Oregon to hire USF's Willie Taggart as next coach.

[Greenbacks]

University of South Florida's Willie Taggart will be named Oregon's next football coach, sources told ESPN.
Taggart replaces Mark Helfrich, who was fired by Oregon a week ago after going 4-8 overall and 2-7 in the Pac-12 this season.
Taggart and Mississippi State's Dan Mullen were the two finalists for the Oregon job, a source said.
Taggart had been at USF for four seasons, increasing his win total from two in his first season to four and then eight. This year's 10-2 record was the best in school history.
Taggart also was an assistant at Stanford from 2007-09, and head coach at Western Kentucky from 2010-12. When Taggart was at Stanford, he helped recruit Andrew Luck.
With Taggart headed to the West Coast, potential candidates for the South Florida job would include Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, former Texas coach Charlie Strong, Florida State co-offensive coordinator Lawrence Dawsey (a former USF assistant) and Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, sources told ESPN.

Former NFL coach Tony Dungy, whose son Eric played at Oregon before transferring to USF to finish his career under Taggart, spoke to Oregon officials on Taggart's behalf.
"He knows the West Coast, having been at Stanford," Dungy told ESPN last week. "He has all the elements Oregon is looking for. He's a bright, young coach, and it makes him easy to recommend.
"Oregon is a different situation [than USF]. You're not coming in taking something from the ground floor. You need a coach that can come in and get players going and coach well. It's a big challenge at Oregon, one that he would be successful at. You're not trying to become respectable, you're trying to win national championships -- it's a different kind of challenge."

 

[Albatross]

Great hire....IMO. Dont know his recruiting background in the NW.

 

[MackDonald]

A lot of newly arrived USF fans will be in mourning.....Just when their program was making a move in the State of Florida.

 

[GoSooners]

Taggart has been a pretty good ATS coach over the years. Especially after he's gotten his team built up. Besides winning 10 games ATS a couple years ago at USF, he had one run when he was HC at Western Kentucky where he won 8 games ATS three seasons in a row. The only other FBS team that I've seen do that in the last 10 years was Utah St when they had Anderson as HC and Chucky Keeton at QB. Of course those were all low profile under the radar teams. It will be interesting to see what he does at Oregon.

 

[tmader7]

Taggart has been a pretty good ATS coach over the years. Especially after he's gotten his team built up. Besides winning 10 games ATS a couple years ago at USF, he had one run when he was HC at Western Kentucky where he won 8 games ATS three seasons in a row. The only other FBS team that I've seen do that in the last 10 years was Utah St when they had Anderson as HC and Chucky Keeton at QB. Of course those were all low profile under the radar teams. It will be interesting to see what he does at Oregon.

Bobby gets a reprieve, lol. Be damn tough to sell that mansion in Norman. I say he's got one more season to produce, then it's back to Iowa. Mikey G is locked in for life.

~T~

 

[GoSooners]

Bobby gets a reprieve, lol. Be damn tough to sell that mansion in Norman. I say he's got one more season to produce, then it's back to Iowa. Mikey G is locked in for life.

~T~

I don't think Stoops would even consider leaving until his kids are out of high school. His oldest kid plays for Norman North HS.

 

[tmader7]

I don't think Stoops would even consider leaving until his kids are out of high school. His oldest kid plays for Norman North HS.

Yeah, forgot about that, but I think the handwriting is on the wall. Of course with Boren manning the ship, hell, mediocrity might be acceptable in Norman. I'll tell ya this, and it pisses me off to throw a name out there, but no way in hell T.B changes course, I actually like Mike, met him once and he's the kinda guy ya want batting for ya. Hope all is well in Soonerville!

~T~

 

[Cantpickem]

Great hire....IMO. Dont know his recruiting background in the NW.

Exactly, He was a very good recruiter in the S.east because he was grabbing the players that the SEC didn't want.
Where does he go from here in the NW??

 

[Cantpickem]

Bobby gets a reprieve, lol. Be damn tough to sell that mansion in Norman. I say he's got one more season to produce, then it's back to Iowa. Mikey G is locked in for life.

~T~

Maybe his buddy Polini will hire him at Youngstown st

 

[WinOne]

Exactly, He was a very good recruiter in the S.east because he was grabbing the players that the SEC didn't want.
Where does he go from here in the NW??

He's recruited on the West Coast while at Stanford, and he's got contacts in the midwest and SE from stops at WKy and USF. The guy has a pretty solid pedigree from playing for Jack Harbaugh, and coaching under Jim Harbaugh. He also worked along sides the like of David Shaw and Pep Hamilton. I think you see Oregon use their brand to recruit nationally, and I honestly think he's gonna kill it in CA. My guess is he's also going to go out and get a couple of top notch recruiters added to his staff. Would be interesting to see if a guy like Tosh Lupoi would go work for him.

 

[Wanger]

UO president Michael H. Schill just offered Willies Taggart the following advice: "Go find a great defensive coordinator."

Think it's safe to say Hoke won't be back. :missingte

 

[GoSooners]

Yeah, forgot about that, but I think the handwriting is on the wall. Of course with Boren manning the ship, hell, mediocrity might be acceptable in Norman. I'll tell ya this, and it pisses me off to throw a name out there, but no way in hell T.B changes course, I actually like Mike, met him once and he's the kinda guy ya want batting for ya. Hope all is well in Soonerville!

~T~

You also have to consider that Bob Stoops buyout is 25 million. He has the same agent as Ferentz at Iowa, who also has a huge buyout. No coincidence there. Their recent success and more importantly stability in their programs get them these big contracts, whether the fans like it or not... I don't know about you, but if I had a buyout of 25 million, I would be trying to get fired!

 

[bigwang]

He's recruited on the West Coast while at Stanford, and he's got contacts in the midwest and SE from stops at WKy and USF. The guy has a pretty solid pedigree from playing for Jack Harbaugh, and coaching under Jim Harbaugh. He also worked along sides the like of David Shaw and Pep Hamilton. I think you see Oregon use their brand to recruit nationally, and I honestly think he's gonna kill it in CA. My guess is he's also going to go out and get a couple of top notch recruiters added to his staff. Would be interesting to see if a guy like Tosh Lupoi would go work for him.

I agree completely. This looks to be a brilliant hire provided they give him a bit of time to put his stamp on team. Ducks are getting one of the most upbeat coaches in the game who wants to build a winning program both on and off the field.

 

[GoSooners]

At least he'll be able to keep his green tie..

 

[Greenbacks]

Willie Taggart introduction to Oregon Football.

 

[Wanger]

Think it's safe to say Hoke won't be back. :missingte

Willie Taggart has offered the DC job to ex-Texas head coach Charlie Strong.

That didn't take long to replace Hoke.