OR to name Willie Taggart head coach

ESPN is reporting Taggart has accepted the position as head coach for the Ducks. Though committed to the Bulls, Taggart is exploring his options. Commits and recruits are well aware of how he transforms programs on the downfall into bowl contenders. Former NFL coach Tony Dungy, whose son Eric played at OR before transferring to USF to finish his career under Taggart, spoke to OR officials on Taggart’s behalf.

USF won 17 of its last 21 games under Taggart, who is 40-45 overall as a head coach including three seasons at Western Kentucky. Offensive lineman John Vaka said he was no longer committed via Twitter on Tuesday. “We have a very bright future under his leadership”.

I think Willie is a guy who can unite the fan base again because there truly is something special about OR, the football program, the OR fans.

Even after finishing the 2016 season with a 4-8 record, OR is in a far-and-away better place than either USF OR Western Kentucky were in when Taggart took the helm, so the coach should find success relatively quick.

The immediate recruiting goal will be getting those commits back.

Taggart was South Florida’s head coach for four seasons, after spending three seasons as Western Kentucky’s head coach. As told in this SB Nation story, when Taggart came to USF, he saw that he had some seriously fast and athletic players and that maybe his style of power football wouldn’t fit in at the program. The Bulls may not have to look far for Taggart’s replacement.

“I would love the opportunity to play for someone like Coach Taggart”, Upshaw said.

The move represents a major philosophical change at Oregon. Helfrich was sacked about a week ago. For now, he said he is OR strong. Taggart said this was the toughest time for him since losing his third child.

Taggart was 16-20 as coach at WKU. But Stanford seemingly has had a good running game since Harbaugh was tromping those Palo Alto sidelines, and it’s in no small part because of Taggart.

Taggart has experience in the Pac-12.

“I want to congratulate Willie Taggart on becoming the University of Oregon’s next head football coach, and welcome him and his family to the flock”, UO president and professor of law Michael H. Schill said. “Things will change a lot, I’m sure, at OR, so it will be cool what happens there”. Most notably, the flash that elevated OR toward the top of the college football world has been copied across the country, and its home state simply doesn’t produce enough quality recruits to form the backbone of an elite roster – to say nothing of recruiting following a 4-8 season. He’s young, he’s charismatic, he’s got a great reputation.