John Smith wanted Kelly Gregg to keep wrestling.
Smith, Oklahoma State’s wrestling coach since 1992, recruited Gregg out of Edmond North High School, where Gregg won three state titles as a heavyweight wrestler. But in 1995, Gregg chose to attend Oklahoma to play football, ending his wrestling career. He was an All-Big 12 offensive lineman twice at OU before the Cincinnati Bengals drafted him in the sixth round. He eventually won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2000.
“The last heavyweight I really wanted here in (the) state, where I just really wanted him bad, was Kelly Gregg,” Smith said.