Willie Taggart was tagged to be the next coach at Florida State yesterday. Taggart’s resume is simply the best out there. The 47-50 combined record really doesn’t reflect how impressive his career has been. Most of the losses came in the first year when Taggart took over at Western Kentucky and South Florida. Actually, nearly half.
All things considered, the Seminoles got the man they wanted. Willie Taggart was born to be the coach out in Tallahassee. No one can replace a Bobby Bowden or even the success that Jimbo Fisher had, but Taggart is gonna put his own stamp of success when all is said and done.
Willie Taggart Couldn’t Turn Down Florida State
The Decision
Surely, ESPN and fans around the country weren’t waiting around the television to hear where Willie Taggart was going to coach next year. Be that as it may, the hire was a home run for the Seminoles.
Oregon tried to keep the coach in place at the University. Supposedly, there was a deal in place for $20 million over a five-year stretch. But Oregon couldn’t compete with Taggart’s son, who closed the deal.
Willie Taggart Jr. may have a future in recruiting. “He said, ‘Dad I know you struggling with this decision and I know it’s your dream job. You always tell me to chase my dreams and don’t let anyone get in the way of it. I don’t want to leave, Dad, but if you’re chasing your dreams, then I’m going to ride with you.’
His 16-year old son couldn’t have said it better. And no one else stood a chance after that remarkable stroke of rhetoric. The rest, as they say, is history. Taggart is now a bonafide Seminole. As a matter of fact, he’s gonna be at Florida State for a long time.
Taggart’s evidence of success
Willie Taggart is still very young in coaching years. At 41 years old, the turnarounds have been consistent and impressive. At both Western Kentucky and South Florida, the progress came in the second year. Ironically, in the first year at both schools, his teams went 2-10. In the second year at Western Kentucky, the win total went both 7-5 in 2011 and 2012.
Also in the second year in Tampa, South Florida went from 2-10, 4-8, 8-5, and finally a 10-2 record in 2016. Both accomplishments were undoubtedly astounding. That being said, the one year lease at Oregon may have been his greatest triumph.
In his first year, the Oregon Ducks put up a much improved 7-5 record. Oregon had just come off a 4-8 season and their worst in 25 years. Coming into a tough situation and making an instant impact is rare in college football. No doubt, the biggest win was the 69-10 shellacking of the Oregon State Beavers in the annual Civil War. The win was the largest margin of victory in that game in 121 years.
That, my friends, will get you a coaching job in Tallahassee.
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