Upbeat Taggart lifts ’Noles’ recruiting class
TALLAHASSEE While celebrating his first recruiting class at Florida State, new Seminoles coach Willie Taggart posted tweets with rap lyrics from artists Drake, Migos, Kendrick Lamar, Gucci Mane and the late Tupac Shakur throughout National Signing Day.
There were even a few lyrics from some rap artists you’ve probably never heard of. But that’s OK.
Taggart, 41, is continuing a relentless effort to win over his new players as well as Seminoles fans young and old.
“You didn’t know in my other profession I was a rapper?” Taggart joked lightheartedly on Wednesday afternoon.
“There were songs that those guys liked. I wanted to give them something they liked that I knew would fire them up for the day. It was a great day. They were becoming a ’Nole, and [I] wanted to show them a little love and welcome them to our beautiful place.”
Taggart rolled into the FSU office blaring Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight.” He said the song was the perfect ballad to recap his day.
Taggart accepted the Florida State coaching job, a dream job he’s been waiting for all his life, in mid-December after one of the worst seasons in recent school history. And he’s already re-energized the program after Jimbo Fisher’s sour departure to Texas A&M.
Two months and one day since he arrived, Taggart lifted FSU’s 2018 recruiting class from 64th in the 247Sports.com composite team rankings to No. 11 nationally on Wednesday. His class even cracked the top 10 at one point during the day.
College football recruiting sites have not traditionally kept record of such fluctuations throughout recruiting cycles outside of the final rankings. And coaches do not typically land highly ranked classes in their first transitional cycle.
But Taggart had several factors in place that helped him secure the highest rated recruiting haul for any new coach, jumping more than 50 spots in the 247Sports.com rankings and more than 60 spots in the Rivals.com rankings.
“Our guys got here and hit the ground running. None of us have been here long enough to tell you anything about Tallahassee because we’ve all been on the road,” Taggart said of his assistants with a laugh. “I know everyone throws it back on me, but our coaches and our support staff and our wives played a big part in what happened.”
Getting Taggart and recruiting his FSU coach Willie Taggart assistants in position to salvage FSU’s recruiting efforts after last season was imperative, especially after Fisher’s tumultuous exit.
As the final week of FSU’s regular season mercifully winded to its end, school officials pressed Fisher to inform them he was leaving for Texas A&M.
As Fisher continued to sidestep questions regarding his future with the Seminoles, FSU athletics director Stan Wilcox knew a move would be imminent.
Wilcox updated his list of potential coaching candidates, which was compiled three years ago and updated after each season as Fisher flirted with other schools before signing contract extensions with the Seminoles.
After interviewing two other candidates, whom he did not name, Wilcox knew immediately Taggart was the coach to hire.
Taggart was a great recruiter in the state of Florida, wanted to build a culture centered on football and academics that was different from the previous regime and worked with people Wilcox knew from his journey to becoming FSU’s athletics director.
Even members of FSU’s football team and a longtime recruit would see Wilcox in the athletic offices and recommend Taggart as a candidate.
The third interview was the charm. Taggart was officially hired five days after Fisher was forced to resign.
“It seemed to just all come into place, all the stars were aligned, and it worked out really well for us,” Wilcox told members of his athletic board Wednesday afternoon. “[Taggart is] making an impact already. He’s a no-nonsense guy. He’s a quiet guy in a sense, but he speaks from the heart.”
Five of Taggart’s 10 assistants have worked with him at previous coaching stops, including his alma mater Western Kentucky, where he and new running backs coach Donte Pimpleton forged a bond as college teammates.
“We shared dreams way back when we played and used to sit up late at night talks about being at a place like this one day,” Pimpleton said during FSU’s signing day party Wednesday night.
Taggart hired new offensive line coach Greg Frey, a member of FSU’s 1993 national title team. And he retained longtime assistant Odell Haggins, who helped the Seminoles clinch their 41st consecutive winning season while serving as interim head coach during the final two games of the 2017 season.
After a successful signing period, Taggart can turn his attention to cultivating more team cohesion, spring practice and the exciting buildup to his first season as Seminoles coach.
But first, a deep breath after the whirlwind of the last two months.
“The next four days Coach T. is taking his wife away from here, and we’re going to enjoy each other,” he said with a smile.