A day after a disappointing loss to in-state rival Miami, Florida State announced they have pulled the plug on the Willie Taggart era in Tallahassee and fired the embattled head coach after just over a year in charge.
“I think very highly of Coach Taggart and wish him well, but in the interest of the university we had no choice to make a change,” FSU president John Thrasher said in a statement. “We will support our student-athletes in every way do all we can to return to the winning tradition that is Seminole football.”
“I spoke to Coach Taggart this afternoon to let him know of our decision,” AD David Coburn added. “I met with the team and coaches immediately after that conversation to let them know of the change. It was very important to us that the student-athletes know right away.”
FSU currently sits at 4-5 on the season after the loss at home to the Hurricanes in a sparsely attended game at Doak Campbell Stadium.
Taggart’s record with the Seminoles will stand at just 9-12 overall as a result, including a 6-9 mark in ACC play. His departure will be a costly one for the school, with a buyout in the range of nearly $17.7 million on a contract that was originally a six-year deal signed in December of 2017. Including stops at FSU, Oregon, USF and Western Kentucky, Taggart’s overall record as a head coach is 56–62 across 10 seasons in charge.
Odell Haggins will be Florida State’s interim head coach the rest of this season, a position he served previously after Jimbo Fisher left for Texas A&M two years ago.