There’s a different kind of buzz in Stillwater now and it’s all thanks to David Taylor. The buzz of anticipation, of getting ready for the next season, of seeing what this team that already accomplished so much this season can get up to come fall. With the trajectory they’re on, it only looks like David Taylor’s stocks will climb higher and higher. And with an influx of fresh faces on the roster, like Zack Ryder, Alex Facundo and Gary Steen, the Cowboys look like a team in good health. Especially when you account for acquisitions like Lee Roper, an offseason addition to the coaching staff whose synergy with David Taylor will be an asset at his new job.
For the uninitiated, Taylor and Roper have a long history. “He’s going to be part of our ROTC, and you know, helping us just with everything moving forward. So, our goal is to surround you guys with the best people, at least the best kind of people, so we’re excited,” said Taylor in his welcome message that was posted to the Cowboys’ Instagram page.
“Lee and I go way back, actually, the very first camp I did my freshman year in college was with Lee down in Georgia, and we’ve been in contact ever since, and you know, Lee is just a very great technical mind for wrestling, very calming presence, and we’re really excited to have him part of our team,” he added.
Well, there’s no doubt that David Taylor has already proven himself as a program changer while leading the Cowboys and helping them win the Big 12 title with 153.5 points and a powerful third-place finish at the NCAA Championships, after they finished dead last the previous year. It was under his vision, too, that wrestlers like Dean Hamiti and Wyatt Hendrickson rose to national champion status. And there’s just no stopping Taylor and his will to succeed.
After all, Roper spent 8 years guiding wrestlers at UNI. To up and leave that after so many years? It speaks to David Taylor and all he’s acomplished in such a short period of time that wrestlers like Zahid Valencia and coaches like Lee Roper are picking OSU because of the David Taylor factor. One of his main goals was to improve the Cowboy RTC and he’s already gotten off to a swimming start. Now with the Cowboys handed an edge with Roper’s knowledge and knowledge of their rivals, Oklahoma State look primed to go for the jugular next season.
Introducing Lee Roper, the newest addition to David Taylor’s coaching staff
Well, if you are the one following the rise of collegiate wrestling over the past decade, you’ve probably heard the name, right? Since Roper’s name is being whispered in corners of the University of Northern Iowa, his strategies and career prove that he isn’t just another coach but a man known for his silent grind. And his connection with the Cowboys? Despite being an old-time friend of Taylor, Roper’s stepping into the Cowboy RTC has been a full-circle moment!
“Initial thoughts coming in here, it’s like, it’s so different than, I’ve been coming in this room for 10 years off and on, on the other end of it, getting ready to compete, now walking in here thinking about the preparation side,” Roper confessed. And this time, stepping into the room felt like things had flipped altogether.
“I know he’s going to kind of walk around and get to know you guys, and starting to build relationships, and obviously start to integrate them into what we’re doing as we continue to move forward. So, just give Lee a hand,” said Taylor. Although it’s still early days in the job for Roper, with his familiarity with Taylor, it looks like he’ll fit right in in no time.
The post David Taylor Reveals Decade-Long Connection With Ex-UNI Coach After Cowboys Hire appeared first on EssentiallySports.