to give us resources to be successful.” ![]() Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog. ![]() The Bears have had three losing seasons under Dave Aranda, but the other was the best in school history. What will we get from Baylor in 2024? And just how hot is Aranda’s seat getting? As we continue through Oklahoma State’s 2024 football schedule, let’s take a look at a Bears team that is desperate for a bounce-back season, and might just have add the pieces it needs to get it. Be sure you’re caught up on the previous episodes of our Summer Schedule Preview series: of our Summer Schedule Series: Noncon | Utah | K-State | West Virginia | BYU Week 9: Baylor | Oct. 26 | Waco, TexasFor the first time since 1996, the inception of the Big 12, OSU and Baylor did not face each other in 2023. Series History: 23-19 The series, historically, was lopsided in the Cowboys’ favor, but the Bears made up some ground in the 2010s, winning four of five and six of eight spanning the Art Briles to Matt Rhule eras. Last Meeting: OSU 36, BU 25 (2022) The Cowboys got some payback in Waco at their last meeting after the Bears took home the trophy Arlington in the heartbreaker that was the 2021 Big 12 Championship. The Bears had followed up their Big 12 title, Sugar Bowl-winning season with a 6-7 finish and an Armed Forces Bowl loss to Air Force. Baylor in 2023: OSU didn’t face Baylor in 2023 with the Big 12’s round robin scheduling gone. Left to their own devices, the Bears followed a 6-7 season with a paltry 3-9 finish, their worst since Aranda’s inaugural 2-7 campaign. One can look no further than the Bears finishing dead last in scoring offense (23.1 points per game) and scoring defense (33.3). It’s hard to average a 10-plus point deficit and win many games. Baylor in 2024: There is some reason for Baylor fans to hope — fans can always find hope in July — especially when you bring in a new OC/QB combo. Aranda brought in Jake Spavital to coach his offense and dynamic Toledo transfer Dequan Finn to run it. Spavital, a Tulsa native, spent a year as a GA on Mike Gundy’s staff back in 2010 and some of that offensive acumen must have rubbed off — my tongue is planted firmly in-cheek — and he went on to work his way up with stops at West Virginia, Texas A&M and Cal before a stint as Texas State’s head coach. Finn will replaced the departed Blake Shapen, who transferred to Mississippi State. The former led the MAC in passing yards and touchdowns last year while also amassing over 500 rushing yards and seven TDs on the ground. Finn was an All-MAC First Teamer and the conference’s Most Valuable Player. If the Spavital-Finn duo can inject some life into Baylor’s offense, it might bring Aranda’s tenure off life support. Of Note: O-Line Has to Be Better The Bears ranked last in the Big 12 in sacks and tackles for loss allowed, but a young group is mostly back and, at least, more battle-tested. They also welcome some help in the middle by way of the transfer portal with Kurt Danneker from Ohio and Omar Aigbedion from Montana State. Bears Hard to Pin DownThe conference preseason poll always at least a little bit of a crapshoot, but the Bears under Aranda have been historically hard to pin down. Ahead of his first year in 2020, Baylor was picked to finished fifth in the league but went 2-7 and finished ninth ahead of only a winless Kansas team. In 2021, Baylor was picked to finish eighth, and they won the league. In 2022, the Bears were, somewhat predictably, picked to win the league but finished in the bottom half at 4-5 (6-7 overall). And in 2023, they were predicted to finished sixth in the new-look league, and they finished dead last out of 14 teams. “I have seen the media poll and kind of where we are predicted to finish, and so I am excited to prove that wrong,” Aranda said at Big 12 Media Days. “I think in the past couple years, we’ve done that pretty successfully, both ways. So, we are excited to get to work and to prove that we’re a better team than what we are perceived as.” This year, the Bears were picked to finish 12th in the conference so, based on recent history, you can expect them to either sink to the bottom of float up somewhere near the top. With the parity of the league in general, and with a dynamic QB and proven playcaller, I’ll give them wildcard’s chance of finishing with a winning record. But it’s Baylor, so who knows. ![]() Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog.
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OSU Football: Cowboys Miss Out on Four-Star Running Back Michael Turner After Making Top Group7/19/2024 ![]() Oklahoma State was oh, so close to getting a four-star running back for its future but missed out to a conference foe. Michael Turner announced Thursday that he committed to Baylor after including the Bears, OSU, Washington, SMU, Utah and TCU in his top six on Sunday. Turner was well sought after with offers from the likes of Oklahoma, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Houston, Kansas State, Michigan State, Texas Tech, Wisconsin and others. From Richland High School in North Richland Hills, Texas, Turner will move less than 100 miles away to Waco. He’s the No. 11 running back in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite Ranking, making Turner the highest-rated running back prospect to ever commit to the Bears. On3 is the highest on Turner, though, ranking him as the fifth-best running back in the country. Turner rushed for 1,625 yards and 22 touchdowns in 11 games last season as a junior. He averaged 7.7 yards a carry last season. He also caught a pair of touchdown passes and had 134 receiving yards on 14 catches. Even without Turner, OSU already has a running back committed from the 2025 class in three-star recruit DJ Dugar from Leander, Texas. Dugar committed to the Cowboys last month over offers from Kansas State, Arkansas, Cal, Michigan State, Oregon State, TCU and others. He’s seventh among running backs and 122nd among Texas prospects, according to the 247Sports Composite Ranking. The Cowboys have 17 public commitments total so far, ranking the class 37th in the country currently, according to 247Sports. That puts OSU fifth in the Big 12 behind TCU, UCF, Baylor and West Virginia, respectively. ![]() Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog. ![]() As if a new-look league and a Doak Walker-winning running back weren’t enough excitement for the Cowboys’ 2024 season, gameday themes have now been announced. Oklahoma State over the past two days has released themes and other events set to take place across the Pokes’ six home games this season. It looks as if the blackout will take a year off, but stripe the stadium is back, as are a bunch of fun events around the stadium, and dates are set to honor some OSU greats. Here is what to expect for each of OSU’s home games. Aug. 31 vs. South Dakota State — Aggie DayWear orange BBQ competition at the block party Pistol Pete’s Partners get group rate Sept. 7 vs. Arkansas — Stripe the StadiumWear orange or white (dependent on section) Monster Fanzone tour at the block party Leslie O’Neal Ring of Honor induction Sept. 21 vs. Utah — Educator’s WeekendWear orange Harley Day at the block party Extra yard for teachers Oct. 8 vs. West Virginia — Family WeekendWear orange Monster BMX jumpers at the block party Pistol Pete’s Partners get group rates Nov. 2 vs. Arizona State — America’s Greatest HomecomingWear orange Cowboy Car Show at the block party Nov. 23 vs. Texas Tech — Salute to Service & Senior DayWear oragne Football reunion 1974 team of distinction Military equipment at the block party ![]() Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog. ![]() Thanks for stopping by – here’s your daily dose of Oklahoma State sports news. OSU Bullets• Mike Gundy hired a new punters/kickers coach – and he’s the son of a college football legend (PFB) • The Cowboy Football media guide is out (OKState.com) • The Open Championship starts today in professional golf and Viktor Hovland is “the best player without a major” and in the middle of a dry year. Could things turn around for Hovland at Royal Troon?
• Former Cowboy linebacker Xavier Benson was drafted in the UFL yesterday (PFB) • Previewing the Cowboys first trip to Provo this fall (PFB) Non-OSU Bullets• Why America is so prone to have tornadoes • Why we remain fascinated with twisters Behavioural change happens when the pain of changing is perceived or felt to be less than the pain of staying. I think therefore it helps to ask, how am I benefitting from this situation? And can I describe if I am running from something or towards something? [Postantly Weekly] ![]() Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog. ![]() Former Oklahoma State linebacker Xavier Benson will get a chance to play professional football. The Houston Roughnecks selected Benson in the seventh round of the UFL College Draft on Wednesday. He was the second pick of the seventh round in the 10-round draft. To be eligible for the draft, players must have been eligible for the most recent NFL Draft but not selected. Players who signed with NFL teams as undrafted free agents were still eligible for the UFL College Draft. Any player who signs a UFL contract, though, will have an “NFL Out” until Dec. 31 to join an NFL team if the opportunity arises. Benson exhausted his eligibility at OSU after the 2023 season, during which he started every game as the heart of OSU’s defense. He recorded 65 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and recovered two fumbles as a sixth-year senior. His best game of the season came in his final Bedlam, notching seven tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack, quarterback hurry, forced fumble and a fumble recovery to earn Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors. Benson was in Stillwater for two years after transferring from Tyler Junior College, where he spent only one season in 2021. He started his career at Texas Tech, starting as a redshirt freshman in 2019 before opting out of the 2020 season. Benson is from Pleasant Grove High School in Texarkana, Texas. Other notable selections in the draft included Kansas quarterback Jason Bean going No. 1 overall and Oklahoma receiver Drake Stoops being drafted in the 10th round by the Arlington Renegades, where his father, Bob, is the head coach. You can see the full results of the draft here. The United Football League just finished its inaugural season after the XFL and USFL merged to create the league. ![]() Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog. ![]() Mike Gundy’s admiration for legendary Kansas State coach is well documented, and now Gundy has some of Snyder’s own blood on Oklahoma State’s coaching staff. Oklahoma State on Wednesday announced Gundy is adding Sean Snyder, Bill’s son, as the Cowboys’ punters and kickers coach. Sean served as Kansas’ special assistant to the head coach this past season. He has also spent time at Illinois, USC and, of course, Kansas State. “Sean brings years of experience with kickers and punters and special teams concepts,” Gundy said in OSU’s release. “We’re really excited about what he brings to our coaching staff.” Sean was an All-American punter under his father, earning his All-American status in 1992 by averaging 44.7 yards a punt. Snyder’s 43-yard career average was a school record. He actually started his college career at Iowa, redshirting in 1988 before playing two games in 1989 and transferring to K-State. He then served as a part-time assistant in Manhattan during the 1994 and 1995 seasons before stepping into the director of football operations role from 1996 to 1998, assistant athletic director for football operations in 1999 and 2000, associate athletic director in 2001 and senior associate athletic director from 2002 to 2010. He then got back into a more specified coaching role, serving as the Wildcats’ special teams coordinator and associate head coach from 2011 to 2018 and a special teams analyst in 2019. Sean went out to USC in 2020, where he spent two seasons as the Trojans special teams coordinator before returning to the Midwest as Illinois’ special teams coordinator and specialists coach for the 2022 season. Gundy often praises Bill Snyder’s special teams ideologies — often referring to special teams yardage as hidden yards. Gundy has also gone as far to call Bill the “best college coach ever.” Sean coached four Big 12 Special Teams Players of the Year at K-State and led a special teams unit that set or tied eight team records and 20 individual records. ![]() Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog. ![]() The second half of Oklahoma State’s season begins with the Cowboys’ first ever trip to Provo. OSU welcomed BYU to the Big 12 with a come-from-behind Cowboy win on Senior Day in Stillwater. Now the Cougars will do their best to get payback on their home field. Despite a disappointing finish, BYU was much better at home in 2023, going 4-2, including its only two Big 12 wins. Let’s dive into the Cowboys’ and Cougars’ second matchup as conference foes. Also, be sure to check out the rest of our Summer Schedule Series: Noncon | Utah | K-State | West Virginia Week 8: BYU | Oct. 18 | Provo, UtahAfter an off week, the Cowboys will get the ESPN primetime treatment when they head to Utah for their Friday night matchup with the Cougars. Series History: 3-0 Before last year’s meeting, OSU and BYU had met only twice, in quick succession, nearly 50 years ago. The Cowboys beat the Cougars 16-6 in the defense-first 1974 Fiesta Bowl before Terry Miller ran all over them in the 1976 Tangerine Bowl, resulting in a 49-21 OSU win. Last Meeting: OSU 40, BYU 34 OSU welcomed Brigham Young to the Big 12 by allowing the Cougars to score 24 straight on Senior Night and put their own chances at a Big 12 title on the line just snatch it away in double overtime. Ollie Gordon dug the Cowboys out in dramatic fashion, scoring all five of OSU’s touchdowns in the second half and overtime, including back-to-back TDs to win it and punch the Pokes’ ticket to Arlington. BYU in 2023: As exciting a night as last Nov. 25 was for the Cowboys and their fans, it was a merciful, if not fitting, end to a disappointing season for BYU. The Cougars ended their first year in the Big 12 on a five-game skid and by missing a bowl for the first time since 2017. A big reason for that slump was the injury to senior quarterback Kedon Slovis, who missed the last four games. BYU in 2024: The Cougars handed their offense over to former junior college QB Jake Retzlaff over the final four games but, again, no wins. He will be in competition with former Baylor and USF quarterback Gerry Bohanon and Utah State transfer McCae Hillstead. If the Cougars can find their answer at QB, they’ll be in position to improve upon last year’s 5-7 finish. Of Note: Third-down issues. One glaring issue for BYU last season was its ineptitude on third downs, on both sides of the ball. The Cowboys weren’t stellar by any means, but the Cougars took a nosedive in 2024. BYU finished dead last in third-down offense, converting just 28.5% of their attempts (131st of 133 FBS teams) while ranking second to last in the league in third-down defense (45.1%). That third-down rate on offensive was down from three consecutive years over 45%, and BYU’s lowest mark over the last 15 years otherwise was 36% in 2017. Can BYU Rebound?While the lazy take might be that the Cougars fell apart with the increase in competition, they have never been a team to shy away from scheduling power conference competition. The QB injury was a big one. If BYU can figure out its quarterback situation and find a starting running back, the offense could return to the form that would allow the Cougars to compete for the middle of the league in 2024. ![]() Read this original article at Pistols Firing Blog. |
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