The prodigal son returns… and takes over the father’s mantle? When David Taylor called time on his wrestling career and took the job at Oklahoma State, a new rivalry started between him and his former mentor, Cael Sanderson. While the Cael Sanderson machine looked impregnable this season, the coach-player bond had turned into a full-blown recruiting chess match, with both stalwarts going head-to-head, chasing the top talent, staff, and transfers. But the drama continues, now with Thomas Gilman.
The real drama emerged when word got out that Penn State was set to acquire Rocco Welsh. Welsh competes at 184 pounds—the same weight as Zack Ryder. Just before Welsh’s decision went public, buzz started flying that Taylor was making a late push to sway him, per the PSU Collegian. But that last-minute hustle was futile, with Welsh locking in commitment to Penn State. Then we had Ryder switch allegiances from Penn State to OSU. The transfer portal cooked up even more tension, with two Penn State backups, Alex Facundo and Gary Steen, hitting the transfer portal and making their way to the Cowboys.
And now the saga continues with a twisty turn! It comes with the announcement that Thomas Gilman will make the shift and transition to Penn State once again. He confirmed the same during the Baschamania podcast and explained his role at Penn State. And interestingly, it looks like the split had some BTS drama that we’re not quite privy to.
Thomas Gilman also opened up about his new role in Penn State. What’s notable is the fact that he hasn’t fully shut the door on competing. “I’ve had those conversations (regarding competing and coaching) with Coach Cody and Coach Cael, and they’re open and supportive of anything. If I want to just do the coaching thing…great, or if I want to jump back on the mat and compete, that’s awesome too.”
And the drama? “…the decision in the first place (to go on staff at Oklahoma State)…was fast…and that’s probably the genesis of everything,” said Gilman. “Right when we got down here, it seemed like, there was issues. Were they with me? Were they with the staff? I think that everybody is at fault. I’m not going to point fingers…I think that it was mutual.” But Gilman was quick to add that despite the discord, there were no hard feelings.
Oklahoma State assistant coach Thomas Gilman is headed back to Penn State. Here’s what went into his decision https://t.co/XMW8yw6EzP
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) April 10, 2025
On his return to Penn State, Thomas Gilman said, “That door opened back up and I wasn’t sure it was ever going to…They opened that door back up and I’m not going to let them down again.” All that, and we can say Gilman is returning with a renewed sense of purpose and loyalty. So Penn State have won this round but OSU are as active as ever in the off season.
While the battle continues there, David Taylor adds foreign help to team
The Cowboys wrapped up the NCAA D1 Championships with a solid third-place finish. However, Penn State stole the spotlight as they clinched their fourth straight national team title, cementing their name at the top. The wrestling season may be over but OSU and David Taylor remain busy in their quest to craft yet another team of contenders for the upcoming season. And while one coach, Thomas Gilman, has left, another has joined.
But this time, it’s the RTC that has gained a new addition. Mentioning that, the official training center took to social media welcoming French wrestler turned coach Zoheir El Ouarraqe. The RTC Instagram page posted a quick welcome message that read “Congratulations Coach Zo, on being formally named Developmental Coach of the Cowboy RTC!”
The heavyweight wrestler from France will collaborate with David Taylor to train the team. Coach Zo has carved out a strong reputation on the international stage; He bagged gold back in 2013, during the Mediterranean Games and later on, a bronze in the 2018 European Wrestling Championships. He knows when and how to deliver. And he’s no stranger to Stillwater, having attended a camp there in 2015 which led at the time by John Smith.
El Ouarraqe was asked to join full time but because of contractual obligations to the French federation, he was unable to. But 2 years later, he reached out and was flown out to Stillwater to fulfill that promise. He was training partner of Daton Fix and now he makes his return as part of the coaching staff. And it looks like yet another astute move from the Cowboys.
So, no wonder! Bringing that kind of experience to the team can be a game-changer for OSU, especially when they’re are in the chase to close the gap with Penn State. Thomas Gilman is out but Zoheir El Ouarraqe is in. Now it’s time to showcase who’s got this!
The post What Will Thomas Gilman’s Role Be at Penn State? appeared first on EssentiallySports.
