Miami football win over Florida State precipitates Willie Taggart firing

MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 06: Head coach Willie Taggart of the Florida State Seminoles coaching in the second half against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium on October 6, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 06: Head coach Willie Taggart of the Florida State Seminoles coaching in the second half against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium on October 6, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)

The Miami football team dominated Florida State from start to finish in a 27-10 victory over Florida State on Saturday. On Sunday afternoon the Seminoles announced they have terminated the contract of head coach Willie Taggart.

The Miami football team dominated the last six quarters against Florida State. Since falling behind the Seminoles 27-7 in the third quarter in 2018 following a D.J. Matthews punt return for a touchdown the Hurricanes have outscored Florida State 47-10. The Miami defense has allowed 248 total yards in that time span.

Florida State has had far bigger problems than the way the Miami football team has dominated them over the last six quarters. Losing so convincingly to the Hurricanes at Doak Campbell Stadium was clearly the last straw for the Seminoles administration and likely their boosters. No tears will be shed in Coral Gables.

Like Miami football head coach Manny Diaz, Taggart was in his dream job at Florida State. Willie Taggart grew up in Bradenton and was a quarterback at Western Kentucky from 1994-98. Taggart’s hiring was questionable from the beginning. Taggart was 47-50 at Western Kentucky, South Florida and Oregon from 2010-17.

Taggart was lauded as an innovative offensive coach before coming to Florida State. That never showed in Tallahassee. Florida State is 77th in scoring offense after the loss to Miami on Saturday. The Hurricanes are 81st. In Taggart’s only other season at Florida State in 2018, the Seminoles were 113th in scoring.

Florida State has been repeatedly criticized for a lack of discipline under Taggart. Part of that has been in blown assignments on defense. Florida State has also been criticized for too much trash talking and boasting. Penalties have hindered the Seminoles in 2018 and ’19. FSU was 118th in penalties in 2018 and 122nd in 2019.

ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit criticized the character and behavior of the Florida State players throughout the Taggart era and on Saturday against the Miami football team. Everything for the Seminoles during the 21 game Taggart era added up. Their program is a mess.

Herbstreit’s comments came during “The Nightcap” posted by Herbsreit’s partner Chris Fowler on his Instagram page following the Memphis SMU game that they broadcast on Saturday night. Herbstreit criticized the Seminoles players and suggested they view video from the Bobby Bowden era at Florida State.

"“I want to get this off my chest…I’m done with Florida State. I don’t want to talk about them anymore. I hate the way they represent themselves. Their current roster needs to go back and watch the Bobby Bowden era. Because it wasn’t about talking trash and fighting. That’s all they do.They’re the most undisciplined team you’re gonna watch And they’re a terrible team. They need to focus more on execution and less on chirping. All they do is chirp.”"

Florida State’s dismissal of Taggart is a microcosm of how far both programs have fallen. The Florida State Miami football game at Hard Rock Stadium in 2020 will be the fourth year in a row with and fifth time in six meetings with a different matchup of head coaches. Hopefully, Manny Diaz will provide Miami with stability.

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