Good lord no. Frost, Norvell, Mullen, Campbell....if we strike out on all four of those, give me Charlie Strong. But no Taggert please.
I don't get the Taggart hate at all. If you can't get Kelly or Frost, he's your best option. Proven record of turning programs around, he's young (younger than Frost) knows the area and has a cheap buyout. If he was still at USF I bet you a lot of UF fans would see him in the same echelon as Frost. One season at Oregon with Helfrich's players and with a walk-on at QB doesn't change anything for me.
Fred, I think a lot gets lost in a thread this big, and myth becomes reality. I am not singling you out here. (You have been fair) I just wanted to point out what the reality of things are:
Final thought for the night before I go tango uniform for the night is why after establishing a pattern of communicating via tweets on a regular/daily basis did Scooter Magruder go radio silent after November 17?...nada, no congratulations BB, no great volleyball, no chill on coach search, nothing,nada,just 007.
He turned around South Florida because he was an extremely popular high school coac in Florida and got craploads of good recruits to USF. He doesn't have any offensive innovation, which is what we are sorely needing. If we want someone who just recruits well, we can call back Zook, he's not doing anything. I'll give you a name that's head and shoulders better than Taggert: Dino Babers. That dude can coach and is a hell of a motivator/recruiter. I would take him years before Taggertz
that actually scares the hell outta me coming from chris landry. he's been around a while and is as connected as any other source. he's legit.
Wow, my gut says Taggart is the wrong guy. Wonder what his buyout would be and why would we take a guy that would leave Oregon after only two seasons? I dunno, I'm losing steam... not sure what to think.. But I don't believe Taggart would be a good hire unless he puts together the best team of Assistants in the country and lets them do their thing.
That's may work in the AAC. But that's no where near enough to take on the SEC. Can you imagine Taggert with good players vs Saban with good players. We won't be getting g anywhere with Taggert.
Funny you mention Oregon. Maybe they don't want Taggart? We are going to take their coach and deliver Chip Kelly to them?
That's one thing that gives me a lot of confidence. His current staff has Mario Cristobal and Jim Leavitt. I think he could pull some other big names at UF due to his Harbaugh connections.
Rumor had it Taggart's buyout was $4 million, so yeah, pretty cheap for a P5 program. He's a Florida guy, so if any of the big 3 in FL called, he's bailing Oregon for them, there's also been rumblings that he's already looking to get back to the southeast. Don't think him attracting top assistants would be a problem as he currently has Cristobal and Leavitt on his current staff at Oregon, he could put together just as good of a staff here.
Why is his overall record so poor and why a bit slow to turn Oregon around if he's that good? They are 6-5. That's not very special.
jim levitt is the alpha on that staff. taggart couldn't hold levitt's jockstrap if it was super-glued to his balls. no way on taggart. do not want a ceo type coach. all the motivational, "team building", "great recruiter" crap is over-rated and so is willie taggart. levitt will not be at uf with him. levitt would be the only reason to hire taggart.
I have my reservations, but even Saban didn't turn Alabama around in one year. Oregon looked good with their starting QB, but he got injured. If Taggart is the guy, I'm behind him 110%, but I am hoping for a safer pick.
Sounds like Oregon is not committed, at least that's what the $4 million buyout says to me. I cannot get beyond his overall .500 record and that he's 6-5 with such capable assistants.
I'd love a CEO-type coach. That's what Urban Meyer was. And I think Leavitt would come with him if we'd take him.