John Smith Wants to Win Big 12 Again and Spratley, Fix, and Jamison are Keys

STILLWATER – As Oklahoma State prepares for the Big 12 Wrestling Championships (brackets) in Tulsa on Saturday and Sunday this weekend, John Smith is hungry. Witnesses in the locker room immediately after the 22-9 dual loss to Iowa say that Smith let the loss to the Hawkeyes go and focused on the two weeks ahead in preparing for the Big 12 Championship. Smith told his team the NCAA isn’t even a thought right now. Everything has to be geared in re-taking the Big 12 Championship, something that was long an assumption for Cowboy wrestling and its’ fans. 

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Smith talks Big 12 Wrestling Championships.

“We’re in a good position,” Smith said of the Big 12 Tournament. We have to wrestle our best to take the trophy. That is what we are going for. We’re going to win. We haven’t won it in two years. That is something that takes a lot of pride and moves you in a better place when you win it. We have put ourselves in a good position with our seeds. You have to win it with all 10 wrestlers.”

Smith admitted Iowa State is the favorite. Oklahoma State beat the Cyclones handily in a dual this season 21-12, but tournament is completely different and the formula is success at all weights. You lose in the bracket, then you had better stay alive in the consolations. Points are critical. 

2024 Big 12 Wrestling Championship Schedule
Saturday, March 9
Session 1: Preliminary & Quarterfinal Matches — 10:00 a.m. CT
Session 2: Semifinal & Consolation Quarterfinal Matches — 5:00 p.m. CT

Sunday, March 10
Session 3: Consolation Semifinals and Seventh Place Matches — 12:00 p.m. CT
Session 4: Finals — 7:30 p.m. CT     
*Doors open one hour before each session

“You better be tough and have your singlet pulled up and ready to go,” Smith added. “This is a tough conference and it is not going backwards. It is only going to get tougher. We have a good, tough strong conference.” 

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Spratley has been the momentum builder many times this season.

One part of the 14-1 dual success this season has been the fire starting trip of 125-pound Troy Spratley (18-5), champion Daton Fix (13-0) at 133, and 141 pounder Tagen Jamison (18-6). That trio has started out 3-0 in a lot of duals. The veteran Fix, looking for his first individual NCAA championship, sandwiched by two pups from southeastern Oklahoma by way of Allen, Texas and University of Minnesota. 

“It’s a tough go for both of those guys,” Smith said of Spratley and Jamison. “You have to be tough. You will have to get a takedown in the third period to win. You will have to wrestle the third period to win. Guys are going to have to win third periods to have success. They (Spratley and Jamison) red-shirted a year in a different place and they had to get to know us and it helps when you get to know us and what to expect.”

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Jamison talks with the media on Wednesday.

“It is real important for the lower weight guys to set the tone for the team,” Jamison said. “The upper weights can keep the momentum going and bring it back around and if everybody is doing their job then you don’t have to worry about the momentum slacking. With Troy and Daton starting out and then me, if we do our jobs then we have nothing to worry about.”

Spratley has really learned to appreciate being lead-off for the Pokes this season. He know relishes the opportunity. Unfortunately, it has been taken from him for the Big 12.  

“You have to go out there and put it all on the line,” Spratley said as he has been a great lead-off wrestler all season. He has a bye this Saturday in the first round. 

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Spratley would much rather wrestle than get a bye.

“I don’t really like having a bye. I like to go out there and get going,” Spratley added on his bye in round one. “I like setting the tone for our team. It is big if you can go out there first and get the win for our team. It is what it is and you have to move on. You know you have to beat the best guy at some point.”

Overall, Oklahoma State has four byes in the first round with Sprately, Jordan Williams at 149 pounds, Izzak Olejnik at 165, and Brayden Thompson at 174 pounds. Of course, a bye moves you through, but without the points for the win and the opportunity for bonus points. Many of those come in the early matches (mismatches) in the tournament.

“They need to figure something out. There are 10 brackets and if we have more byes than anybody else then they need to figure something out,” Smith said. “They need to limit how many byes each team has and those matches and points could make a difference.”

You get the feeling Smith is anxious. He wants to re-take the Big 12 and he knows every point is critical.