One of the most talked about legacies credited to Coach Smith and Oklahoma State wrestling is the massive number of former athletes that go on to the coaching ranks. There are nine former Cowboys that are currently head coaches at the Div. I level and countless assistants in other positions across the country.
Another impressive part of that legacy is the significant number of color barriers broken in the sport by various Cowboys. The first black Big 8 champion, one of the first black Olympians, the first black Olympic Gold Medalist, one of the first black three-time NCAA champions, the first African American to hold two UFC titles at the same time, and the first and only black coach to lead a team to an NCAA title.