FAU fires Willie Taggart just after 3 seasons, 15-18 report

Florida Atlantic fired Willie Taggart on Saturday, only hrs right after the conclusion of a 3rd consecutive five-gain season and no bowl bid for the 2nd time in that span.

Taggart was 15-18 in his a few seasons with the Owls — 5-4 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 time, then 5-7 in every of the final two seasons. His finale was Saturday, a 32-31 overtime reduction at house to his alma mater Western Kentucky.

FAU is heading to the American Athletic Conference next year.

“This night, we built a improve in leadership with the Florida Atlantic College football system,” FAU athletic director Brian White explained in a release distributed by the university. “It was a challenging determination, as we have tremendous respect for Willie Taggart. He has represented FAU with course and character. Nonetheless, the lack of on-field success wanted to be tackled as we search toward the foreseeable future.”

White reported the college would quickly begin a nationwide search.

Taggart was introduced in after Lane Kiffin still left FAU for Ole Overlook in 2019. Kiffin brilliantly revived his vocation at FAU, going 26-13 with a pair of Conference United states championships. Both equally FAU and Taggart hoped he had followed on the identical route he arrived to Boca Raton with a 56-62 report at four previous educational institutions — Western Kentucky, South Florida, Oregon and Florida Point out.

Taggart had a successful report at just one of those people stops he was 7-5 in his lone time at Oregon. He was 16-20 at Western Kentucky, 24-25 at USF and 9-12 at Florida Point out.

“Me personally, I enjoy these men, specially the guys that have been right here considering the fact that I got in this article, to buy into what I was asking those guys to do, and to consider to help me and our staff alter the tradition here,” Taggart mentioned immediately after FAU’s reduction Saturday in Boca Raton, Florida. “I cannot thank all those fellas ample.”

Taggart has experienced far more 10-loss seasons (two) than 10-earn seasons (1), has never ever been the head mentor of a bowl gain and has now skipped qualifying for a bowl in 10 of his 13 seasons. He shed in his 1 bowl journey with USF, dropped his only bowl journey with FAU, and still left for Florida Condition ahead of Oregon’s journey to the Las Vegas Bowl in 2017.

Tale continues

The Owls started off 5-1 in Taggart’s first time they’ve absent 10-17 considering that, and misplaced in Taggart’s lone bowl appearance with FAU. The Owls went to the Montgomery Bowl in 2020, shedding to Memphis.

Taggart experienced two yrs and $1.5 million remaining in foundation income on his FAU contract. He’s also however owed roughly $4 million by Florida Point out, which has been paying out Taggart just about $300,000 a thirty day period as portion of the settlement of what was a $30 million, six-12 months deal with the Seminoles right before they fired him in in November 2019. Taggart is scheduled to continue on receiving payments from the Seminoles by way of January 2024.

In 13 seasons as a collegiate head coach, Taggart is now 71-80.

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