Heupel will coach UCF

Central Florida didn’t take long to hire someone to lead its rejuvenated football program.

The university announced Tuesday that Josh Heupel will be the Knights’ next football coach. The move comes about 72 hours after Scott Frost announced Saturday he was leaving UCF to become the coach at Nebraska.

Heupel, who has been the offensive coordinator at Missouri the past two seasons, inherits a Knights program that just finished 12-0 to win the American Athletic Conference title. The Knights will play Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Jan. 1.

He will not coach the Knights in the bowl game but will watch in from a booth at Mercedes-Benz stadium. UCF is working on logistics that would allow Frost to coach that game.

Florida State picks Taggert: Willie Taggart has agreed to become Florida State’s next coach.

Taggart will replace Jimbo Fisher. The 41-year old Bradenton, Fla., native coached at South Florida for four seasons before going to Oregon. Fisher resigned Friday to accept the opening at Texas A&M.

Taggart has a 47-50 career record, including 7-5 this season, but is known as a rebuilder. Florida State is 6-6 this season.

Clemson aide wins: Clemson co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott is the winner of this year’s Broyles Award, given annually to the top assistant coach in college football.

Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard was among the finalists.