Taggart ready to hit the field
1st-year coach eager to see ’Noles in action
TALLAHASSEE — Willie Taggart has worked to endear himself to members of the Florida State administration, faculty, Seminoles Boosters, legendary coach Bobby Bowden, standout players of the past and the FSU fan base.
Now, it’s time to focus on some football.
Taggart, FSU’s new head football coach, and the Seminoles will begin spring practice today ahead of the annual Garnet and Gold spring game set for April 14 at Doak Campbell Stadium.
The Seminoles will practice Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays leading up to their spring exhibition, hoping to set a strong foundation and regroup from last season’s disappointing 7-6 campaign.
“Now it’s time to go out and execute on the football field,” Taggart said Tuesday before FSU’s pro day event.
“It’ll be fun to see take from what they’re doing in the meeting rooms and take it out on the football field, see how they execute, see how our guys compete, who wants jobs and whose okay with someone taking their jobs. It’s going to be pretty cool.”
Check out some highlights from Taggart prespring news conference: into everything we’re asking them to do, and they’re having fun,” Taggart said. “We see them around the office a lot more. They’re coming in just to talk, not just football or when they do something wrong. But they’re just coming around and spending time with us. That says a lot.
“… This is where it gets interesting, how they respond when things don’t go their way and when the competition gets close. We want those guys that are going to find a way to win.” James Blackman, who emerged as FSU’s starter after Francois’ injury and has gained 12 pounds of muscle since the end of last season.
Taggart wants Blackman and redshirt freshman Bailey Hockman to face off in a quarterback competition this spring, with Francois eager to enter the mix when he is fully recovered.
“I’m sure Bailey is not going to make it easy on [Blackman.] … And when Deondre is back out there, he’s not going to make it easy on them, too,” Taggart said of his quarterbacks. “I want them to compete, have fun and just get better.” will be donning new numbers this spring.
That’s because Taggart wants Florida State players hoping to wear a singledigit jersey number to work for them.
“They got to do something to get them back,” Taggart said. “I know when I was growing up, the single digits went to the dudes. You had to be a dude in order to get a single digit.
“That’s how I want it to be. Just any and every one can’t get a single digit. Being a dude is being the best football player you can be, being the best student you can be and having the best character you can have. Those are things we’re going to evaluate our guys on daily. And I’m going to make sure the guys wearing those single digits are handling their business … on top of their game.”