Florida State football probably wasn’t expecting to play in the Independence Bowl but the Seminoles took care of Southern Miss.
The 2018 season is going to look extremely different for Florida State football. Former national title-winning head coach Jimbo Fisher won’t be roaming the sidelines in the season-opener for the first time in recent memory, instead former Oregon coach Willie Taggart will do so.
Before all that could happen, though, the Seminoles had one final game against Southern Miss to end the season. The Golden Eagles didn’t exactly strike fear into Florida State as the Seminoles rolled to a blowout victory in the Independence Bowl, 42-13.
The Seminoles improved to 7-6 and avoided their first losing season since 1976. It’s been an up-and-down year, but they ended on a high note and it looks like the program is headed in the right direction with a new coach at the helm for 2018.
What did we learn from the Seminoles’ final game of the season before the start of the Taggart era.
3. Odell Haggins was a great hire for Willie Taggart
No, Odell Haggins isn’t new to Tallahassee as he’s been an assistant coach for the Seminoles since 1994 and was named the interim head coach following the departure of Jimbo Fisher. Not all of Willie Taggart’s assistants have been named, but retaining Haggins might be the best move of all.
The 50-year-old coach will stay at his alma mater to coach the defensive ends and he has done a fantastic job with this team ever since Fisher left town. He has kept the Seminoles together and led them to bowl eligibility with a win in the season finale as well as a victory over Southern Miss in the Independence Bowl.
Not many coaches can come in and keep things together after a coach abruptly leaves in a controversial fashion, but Haggins deserves all the credit in the world. Although it may have been held together by Elmer’s glue, Haggins did a great job.
Players seem to love the head coach and he will be one of those guys who Florida State relies upon plenty moving forward.