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David Taylor and Cael Sanderson? Biggest impact on Penn State wrestling?

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Mr. Potter

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Was recently in Michigan and the group I was with over dinner, this topic came up. I began immediately arguing Cael's impact and used stats to bolster. That's until an all American wrestler from Ohio State jumped into our conversation and may have convinced me otherwise. He stated in wrestling it's "one person" that causes a ripple.

Shabbat Shalom
 
L

Lil Nicky Scarfo

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Jul 1, 2025
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All American Wrestler at Ohio State with CTE (FIFY)

Sounds like an Ohio homer (Taylor went to HS in Ohio) wants to exaggerate an athlete’s impact.

Cael coming to the undisputed best wrestling state in the country - and immediately bordered by 3 other states in the top 7 (Ohio, NY, NJ) - was a Tsunami (not a ripple).

No Taylor might have delayed the rise to the top, but everyone knew Cael’s arrival was a seismic event.
 
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J

JoePaMajorCFBrecord409Ws

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Jun 26, 2025
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Missileer said:
Taylor was following Cael, wherever he coached. So the “one person” who has had the most impact on Penn State Wrestling is hands-down, Cael Sanderson.
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No doubt, to imply that any other person has had a bigger impact on PSU wrestling since 2009 is laughable. During similar tenures at a specific Program, Sanderson has won more Team, and Individual, National Championships (Champions) than Dan Gable did at Iowa (i.e., Sanderson has been at PSU for 17 seasons through the just completed 2026 NCAA National Championships - he has won 13 National Championships in his first 17 seasons at PSU. Gabe won 12 National Championships in his first 17 seasons as Head Coach at Iowa and Gable was handed a Program that had won the 1975 & 1976 Team Championships under Gary Kurdelmeier [Kurdelmeier was Iowa's HC from 1972 - 1976 seasons and Iowa's first and second National Championships in school history in 1975 & 1976. Kurdelmeier hired Gable just after the completion of the 1972 season from Iowa State - which is also where Gable won his National Championships as a wrestler. Kurdelmeier became the AD at Iowa after the 1976 Wrestling Season [a large financial, and Title, promotion for Kurdelmeier at the time] and handed the Wrestling HC reigns over to Gable for the 1977 season.).

To claim anyone has had a bigger impact on PSU Wrestling since Sanderson's hire in the 2009 off-season is beyond laughable and ridiculous.
 
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B

Bwifan

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Mr. Potter said:
Was recently in Michigan and the group I was with over dinner, this topic came up. I began immediately arguing Cael's impact and used stats to bolster. That's until an all American wrestler from Ohio State jumped into our conversation and may have convinced me otherwise. He stated in wrestling it's "one person" that causes a ripple.

Shabbat Shalom
Click to expand...

For me it's not that close. DT win 2 titles. You have Ed Ruth, Zain and Bo who won 3 titles. Then you have Carter and Brooks who won 4 and 5. You could easily argue those wrestlers had bigger impacts on PSU wrestling than DT. Cael has won 13 team titles and countless individual titles. Cael is closing in on Gable and soon will pass him for the most NCAA team titles. Add in Cael has been huge in growing NLWC to the point that all the wrestlers on PSU wrestle top wrestlers in the world almost daily. Many top young wrestlers out there dream of wrestling at PSU because of and for Cael. Not nearly as many dream of being at PSU because of DT. For me it's not that close regarding bigger impact on PSU wrestling. Note this is not a knock on DT it's just comparing the 2 in my view. Both excellent wrestlers and coaches.
 
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LionsAndBears

LionsAndBears

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Mongrel said:
It is similar to Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus 10 years ago. Woods stood on the threshold of ascending to GOAT status. Personal issues and injuries prevented Tiger from crossing that threshold and Jack remains the GOAT.
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I don't see Cael falling into the same trappings as Tiger. Eventually Cael will be the GOAT but not yet.
 
K

KingLando

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Nov 29, 2021
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Mongrel said:
It is similar to Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus 10 years ago. Woods stood on the threshold of ascending to GOAT status. Personal issues and injuries prevented Tiger from crossing that threshold and Jack remains the GOAT.
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There may never be another fall like Tiger's in the history of sports but, yes, you're correct.
 
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