As Tennessee embarks on its fourth coaching search in ten years, here’s a quick look at Vols coaching candidate Willie Taggart.
Willie Taggart’s coaching experience (41 years old)
Assistant coach at Western Kentucky spent on the offensive side from 1999-2006, including a Co-OC role. Then, he moved to Stanford to be running backs coach from 2007-09 under Jim Harbaugh. He took over at WKU as head coach, ushering the Hilltoppers into FBS play, where he went 2-10, 7-5, 7-5 in those rocky years of the transition, building the recruiting base for the success the school had under Bobby Petrino and Jeff Brohm. Taggart took over at South Florida, going 2-10 and 4-8 before turning the Bulls around and going 8-5 and 10-2, thanks largely in part to strong recruiting, including grabbing elite athlete Quenton Flowers, who was coveted by plenty of marquee schools as an athlete. Taggart sold him on playing quarterback, and the program was off. This is his first year at Oregon, and the Ducks started 4-1 before Justin Herbert was injured. They’re now 5-5 (as of November 13).
GRT’s taxonomy of college football coaches: The Proven Winner, Level Four – Mid-Major Champion (currently in his first year at a shot at Level Three)
Why the Tennessee Vols might want Willie Taggart
Taggart is an intense competitor and dynamic recruiter, who has spent time in the Southeast, convincing players to play for USF. He is an innovative, run-first offensive mind who blends spread concepts very well into a power offense. He’s a great developer of running backs and has enjoyed a slew of good players under him. He could bring defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt to Knoxville along with a powerful staff that could step right in and be just the kind of staff UT needs to get it away from its soft mentality, a belief perpetuated by NFL scouts that has played out on the field this season.
Why the Tennessee Vols might not want Willie Taggart
Both of his head coaching stops have been characterized by difficult transitional years, partially from inheriting “down” programs but also because of instilling the Taggart mentality into the program. That has been the case this year in Oregon too, thanks to the injury to starting quarterback Herbert. Would UT be willing to wait if there was an overhaul? Plus, his 45-49 head coaching record — on its surface — doesn’t look great. For those wanting a “sexy” hire, Taggart may not fit the bill, but some won’t look deep enough to be happy. Also, this is his first year at Oregon. Would he leave after only one season? What would it take to get him?