Florida State Football: 5 holiday wish list items for Seminoles in 2019

1. Fewer penalties

During the first seasons at Taggart’s past three stops — South Florida, Oregon, and now FSU — his teams have finished dead last in penalty yards allowed. Needless to say, it is impossible to run an up-tempo offense when every other play is a drive-stopping penalty.

Certain coaches need to be held accountable — and that might result in tough decisions. You can’t find yourself nine or 10 games into the season and still fielding an incomplete special teams unit. Nor should an offense billed as “lethal simplicity” struggle with basic line-up formations deep into the season.

This team also needs leadership, especially on offense. All too often this season, the Noles quit. And more than a couple of punches were thrown.

Following a home blowout (those words again) to Clemson, Taggart promised to weed out the bad apples and sit the quitters. Those promises were half-kept, as the Noles balanced discipline with trying to keep the bowl streak alive.

This offseason, Taggart and company will need to focus not only on recruiting elite football talent, but high-quality individuals who are mentally tough.