I wrote in the comments at 3:00 PM on Saturday, and I am more convinced, (75% to 25%) that Coach Willie Taggart will stay at Oregon. To some, the events of this last afternoon swirling in social media does not appear that way, but let me give you my reasons why I believe he will stay. (It is only fitting I deliver this since FishDuck.com was the first Oregon website to state that we should hire Coach Taggart last year at this time.)
Why had Florida State not offered until this afternoon?
I believe Willie was being slow-played by the Seminoles as they had other candidates higher on their list, and that certainly made an impression on him. Now that they have offered–it is not much different than what Oregon offered a week ago in 4 million per year from the Ducks, and now 4.1 million from FSU. Taggart is reported as “not happy” with the offer, but keep in mind that Florida State must pay the three million dollar buyout to Oregon and another million to South Florida. So over five years–$800,000 a year is not even going to WT?
Coach Taggart feels he is in the 5-million range like Scott Frost and Dan Mullens, and that is darn near what FSU would be paying in total, (4.9 mill.) so those buyouts serve to make Willie’s wishes a bit more difficult.
What a Circus that Taggart has put us through!
I’m glad he’s in our corner on this!
Not really. He re-tweeted at the time what a journalist wrote last week about the coach taking a look at what FSU would offer, but would probably stay because, “that Phil Knight is a very persuasive guy!” That conveys that Willie agrees with that tweet/message when he re-tweeted it … that he would look at the Seminole offer and give Phil the chance to meet or beat it. This matches what he has been saying and what the recruit in Arizona was quoted in ScoopDuck.com as well this morning in that “Coach was going to take a look at the offer, but will probably be back.”
Word is that WT is flying back tonight to meet with Phil and UO AD officials, and that is honorable conduct instead of showing up in Florida announcing as the new FSU coach in the morning.
The Damage of a One-Year Exit….
If Willie leaves after one year, then he must do extremely well at Florida State, because his credibility and a big part of his presentation will be compromised. It would be used against him in recruiting forever, where-ever he went after Florida State, so considering the bond he has with the Oregon players, the recruits brought in last year, and the new ones about to sign–I think the relationship is too great, and I don’t think he will take the hit to the reputation.
Willie is a Traitor, and we shouldn’t want him…
Nobody wears halos here; Oregon was ruthless in firing a coaching staff for one bad year, and that sent a message through college football. We all are looking out for our own interests and that of our family and you can’t blame Willie for taking a look at the offer and using it to get more out of Oregon. This new Oregon contract will have a buy-out clause that could choke a horse; once he signs it there will not be any suitors for 3-4 years, as the total price will be too high.
UO Athletic Director Rob Mullens has a big challenge…
And once he signs the contract–he is locked into it and will not have this opportunity to get an earnings boost again. He has to make the most of this opportunity, and I believe he will be worth it for our beloved Ducks.
There is an Upside to all this drama?
Sure. Future Decembers will be tame as we are taking the penalty for a coach’s success up-front, and not a year later. If Taggart wins 10 games next year and has Justin Herbert as a Heisman finalist–Willie will be hot-hot-hot, and yet locked into a contract with a prohibitive buy-out. As fans? Let’s take our medicine now…
He’ll be back. Book it!
Charles Fischer (FishDuck)
Eugene, Oregon
Top Photo: From FishDuck.com Video
My friends…even with reading glasses–I have trouble with the small fonts of the lettering in the comments. To make it easier to read–please hit “enter” after every three sentences in your comment to create spaces, as I will not try to strain at them any longer, and thus cannot answer them if they are ongoing continuous sentences.
(MaitaiDuck and JohnMacDonald–I love you guys, but help me out here! Other commenters do it as well, and I ask all of you to make it easy on me and thus your fellow readers, as they will more likely read your comment. My sincere thanks… Charles Fischer
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Charles Fischer has been an intense fan of the Ducks, a season ticket holder at Autzen Stadium for 38 years and has written reports on football boards for over 26 years. Known as “FishDuck” on those boards, he is acknowledged for providing intense detail in his scrimmage reports, and in his Xs and Os play analyses. He is single, has a daughter Christine, and resides in Eugene Oregon where he was a Financial Advisor for 36 years.
He now focuses full-time on Charitable Planned Giving Workshops for churches and non-profit organizations in addition to managing his two Oregon Football Websites, of FishDuck.com and the Our Beloved Ducks forum. He is a busy man!
He does not profess to be a coach or analyst, but simply a “hack” that enjoys sharing what he has learned and invites others to correct or add to this body of Oregon Football! See More…