FSU football: Thoughts on Ron Dugans and Odell Haggins extensions
By Kelvin Hunt
Odell Haggins
I’m not upset Odell Haggins returns in 2022. He’s still one of the best defensive tackle coaches in the game. My only criticism of Haggins has been two things.
The poor performances of the defensive line in 2020 and the inability to land difference-making players from a recruiting standpoint. FSU hasn’t signed a blue-chip defensive tackle since the 2018 recruiting cycle with Robert Cooper.
The defensive line was expected to be a strength in 2020 but was one of the most underperforming units on the team. However, Haggins played a role in landing transfer Fabien Lovett, and the defensive line returned to a level of respectability in 2021.
The miss on four-star defensive tackle Tyre West during the 2022 Early Signing Period stung, but I believe that had to do more with NIL than something Odell Haggins could control.
The defensive line expects to be strong again in 2022, and Haggins landed two early enrollee defensive tackles in the 2022 recruiting cycle.
They will need development, but we’ve seen Haggins continue the ability to develop players, with Malcolm Ray and Jarrett Jackson beginning to emerge last year.
Will he finally find his next blue-chip defensive tackle in the 2023 recruiting cycle? He has some targets, so we’ll see how those relationships develop.