FSU Football: Willie Taggart must make changes or risk losing job

FSU Football is as close to crisis mode as possible through the first quarter of the season – and their second year coach is at risk of falling on the sword.

Since December of 2017 when he was named the latest head coach for the FSU football team, I have been one of the biggest supporters of Willie Taggart. I have defended him through arguments and discussions with people who either don’t know what they are talking about or refused to admit the dumpster fire that was here before he started.

I have been on Team Taggart through each of the six wins and nine losses over the last two seasons and have continued to defend him through what I think are the idiots in the Seminoles fan base who won’t give him an chance to succeed for whatever reason – whether it is because of his past record or because of his race.

Let me say that, even after losing for the third straight game after having a halftime lead, I am still 100 percent behind the current leader for the FSU football team – for now. Let me also just say this and I hope that Taggart at this point is listening:

Florida State Seminoles Football

It’s time for Willie Taggart to make changes to the 2019 Seminoles football program or he will be the one out of a job.

Taggart showed he is willing to do what is needed before when he hired Kendal Briles as the team’s new offensive coordinator – and have scored more points in three games this season than they did through five games last season…but the records are still the same as both teams have been 1-2 through the first quarter of the season.

So, what needs to change for the FSU football team? Is it time for defensive coordinator Harlon Barnett to lose his job after three straight games of blowing a halftime lead (something that is a lot easier to do now that Jim Leavitt, who was Taggart’s coordinator at Oregon and likely his first choice, is now on staff).

Is it time for there to be a serious conversation about whether quarterback James Blackman, who has struggled in the second half for nearly all three games this season, should be replaced by grad transfer Alex Hornibrook – someone who started three seasons at a Power Five school and actually has a win over rival Miami under his belt?

Quite frankly, the FSU football team is better on the field in terms of how they have played in 2019 versus what we saw last season – but with the records being identical, there is plenty of reason to be concerned if you are wearing garnet and gold.

Even if they defeat Louisville and N.C. State, the Noles are looking at 3-3 yet again after getting stomped by Clemson next month. True, the second half schedule looks a lot easier now with Syracuse and Miami both being 1-2 and Florida losing their starting quarterback to injury, but there is no reason to count on things being easier.

Taggart needs to realize that he is not going to get the same chances that every other coach of the Seminoles has gotten before. It’s the sad reality that I don’t like, but it’s what we are stuck with at this point.

Willie Taggart has a chance to do great things in Tallahassee if he is given the chance and given some time to clean up the disaster he inherited – but if he doesn’t make the changes that are needed sooner rather than later, he is not going to get a chance to make those changes because he will be the one looking for a new job.