FSU Football: Legends educate new players to honor being a Seminole

FSU football has a rich tradition that the members of #Tribe18 are in charge of continuing, a tradition former starts do not want to see dropped.

In the six months since Willie Taggart has taken over the duties as head coach of the FSU football team, a noticeable change has taken place that you hardly saw in the previous administration: the amount of former players who are coming back to be a part of the program and bring the family atmosphere back to the program.

Under the former coach, only players that were coaches during his eight seasons seemed to be welcomed back on campus and part of the Seminoles. Now, Taggart has made it clear that anyone who wore the garnet and gold is wanted to help educate the newest group of Noles to know what it means to play for Florida State.

The change was evident during the spring game, when hundreds of former FSU football players – including stars like Jameis Winston, Deion Sanders, Peter Warrick and more – were inside Doak Campbell Stadium with the family feel back and alive.

This past week, the newest group of Seminoles arrived when the summer enrollees for the #Tribe18 class arrived on campus for classes. Inside the football facilities, former players like All-American Corey Simon, Michael Boulware, Mario Edwards Sr. and more – including former All-American and undefeated interim coach Odell Haggins – let them know what will be expected when the repression the Noles and the status they must live up to.

It’s a fine line that most programs have to do when talking about past accomplishments, when you don’t want to live in the past like some programs (Miami, Notre Dame, etc.) but don’t want to ignore what got you to this point.

FSU football and the staff built Taggart has built seem to get it. They have created a perfect mix of using what the Seminoles have done over the past 71 seasons as a jumping off point for what the next 71 seasons will bring.

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The Noles may not have a century of football experience like some schools, but they have done more in just seven decades of playing than a lot of programs have done in 120 years or more. Now, it’s up to the next generation of FSU football players to decide if they want to be a part of the group that continues the standard that past stars have set.