Uncertainty.

For an Oklahoma State program that began the season with one returning starter, there were a lot of questions about how the program would follow up its first NCAA trophy finish since 2021. However, Cowboy coach David Taylor knew one thing: His team was going to get hardened in November. 

“When you start the season, and there’s just a lot of uncertainty in our lineup going from last year having a very veteran team,” Taylor said. “We talked about this all year — just having that uncertainty. I think about each one of those guys, all 10 of those guys are wrestling in the national tournament. They all just had points of difficulty throughout the year and a lot of those guys had a really tough November. We had a tough early season and we knew we needed that as a team. We needed our guys to be kind of hardened and battle-tested. And then I think at the national tournament, our guys wrestled really well. I think that this young group is just really motivated and hungry and they wrestled their best at the national tournament, which that’s the goal.”

A season that began with uncertainty quickly morphed into one filled with excitement, thanks to a few transfers, a high school phenom enrolling mid-season, and multiple freshmen entering the postseason undefeated. 

The Cowboys peaked at the right time, finishing second at the NCAA Championships, and made history with three true freshmen national champions in Jax Forrest (133), Sergio Vega (141) and Landon Robideau (157). Oklahoma State also had five more All-Americans in Troy Spratley (fifth at 125), Casey Swiderski (eighth at 149), Zack Ryder (eighth at 184), Cody Merrill (second at 197) and Konner Doucet (fourth at 285). 

Forrest, said the historic milestone of the freshmen is a reflection of the team and its lofty goals.     “I think it just shows how we’ve got some really good coaches, we’ve got some really good guys in the room, and we’re just going to continue to keep getting better,” Forrest said. “But like what coach was saying, yeah, we won nationals, that’s awesome. But now we want to win a team title. We want to beat Penn State. We have a great foundation, but then just keep going forward, keep getting better and just trusting the coaches and win it next year.”

Underdog Now Undeniable

Sergio Vega might have been one of the biggest underdogs on the NCAA finals stage, despite going into the match undefeated on the season. That was a reflection of his opponent — two-time NCAA champion Jesse Mendez, a senior from Ohio State who spent most of the season as a Hodge Trophy contender. 

Vega kicked off the trio of Cowboy champs by defeating Mendez 4-1 in sudden victory. After securing the winning takedown, Vega raised his fist, smiled and went to embrace his family, sitting matside. 

“It means everything,” Vega said. “I remember telling my brother at the beginning of the year, like it’s going to be awesome when I win the nationals and run up to my family and stuff. It’s been my favorite part of watching the national tournament since I was a little kid. I just always thought it was so cool that their families were always right next to them, and then being able to experience that, there’s nothing like it I’ve experienced in my life. So, it was awesome.”

Robideau’s Redemption

Landon Robideau went into the NCAA Championships with two losses — one against Nebraska’s Antrell Taylor and another versus Arizona State’s Kaleb Larkin. To make the finals against Taylor, Robideau had to avenge a handful of losses. He had to beat Larkin, who defeated him in the Big 12 finals, and he had to beat Penn State’s PJ Duke in the semifinals, who defeated Robideau in the 2025 U.S. Open. 

“I was just excited,” Robideau said. “I know a lot of people thought my spot in the bracket was tough or was going to be hard. But I said it all year — I want to wrestle the best guys and I think to prove you’re the best at the weight, you have to wrestle them. I lost to Larkin. I had to wrestle him in the quarters, and I was excited for the match. A lot of people, I think, were writing me off for (PJ) Duke, saying he’s the best guy at the weight. I get to wrestle Duke and I was excited for it. And then Antrell (Taylor), same thing — I lost to him. I knew I was going to win. But I think just having that excitement to go into the tournament, wanting to wrestle hard and just showcase my skills was the most important.”

Konner’s Curtain Call

Konner Doucet represented Oklahoma State at the NCAA Championships twice before two-time All-American Wyatt Hendrickson transferred from Air Force and took over at heavyweight for the Cowboys. 

In the current state of college athletics — with the transfer portal and NIL — it would’ve been easy for Doucet to leave Oklahoma State for opportunities elsewhere. Instead, Doucet elected to stick with the Cowboys and spent a year training with Hendrickson before getting a final shot as a senior. 

Doucet registered the highest bonus-point rate of his career and capped his senior season by placing fourth at the NCAA Championships. 

Taylor recalled embracing Doucet after the senior earned All-America status by pinning Pitt’s Dayton Pitzer in the blood round. 

“It was so awesome,” Taylor said. “You could just see that round is a very emotional round. I think from the stands, it’s emotional. When you’re watching it as a fan, it’s emotional. But being down there on the floor, last year, for the first time? I mean, the emotion of that round is like nothing else that you really kind of prepare for, probably. For him to be there and All-American, obviously, at that time, I felt like our team race was pretty competitive, for second, third place. Felt like that was a big moment for him to not only get the win, but to pin him and be an All-American, and just continuing to move forward.”

NORMAN — Oklahoma held another spring practice early Monday evening, and local media got a roughly 45-minute window to film and photograph.

Here are some observations from the Sooners On SI staff:

Injuries/Players Not Full-Participants

• Elijah Thomas was wearing a boot on his left foot and not participating.
• Xavier Robinson was wearing a boot on his right leg/foot, he walked off the field as practice began.
• Jer’Michael Carter was wearing a boot on his left foot.
• Fellow wide receiver Trell Harris was on crutches. Brent Venables already mentioned he had a “little cleanup” procedure last week.
• David Stone was not in a helmet, but still same status as the previous media-viewing session on Saturday — involved but not participating.
• Ryan Fodje walked off the field after position groups began and never returned during the viewing window.
• Beau Jandreau was wearing a boot on his left foot.
• Caleb Nitta was in a helmet, but watching in position groups.
• Daniel Akinkunmi was still on a scooter.
• Fred Hinton was also off to the side watching in a helmet among offensive linemen.

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General Observations

• Danny Okoye broke the team down after stretching to send players to their position drills.
• Jeremiah Newcombe was in the blue no-contact jersey and worked with the linebackers — he stepped in for Reggie Powers III as the backup cheetah during situational scrimmages.
• Venables continued to spend a lot of time with the tight ends.
• During ball-security drills, he was emphasizing force on the player tasked with trying to smash the ball away from Jack Van Dorselaer — “Hit the ball!”
• Jake Maikkula shows no signs of fatigue and comfortably the starting center and leading the charge out of huddles.
• Marcus James was in a blue no-contact jersey among the linebackers.
• Nigel Smith received consistent praise during position drills and made nice plays during situational scrimmages.
• DeZephen Walker has a low-center of gravity and very quick feet — received praise from running backs coach Deland McCullough running through dummies.
• Jonathan Hatton is an upright runner, has great power and speed for his size, but McCullough got on him to keep his pad level down consistently — he runs similar to Alex Ross, with more fluidity in his hips.
• Noah Best routinely took second reps behind Maikkula.
• E’Marion Harris received praise from Bill Bedenbaugh consistently.

Situational Scrimmage

The team went offense vs. defense in situational football.

• Starting offensive line (left to right) for the rushing period: Michael Fasusi, Eddy Pierre-Louis, Maikkula, Heath Ozaeta, Harris
• Starting wide receivers/tight ends: Manny Choice, Mackenzie Alleyene, Isaiah Sategna, Hayden Hansen
• Hatton and John Mateer in the backfield.
• Starting defensive line: Okoye, Smith, Trent Wilson, Taylor Wein
• Starting linebackers: Kip Lewis, James Nesta and Powers (cheetah)
• Starting defensive backs: Eli Bowen, Courtland Guillory, Michael Boganowski, Peyton Bowen
• Michigan transfer Cole Sullivan came on at linebacker during second-team defense.
• Freshman Bowe Bentley showed some speed on QB keepers.
• Tate Sandell was 1-for-3 on field goal hurry-up drills, including a missed 49-yard attempt wide right into a stiff wind.