Posts Tagged ‘willie taggart’

Southwest Minnesota State University (D-II): Southwest Minnesota State is looking for an Offensive Graduate Assistant. Responsibilities include practice/game preparation, recruiting, summer camps, equipment, video and all other aspects of the football program.  Qualifications include acceptance into graduate school (3.0 minimum GPA), enrolled in a minimum of six credits per semester, and meet the MnSCU vehicle driving qualifications. Compensation package includes $8,000 and tuition waiver. Review of candidates will begin in two weeks and continue until filled. Expected start date in early January. We will move fast on this opening. Send letter of interest, resume, and references to Cory Sauter - Head Football Coach, Southwest Minnesota State University, 1501 State Street, FH 317, Marshall, MN 56258 or e-mail to cory.sauter@smsu.edu  No phone calls please.

UNLV: Bobby Hauck has released both offensive coordinator Brent Myers and defensive coordinator J.D. Williams according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. 

     Behind the scenes video: Butch Jones first day at Tennessee

South Florida: Willie Taggart's agreement is 5 years / $5.75 million ($1.15M / year). The pool for his assistants is $1.9 million. 

West Virginia: Cornerbacks coach Daron Roberts will not return to the staff. 

Tennessee: Cincinnati offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian and defensive coordinator John Jancek will join Butch Jones at Tennessee. Bajakian will serve as OC. Jancek might be DC; but is humble enough to not need the title and is willing to work as linebackers should Butch decide to bring another defensive coordinator in. We have also learned that Tennessee running backs coach Jay Graham will be retained. More to come...

Seton Hill (D-II - PA): Sources tell us Seton Hill will hold on-campus interviews with a small group of finalists this week. 

Cincinnati: We have learned that Tommy Tuberville will be the next head coach at Cinicnnati. Tuberville resigned from Texas Tech minutes ago. Texas Tech has now confirmed. Cincinnati will hold a presser tonight. Here's the story. 

Arkansas: Bret Bielema has retained Tim Horton. Sources also tell us defensive backs coach Bobby Allen expected to remain on staff in an off the field capacity (likely HS relations). More to come .... 

Idaho: Sources tell us that Illinois offensive grad assistant Jon Carvin will be the new offensive line coach at Idaho. 

        Matt Lubick (Duke) - 2012 FootballScoop Wide Receivers Coach of the Year

Montana: Head coach Mick Delaney plans to use co-offensive coordinators for the 2013 season. Offensive line coach Scott Gragg and current special teams coordinator / tight ends coach Kefense Hynson will serve as co-offensive coordinators. Montana has one full-time position to fill. 

For the first time ever, we have averaged over 100,000 daily visits to the site this week. Thank you!

UTEP: We have learned that Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line coach Sean Kugler will be named the next head coach at UTEP. Here's a quick writeup on Kugler. 

South Florida: ESPN is confirming WDAE's report that Western Kentucky head coach Willie Taggart will be the new head coach at South Florida. Update> We have confirmed. Further, sources tell us that defensive coordinator Lance Guidry will serve as interim head coach. Here's what you need to know.

Auburn: Ellis Johnson will make $800,000 per year as defensive coordinator and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee will earn $350,000. 

Notre Dame College (D-II - OH): Notre Dame College is seeking applications for the position of Defensive Coordinator. This is a full time 35K-40K benefited position.  We require the candidate to have prior defensive coordinator experience. Responsible for the overall defense scheme/game plan, recruiting and assisting in all aspects of a competitive DII program. Email resume, cover letter with the names and phone numbers of 3 professional references to careers@ndc.edu. No phone calls please. Notre Dame College is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer and is actively committed to diversity within its community. In pursuit of that, we actively encourage diversity among applicants for this position.

FIU: Bruce Feldman reported earlier today that James Coley and Dan Quinn are candidates at FIU. 

Tennessee: Here is a link to Butch Jones' MOU. $2.9 million / year plus incentives. The pool for assistants is stated as "minimum of $3 million". 

James Madison (FCS): Offensive coordinator / quarterbacks coach Jeff Durden and offensive line coach Chris Malone have been released from the staff. 

NC State: Northern Illinois defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen will join Dave Doeren in same capacity (DL / recruiting coordinator). 

West Virginia Wesleyan (D-II): Sources tell us University of Charleston defensive coordinator George Shehl will be the new head coach at West Virginia Wesleyan. In 2010 Shehl was the defensive grad assistant at Marshall. 

     Oregon's Mark Helfrich has been named 2012 Quarterbacks Coach of the Year 

App State (FCS - NC): Sources tell us offensive coordinator Scott Satterfield will "interview" this weekend for the head job...is considered the leader for the job by the coaches we hear from. 

Auburn: Rhett Lashlee has now been announced as offensive coordinator. Lashlee served on Gus Malzahn's staff at Arkansas State last season in the same capacity.

Arkansas State: Sources tell us Gus Malzahn recommended to Chad Morris that he consider the job. Separate sources tell us it is unlikely Morris will seek the position. 

Colorado: Sources tell us former NFL Coach of the Year with the New York Giants head coach Jim Fassel is interested in the job. If he's interested, Colorado should take a long look. 

Tennessee: Butch Jones' agreement is reportedly 6 years / $18 million (CBS Sports). 

Auburn: AuburnSports is reporting that Trooper Taylor will not be part of Gus Malzahn's staff. 

Nicholls State (FCS - LA): Nicholls State needs a home game for the 2013 Season.  Available date is Saturday, September 28th.  If interested, please contact Associate Head Coach, Chuck Hepola at 985-448-4796 or via email at chuck.hepola@nicholls.edu

Jacksonville State (FCS): Running backs coach Jimmy Ogle has been named interim head coach during the search. A large number of coaches have registered their interest in this opening. 

Chowan University (D-II - NC): Chowan University is looking to fill the following home-and-home: Saturday, September 21, 2013 and Saturday, September 19, 2015. We must be home in '13 and will travel in '15. Please contact Dennis Helsel, Director of Athletics, at (252) 398-6244 or by email at HelseD@Chowan.Edu

Wingate University (D-II - NC): Wingate is seeking applicants for the position of QB Coach/Pass Game Coordinator. Qualifications: Collegiate QB playing and coaching experience with strong preference for past coordinating experience. Desire to learn and implement current system. Salary: low $30's. Contact: reich@wingate.edu. No phone calls.

Cincinnati: Defensive line coach Steve Stripling will serve as the interim head coach for the bowl game.

Tennessee: Butch Jones will officially be announced as the new head coach today.

Willie Taggart stated throughout his introductory press conference as the head coach at South Florida that he was going to start recruiting as soon as he left the room. That wasn't exactly true. Taggart's infectious personality and palpable enthusiasm started selling USF fans and recruits the moment he opened his mouth on Saturday afternoon.

"If you want to be a part of something special, come to USF," said Taggart. "If you're a football player from the 813, the 941, the 863, call me, e-mail me, tweet me, whatever."

Taggart knows the job that lays ahead of him. He must convince recruits to spurn in-state behemoths Florida, Florida State and Miami to come to USF to play in a Big East Conference that isn't what it used to be.  

Taggart's plan, at least as it unfolded at the press conference, was threefold. His salespitch was three-pronged: himself, his system and USF. 

"I've won all my life," said Taggart. "I won in high school, I won in college, I've won all my life. I'm a winner. Winning comes in doing all the little things right. I do believe winning isn't complicated, people make it complicated."

Coached by Jack Harbaugh and his sons John and Jim, Taggart is a firm disciple of the Harbaugh System. Under his direction, Western Kentucky boasted the Sun Belt's leading rusher in each of his three seasons at the helm, and tight end Jack Doyle was the Hilltoppers' leading receiver this fall.

"It's going to be what you see out of Stanford, out of San Francisco," Taggart said of what to expect of his team. "The exact same thing. We're going to run the football and throw the football. I'm excited to have guys that can stretch the field, and we've got to find the right guy at quarterback. Rarely will he come to the line with only one play, so he's got to be not only a great athlete but a smart kid."

The Big East may be under seemingly constant transition, but Taggart thinks the possibilities are limitless at USF. "I always said I wouldn't leave WKU unless I had a chance to win the national championship and I truly believe we can do that here," he said.

Taggart, a high school legend from Tampa, relishes his opportunity to come home. "I get to see my mom, my dad and my family. I left here in 1994 and I got to see my mom and dad about twcie a year. Now I get to see them whenever I want," said Taggart. 

As reported by Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times, Taggart's contract runs for five years and will pay him a sum of $5.75 million. His pool for assistants is $1.9 million per year. 

South Florida athletic director Doug Woolard touted a wide pool of candidates inclduing college head coaches and assitant coaches on the NFL and college levels. Woolard enlisted the help of Tony Dungy in choosing the Bulls' next head coach. So what sold them on Taggart?

"Coach Taggart is young, he's dynamic, he's innovative and he's successful," Woolard said. 

We're not going to bow down to anyone," Taggart added. "We're not going to make any excuses. We're going to work."

"Now all we have to do is put everybody on the bus, put them in the right seat and let Coach T drive this bus."  

Stay tuned to The Scoop and we'll keep you posted as Taggart fills out his staff. 

Multiple outlets have reported tonight that South Florida has hired Willie Taggart as its head football coach.

Taggart, 35, grew his coaching roots of the Harbaugh coaching family. Recruited by Jim Harbaugh to play for his father, Jack, Taggart was a four-year starter at quarterback for the Hilltoppers from 1995-98. Taggart stayed on after is playing career completed, coaching quarterbacks at WKU from 1999-02 and rose to offensive coordinator from 2002-06. 

Taggart left in 2007 to join Jim Harbaugh's staff at Stanford as the running backs coach, where he was named the FootballScoop Running Backs Coach of the Year in 2009 after coaching Toby Gerhart to an 1,871-yard season in which he came 29 votes shy of winning the Heisman Trophy. Taggart returned to Western Kentucky in 2010 to lead the Hilltoppers' voyage into FBS, taking the team from a 2-10 debut to consecutive 7-5 seasons in 2011-12. Taggart led Western Kentucky to the first bowl game in program history this fall, as the Hilltoppers will face Central Michigan in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl on Dec. 26.

True to his Harbaugh roots, Taggart's WKU teams specialized in physical football with an emphasis on running the ball. WKU running back Bobby Rainey and Antonio Andrews have been the Sun Belt's leading rushers all three years of Taggart's tenure, averaging 134 yards or more in each season.

Taggart takes over a team that won just one Big East game in each of the past two seasons, and finished the 2012 season dropping nine of its last 10 games. In an interesting note from Bowling Green Daily News beat writer Chad Bishop, Taggart's contract with Western Kentucky dictates that South Florida now must schedule a home-and-home series with the Hilltoppers. 

Willie Taggart had his eyes on South Florida since before the season. He will be the new head coach there. Pretty awesome.

— FootballScoop Staff (@footballscoop) December 8, 2012

Five total games on the schedule tonight. We've highlighted what stands out about three of the matchups.

Eastern Michigan at Ohio (6 p.m. ET, ESPNU)

Simply put, this game is a mismatch for head coach Ron English and the Eagles. Eastern Michigan enters the game at 1-7 overall and 0-4 in the MAC, while Ohio stands at 7-1 overall and 3-1 in league play. The Bobcats suffered their first loss of the season last week against Miami (Ohio), 23-20. 

In the Eagles' win, quarterback Tyler Benz threw for 369 yards and five touchdowns. The Bobcats gave up 311 passing yards in last week's loss, so Eastern Michigan's best chance at pulling the upset seems to be through the air. Another place the Eagles can victimize Ohio is in the red zone. Frank Solich's bunch places 113th nationally in red zone defense, allowing opposing offenses to score 22 times in 24 trips. Meanwhile, Eastern Michigan has produced points in 14 times in 16 trips, including 10 touchdowns.

Virginia Tech at Miami (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Miami enters tonight in first place of the ACC Coastal Division despite carrying an overall three-game losing streak. Virginia Tech, meanwhile, has lost four of its past six games. Needless to say, both teams are desperate for a W.

Miami has struggled mightily on defense, ranking 11th or lower in the ACC in total defense, scoring defense, rushing defense and pass efficiency defense. For Frank Beamer's team there has been a large defensive dichotomy between wins in losses. In the Hokies' four wins they have held opponents to 11 points per game, but in their four losses that number jumps to 37 points per game. 

The Hokies are Thursday night veterans as tonight will be their 25th appearance on ESPN's Thursday Night Football. They have won 19 of their previous 24 appearances. Tonight is their first of two straight Thursday night games; Florida State heads to Blacksburg next week. Virginia Tech is also 25-2 in November as a member of the ACC. 

Middle Tennessee at Western Kentucky (9:15 p.m. ET, ESPNU)

For what it's worth, this game was unanimously named the best matchup of the night among the FootballScoop staff. Both groups carry 3-1 Sun Belt records; WKU is 6-2 overall and MTSU is 5-3.

In Western Kentucky's lone Sun Belt loss, a 43-42 overtime setback to ULM, the Hilltoppers still managed to win the box score. Willie Taggart's team outgained the Warhawks by 64 yards, converted 11-of-17 third downs while holding ULM to 5-of-14, achieved seven more first downs, split the turnover battle and held nearly a 20-minute edge in time of possession.

Rick Stockstill's team has posted 40 points per game in its five wins, but less than 14 points per game in its three defeats. That's potentially a telling statistic as Middle Tennessee braces to face the Sun Belt's best defense. WKU leads the conference in total defense, scoring defense, rushing defense and pass efficiency defense. The Hilltoppers have also posted more sacks and tackles for loss than anyone in the Sun Belt.  

When you think of the most efficient offenses in the country, points and yardage are usually some of the first stats to come to mind. 

Tonight when Western Kentucky takes on Troy, Willie Taggart and his staff bring an interesting offensive efficiency stat into the game.

In 61 drives this season, the Hilltoppers have gone three and out just three times. Back in week two against Alabama, Western Kentucky snapped a streak of 77 consecutive games in which the Crimson Tide had forced at least one three and out by not going three and out a single time during the game.

The Hilltoppers feature a balanced attack, ranking in the top 25 nationally in rushing offense (#25 - 213 ypg) and passing efficiency (#18 - 156.75), and have earned 53 first downs on the ground and 48 through the air.

Their opponent tonight, Troy, is impressive when putting up points under head coach Larry Blakeney. Under Blakeney the Trojans are an impressive 67-4 when scoring at least 35 points. The Trojans are coming off a strong defensive performance in their last game, where they allowed just 59 passing yards to South Alabama.

One area where both teams are strong is their pass defense. Troy has allowed just 207 yards passing per game (36th nationally) while Western Kentucky is allowing just 175 yards per game through the air (14th nationally)

The two teams will face off on ESPNU at 7:30pm ET.