Its Time to Turn the Page on Willie Taggart

[Sellular1]

You are probably correct about needing to keep Taggart on board, but although the win total has improved, the overall team play has not improved and is probably regressing.

Actually, I don't think you realize the improvement... probably because, like many of us, we had higher expectations... and we don't really remember how bad our team was last year.

I would agree defensively we have not improved (we're not #21 in the nation).... but look at a few statistics.

Wins have doubled from 2 to 4

Points scored: 165 total in 12 games last year (13.75 ppg) / 186 in 10 games this year (18.6 ppg)

Points allowed: 343 total in 12 games last year (28.58 ppg) / 277 in 10 games this year (27.7 ppg)

The offensive stats are better as well (but ESPN is not updated with tonight's game, so I can't illustrated them).

The win is a win. Our wins so far have not been solid performances at all and came against the absolute worst teams in college football this year.

When you are trying to build something or rebuild something you can't look at just the win total as just an improvement. You also need to look at the whole team, not just a few offensive stats, and say the team has improved.

I did not think we would get more than 4 wins this year, but what I was looking for was something from the team and coaching staff that convinces me that, even if we are losing, there is a foundation of success being built, by the younger guys, that the future looks promising.

I only see that promise coming from the Running Back position. Although, I must say that for the first time this year, Mike White actually looked like he knew what he was doing. Sort of. I liked his choices of receivers anyway. He was still barely over 50% so I am not too excited, but he did enough for a glimmer of hope.

For you guys that keep saying "oh, we won 4 games, the team is improving and citing a few stats from offense, what are you seeing that leads you to believe a true foundation is being set for success next year? I don't see that growth or performance coming from the younger guys to point to a significant leap next year.

I will say the RBs are good. You also have a few nice plays on D from the freshmen, nothing consistent, but a play here and there. Other than that, your offensive productivity is almost exclusively from seniors. Davis, Welch and McFarland only guys with catches. Other than that, no meaningful productivity coming back next year.

On OL, you are losing 3 long time starters. New guys may be more talented, but until they play a down and until we see them as a unit, it is a hope and a prayer. Especially with a QB corp that doesn't have a 50% passer yet.

Coaching decisions are weak at best. Special teams are disorganized and a mess most weeks. That is on coaching. Game management is poor.

Looking below the improvement to 4 wins against bad teams, what do you see that points to improvement and success next year? I don't see it.

I agree with what you said. Look at Arkansas as the rebuilding model. 17 consecutive SEC games without a win. 2013 was a horrible season for them. They even lost to Buttgers. This year they were 0-5 in the conference BUT YOU COULD SEE THEM GETTING BETTER EVERY WEEK. No more blowouts, fighting the entire game. They lost to A&M in OT, lost to Bama by 1pt.

Last night they shut out the #16 team in the country 17-0.

This is the kind of progress I want to see for our Bulls.

[Sellular1]

Since we got in late from the game last night it is hard to catch up on all the posts.  Taggart is horrendous.  He starts a kid that isn't ready at QB.  How much was he not ready? Had about 16 plays on his wrist band.  So if you think you saw the same plays over and over again you would be correct.  You weren't watching Groundhog Day.  Had to bring the QB coach from the box to the sideline to babysit him.

 

His game management?  On that last touchdown play, yes the one on 4th down, he was signalling in for White to spike the ball.  White luckily questioned it and got a play in from one of the other QBs on the sideline.  Running the ball on 3rd was just plain dumb but I guess if you think it is 2nd down that might explain things.

 

We were fortunate enough to be asked to sit in the ADs suite so didn't have to sit out in that mess.  The AD went down to the field at the half.  Wasn't happy.  The President stayed in the box and even after we won there was no great joy.  We stood outside the stadium after the game at the team buses.  Not one smile on any kid.  Not one.  The D coordinator stopped briefly and said a win is a win.  I'm not too sure the people above the coaches see it that way.  Taggart has lost this team.  He may or may not be back next year.  If he is back it is because of $$$.  Learned that Harlan has a bit of a background in football and coached some.  When he watches this mess he understands.

 

You guys can talk about a better record this year.  People that know football know that this team has improved little in two years.

Holy crap. Great post. Thanks

[NCBull]

Since we got in late from the game last night it is hard to catch up on all the posts. Taggart is horrendous. He starts a kid that isn't ready at QB. How much was he not ready? Had about 16 plays on his wrist band. So if you think you saw the same plays over and over again you would be correct. You weren't watching Groundhog Day. Had to bring the QB coach from the box to the sideline to babysit him.

His game management? On that last touchdown play, yes the one on 4th down, he was signalling in for White to spike the ball. White luckily questioned it and got a play in from one of the other QBs on the sideline. Running the ball on 3rd was just plain dumb but I guess if you think it is 2nd down that might explain things.

We were fortunate enough to be asked to sit in the ADs suite so didn't have to sit out in that mess. The AD went down to the field at the half. Wasn't happy. The President stayed in the box and even after we won there was no great joy. We stood outside the stadium after the game at the team buses. Not one smile on any kid. Not one. The D coordinator stopped briefly and said a win is a win. I'm not too sure the people above the coaches see it that way. Taggart has lost this team. He may or may not be back next year. If he is back it is because of $$$. Learned that Harlan has a bit of a background in football and coached some. When he watches this mess he understands.

You guys can talk about a better record this year. People that know football know that this team has improved little in two years.

Holy crap. Great post. Thanks

JUDY wasn't happy after a win?!? Wow....

[charsibb]

 

Since we got in late from the game last night it is hard to catch up on all the posts.  Taggart is horrendous.  He starts a kid that isn't ready at QB.  How much was he not ready? Had about 16 plays on his wrist band.  So if you think you saw the same plays over and over again you would be correct.  You weren't watching Groundhog Day.  Had to bring the QB coach from the box to the sideline to babysit him.

 

His game management?  On that last touchdown play, yes the one on 4th down, he was signalling in for White to spike the ball.  White luckily questioned it and got a play in from one of the other QBs on the sideline.  Running the ball on 3rd was just plain dumb but I guess if you think it is 2nd down that might explain things.

 

We were fortunate enough to be asked to sit in the ADs suite so didn't have to sit out in that mess.  The AD went down to the field at the half.  Wasn't happy.  The President stayed in the box and even after we won there was no great joy.  We stood outside the stadium after the game at the team buses.  Not one smile on any kid.  Not one.  The D coordinator stopped briefly and said a win is a win.  I'm not too sure the people above the coaches see it that way.  Taggart has lost this team.  He may or may not be back next year.  If he is back it is because of $$$.  Learned that Harlan has a bit of a background in football and coached some.  When he watches this mess he understands.

 

You guys can talk about a better record this year.  People that know football know that this team has improved little in two years. 

 

Thank you as always for your inside info.  IF Harlan does fire Taggart I'm hoping he makes a hire on the same excitement level as the baseball and basketball hires.  

 

 

 

Harlan just now in the basketball halftime interview said "we're going to get all the right coaches" hopefully this includes football.

Edited November 16, 2014 by charsibb

[gibbsak]

People who think CWT will be fired are completely delusional ... (note, I didn't say "should be fired"... I said "will be fired"... "should" implies opinion, "will" implies fact)

He will NOT be fired. USF cannot afford to pay for THREE HEAD COACHES AT THE SAME TIME. In 2015, Holtz has one more year of his buyout. Firing CWT means paying HIS buyout... then paying the salary for another coach.

It may be ugly... but 4 wins are double last year... and more than Skip's last year...

It may not be fast enough for some people... but the team is improving.

Harlan is not going to fire CWT when he is making progress, and we can't really afford it anyway.

This. And, ugly as it is, in his first 2 years CWT has as many wins as Holtz last

2.

Things are improving, just not all at once.

[JTrue]

So as long as CWT wins more than Holtz's worst season, he's fine? High standards.

[Rizman]

He will not be fired

[puc86]

 

People who think CWT will be fired are completely delusional ... (note, I didn't say "should be fired"... I said "will be fired"... "should" implies opinion, "will" implies fact)

He will NOT be fired. USF cannot afford to pay for THREE HEAD COACHES AT THE SAME TIME. In 2015, Holtz has one more year of his buyout. Firing CWT means paying HIS buyout... then paying the salary for another coach.

It may be ugly... but 4 wins are double last year... and more than Skip's last year...

It may not be fast enough for some people... but the team is improving.

Harlan is not going to fire CWT when he is making progress, and we can't really afford it anyway.

This. And, ugly as it is, in his first 2 years CWT has as many wins as Holtz last

2.

Things are improving, just not all at once.

 

In CSH's last two seasons he had 8 wins, in CWT's first two seasons he has had 6 wins. That is not equal but even if it were that would show that things have remained the same, not that they improved. 

[DELdaBull]

I was disgusted with the team as a whole for the first 3+ quarters.

They could not do anything right.

[ThePuddingMan]

The only reason we have more wins this year is our conference is worse.

And if Mack doesn't go off in the first game we lose that too.