Following up on speculation that’s been gaining steam over the past few days, Willie Taggart has officially added a Michigan staffer to his USF coaching staff.
In a press release, Taggart confirmed that T.J. Weist has been hired as his new wide receivers coach. Weist replaces Ron Dugan, who left for the same position at Miami as part of Mark Richt‘s new Hurricanes staff.
“I’ve always said, we are going to keep getting better and Coach Weist fits that bill,” Taggart said. “I’m very excited to bring somebody to our program that I know so well and that has had the experience and the success T.J. Weist has in college football. Our offense set several records in 2015, and I can’t wait to get started working on breaking them.”
Weist and Taggart have a previous working relationship, first with both being on Jack Harbaugh‘s staff at Western Kentucky -- Taggart was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Weist receivers and running backs coach. The two worked together for six years with the Hilltoppers.
From 2010-12, Wweist was the receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Cincinnati. He was UConn’s coordinator in 2013 and 2014, and also served as the Huskies interim head coach after Paul Pasqualoni was fired in September of 2013.
In 2015, Weist worked as Jim Harbaugh‘s senior offensive analyst with the Wolverines.
“I am very excited to coach again with Coach Taggart and to join in a program in USF that has a very exciting future ahead of it,” Weist said. “I saw what that offense did, particularly at the end of last season, and the players coming back and I am very excited to get to work in Tampa.”