Florida State University officially fulfilled the buyout of former football head coach Willie Taggart on Wednesday. This was initially reported by Tampa Bay Times reporter Matt Baker.
Taggart went 9-12 during his tenure in Tallahassee. His first season with the Seminoles in 2018 saw a 5-7 record – the first time the Garnet and Gold missed the postseason since 1976, Bobby Bowden’s first year as head coach at FSU. After a 4-5 start, he was fired in November of 2019 following a 27-10 loss to Miami at home.
Longtime defensive line coach Odell Haggins took over the squad as the interim head coach and led the ’Noles to a 6-6 record and a Sun Bowl berth. There they lost to the Arizona State Sun Devils.
Mike Norvell replaced Taggart in December of 2019. Since his arrival, the Seminoles have endured seasons of 3-6 (COVID-19 year), 5-7, 10-3, and 13-1. The 2023 team brought the first conference championship to Tallahassee since 2014 as well as the first New Year’s Six appearance since 2016.
Taggart did not pick up a win against Florida State’s in-state rivals (Miami and UF). Norvell has a 3-0 record against Miami (3-1 if you count the 2020 game, he did not coach due to a positive COVID-19 test) and a 2-1 record against Florida (the Seminoles and the Gators did not play each other in 2020).
Taggart was fired from Florida Atlantic in 2022 after three consecutive five-win seasons. He currently works as the running backs coach for the Baltimore Ravens.
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