Taggart reaches goal of returning home to lead Florida State
Willie Taggart
TALLAHASSEE  Fla. (AP) â  Willie Taggart  grew up a Florida State fan and dreamed of playing for the Seminoles.
 He  never donned the garnet and gold as a player  but has managed to one-up that goal.
 Taggart  was introduced as the 11th head coach in Florida State history on Wednesday as  he  returns to the Sunshine State after one season at Oregon. The 41-year old Bradenton native coached at South Florida from 2013-16 before taking the Ducks job.
"Guess I wasn't good enough to get a scholarship to play here " quipped  Taggart   who played and later coached at Western Kentucky. "No matter where I went  I rooted for the Seminoles. Until I went to South Florida. That was the first time I had to root against the Seminoles.
 Willie Taggart  gestures as  he  is introduced as Florida State's new football coach during an NCAA college football news conference in Tallahassee  Fla.  Wednesday  Dec. 6  2017. (AP Photo/Mark Wallheiser)
Three days after Fisher resigned   Taggart  met with Florida State President John Thrasher  athletic director Stan Wilcox and board of trustees member Ed Burr on Monday in Scottsdale  Arizona. After weighing the offer overnight   Taggart  accepted on Tuesday and informed  his  players at Oregon .
 He  arrived in Tallahassee early Wednesday morning and met with the team before the news conference.  Taggart  said  he  appreciated Oregon athletic director Rod Mullens for giving  him   his  first chance at a Power Five job  but that the chance to coach at the school  he  has followed since childhood was too good to pass up.
"I know I let  him  down and I'm sorry. The timing was probably not right but it is never right "  Taggart  said. "This one chance was perfect. To be closer to family and coach in a Power Five and an opportunity to win a national championship are personal goals."
Wilcox said there were a number of candidates for the job but that  Taggart  was  his  top choice.
"We had a number of candidates but knew  his  passion would rise to the top "  he  said.
Thrasher said  he  had a feeling early last week that Fisher was going to leave and that it was time to look at their options.
 Willie Taggart  does the Seminole chop in front of Doak Campbell Stadium before being introduced as Florida State University's new NCAA college football coach in Tallahassee  Fla.  Wednesday  Dec. 6  2017. (AP Photo/Mark Wallheiser)
"The university is bigger than one person  we're resilient "  he  said. "To get a guy with the quality  he  has is a remarkable thing particularly in the time frame that we did it."
 Taggart  will earn $30 million over six years. Florida State will also pay the remaining $1 370 122.28  he  still owes South Florida and $3 million owed to Oregon as part of buyouts of  his  previous contracts.
 Taggart  has a 47-50 career record  including 7-5 at Oregon this season.  He  has a reputation of rebuilding Western Kentucky  USF and Oregon  but  he  views coming to Florida State as more of a realignment effort.
The Seminoles ran a pro-style offense under Fisher but  Taggart 's "Gulf Coast Offense" is spread based.  Taggart 's offenses have ranked in the top 20 in scoring the past two years.
TALLAHASSEE  Fla. (AP) â   [TGT] grew up a Florida State fan and dreamed of playing for the Seminoles.
  [TGT]   never donned the garnet and gold as a player  but has managed to one-up that goal.
  [TGT] was introduced as the 11th head coach in Florida State history on Wednesday as   [TGT]   returns to the Sunshine State after one season at Oregon. The 41-year old Bradenton native coached at South Florida from 2013-16 before taking the Ducks job.
"Guess I wasn't good enough to get a scholarship to play here " quipped  Taggart   who played and later coached at Western Kentucky. "No matter where I went  I rooted for the Seminoles. Until I went to South Florida. That was the first time I had to root against the Seminoles.
  [TGT]   gestures as   [TGT]   is introduced as Florida State's new football coach during an NCAA college football news conference in Tallahassee  Fla.  Wednesday  Dec. 6  2017. (AP Photo/Mark Wallheiser)
Three days after Fisher resigned    [TGT] met with Florida State President John Thrasher  athletic director Stan Wilcox and board of trustees member Ed Burr on Monday in Scottsdale  Arizona. After weighing the offer overnight    [TGT]   accepted on Tuesday and informed   [TGT]   players at Oregon .
  [TGT]   arrived in Tallahassee early Wednesday morning and met with the team before the news conference.   [TGT]   said   [TGT]   appreciated Oregon athletic director Rod Mullens for giving   [TGT]     [TGT]   first chance at a Power Five job  but that the chance to coach at the school   [TGT]   has followed since childhood was too good to pass up.
"I know I let   [TGT]   down and I'm sorry. The timing was probably not right but it is never right  [TGT] said. "This one chance was perfect. To be closer to family and coach in a Power Five and an opportunity to win a national championship are personal goals."
Wilcox said there were a number of candidates for the job but that   [TGT] was   [TGT]   top choice.
"We had a number of candidates but knew  his  passion would rise to the top "  he  said.
Thrasher said  he  had a feeling early last week that Fisher was going to leave and that it was time to look at their options.
  [TGT]   does the Seminole chop in front of Doak Campbell Stadium before being introduced as Florida State University's new NCAA college football coach in Tallahassee  Fla.  Wednesday  Dec. 6  2017. (AP Photo/Mark Wallheiser)
"The university is bigger than one person  we're resilient "  he  said. "To get a guy with the quality  he  has is a remarkable thing particularly in the time frame that we did it. [TGT] 
will earn $30 million over six years. Florida State will also pay the remaining $1 370 122.28   [TGT]   still owes South Florida and $3 million owed to Oregon as part of buyouts of   [TGT]   previous contracts.
  [TGT] has a 47-50 career record  including 7-5 at Oregon this season.   [TGT]   has a reputation of rebuilding Western Kentucky  USF and Oregon  but   [TGT]   views coming to Florida State as more of a realignment effort.
The Seminoles ran a pro-style offense under Fisher but   [TGT]  's "Gulf Coast Offense" is spread based.   [TGT]  's offenses have ranked in the top 20 in scoring the past two years.