Florida State found itself with no other option than to fire head football coach Willie Taggart after one and a half disappointing seasons and a 27-10 loss to in-state rivals Miami on Saturday.
Taggart, who signed with the Seminoles after leaving Oregon following the 2017 season, lasted only 21 games with the team that committed to him by giving him a six-year contract worth over $30 million.
Florida State, who went 9-12 under Taggart’s tenure and missed out on a bowl game last season for the first time since 1981, had to raise $17 million dollars in order to pay the buyout on their former head coach’s contract in order to dismiss him.
After some help from private donations and the realization that the former Oregon, Western Kentucky, and South Florida head coach wasn’t cut out for the Noles job, the team pulled the plug on Taggart’s tenure on Sunday.
Florida State’s athletic department is now expected to embark upon a nation-wide search to find Taggart’s replacement. In the meantime, assistant coach Odell Haggins, a 26-year veteran on the team’s staff, will take over as interim head coach and look to lead the team to two more wins and a bowl game.
