Poor fan turnout and low morale led to the decision to oust Florida State University head football coach Willie Taggart– even with a buyout worth more than $18 million on the line.
The move showed just how big of a business college football is.
When programs lose money because football teams fail to deliver, it leaves college administrators to make difficult choices. According to USA Today, that is exactly what FSU’s administration did.
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Ultimately, the school weighed the future money it estimated it would lose versus the $18 million buyout, and decided that the buyout would be cheaper. Although the decision was tough for the Seminoles, it was the right one, according to USA Today. Early recruiting ends in December and this move gives Florida State the ability to go after top recruits.
In addition, Odell Haggins, the Interim coach who is the defensive line assistant, doesn’t want the job. However, he will coach games while the Seminoles recruit a new coach.
Taggart, however, tweeted that he was disappointed in the firing.
“Obviously, I am disappointed in the decision today as I believe our future is bright at Florida State,” Taggart tweeted. “Building a program and a culture takes time, and I regret that we will not have the opportunity to continue to coach these incredible young men. I want to thank first and foremost our student-athletes, who never stopped believing and who deserve to find success. I also want to thank our coaches and staff who believed in what we were building and who are among the finest men and women in our profession. Finally, I want to thank the Florida State faithful for their support as we worked towards building a program that they could be proud of. On behalf of my family and I, we wish Florida State nothing but the best and will be cheering on the Seminoles the rest of the way.”
— Willie Taggart (@CoachTaggart) November 3, 2019
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One thing’s for certain – FSU can’t screw up its new hire. If they fired Taggart for poor performance, they need to hire someone who can come and rally the FSU fan base and players and get wins from the onset.
Or they will continue to bleed money.
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