Taggart Files: Uniform Combinations Aplenty

After having to conduct the first real coaching search in more than four decades, Florida State decided on Bradenton native and former Oregon head coach Willie Taggart. Taggart has seemed to reinvigorate the fan base and will bring an explosive offense and a fresh perspective to Tallahassee.

Despite so many as aspects to coaching, one thing that has seemed to have gotten a lot of focus of late is uniform combinations. Under Jimbo Fisher, it was rare for the Seminoles to go beyond the traditional looks of gold pants and white or garnet jerseys, depending on the game’s location.

In a exercise that took far more time than expected, we looked at what Taggart’s teams have typically worn as far as uniforms are concerned. With that said, FSU fans should expect to the Seminoles go beyond the traditional look in 2018 and the seasons moving forward.

Here’s a look at the combinations for Taggart’s teams in each of his previous eight years as head coach:

Western Kentucky in 2010 (Seven combinations)

• White jersey, white pants, silver helmet
• Red jersey, white pants, silver helmet
• White jersey, silver pants, silver helmet
• White jersey, red pants, silver helmet
• Red jersey, silver pants, silver helmet
• Black jersey, black pants, silver helmet
• Black jersey, silver pants, silver helmet

Western Kentucky in 2011 (Two combinations)

• Red jersey, white pants, white helmet
• White jersey, white pants, white helmet

Western Kentucky in 2012 (Three combinations)

• Red jersey, white pants, white helmet
• White jersey, white pants, white helmet
• Red jersey, red pants, white helmet

South Florida in 2013 (Nine combinations)

• Green jerseys, white pants, white helmet
• White jerseys, white pants, white helmet
• Green jerseys, gold pants, white helmet
• Green jerseys, green pants, white helmet
• White jerseys, green pants, white helmet
• White jerseys, gold pants, gold helmet
• Green jerseys, green pants, American flag helmet
• Green jerseys, green pants, gold helmet
• White jerseys, green pants, gold helmet

South Florida in 2014 (10 combinations)

• Green jerseys, white pants, gold helmet
• Green jerseys, white pants, green helmet
• Green jerseys, green pants, green helmet
• White jerseys, white pants, green helmet
• Green jerseys, green pants, gold helmet
• White jerseys, green pants, green helmet
• White jerseys, white pants, white helmet
• White jerseys, gold pants, gold helmet
• White jerseys, green pants, gold helmet
• Green jerseys, green pants, white helmet

South Florida in 2015 (10 combinations)

• Green jerseys, green pants, gold helmet
• White jerseys, green pants, gold helmet
• Green jerseys and green pants with yellow designed scheme, white helmet
• White jerseys, white pants, white helmet
• White jerseys, green pants, white helmet
• Green jerseys and green pants with pink outline scheme, white helmet
• White jerseys, green pants, gold helmet
• Green jerseys, green pants, American flag helmet
• Green jerseys, green pants, green helmet
• Green jerseys, white pants, gold helmet

South Florida in 2016 (11 combinations)

• Green jerseys and green pants with yellow designed scheme, gold helmet
• Green jerseys, green pants, green helmet
• White jerseys, white pants, gold helmet
• Green jerseys, white pants, gold helmet
• White jerseys, white pants, gold helmet
• Green jerseys, white pants, green helmet
• Green jerseys, white pants, gold helmet
• Green jerseys and green pants with pink outline scheme, white helmet
• White jerseys, green pants, white helmet
• White jerseys, white pants, green helmet
• White jerseys, white pants, white helmet

Oregon in 2017 (10 combinations)

• Green jerseys, yellow pants, yellow helmet
• White jerseys, white pants, silver helmet
• White jerseys, green pants, green helmet
• White jerseys, white pants, silver winged helmet
• Green jerseys, black pants, black helmet
• Yellow jerseys, yellow pants, yellow helmet
• White jerseys, yellow pants, yellow helmet
• White jerseys, green pants, silver helmet
• Yellow jerseys, black pants, black helmet
• Green jerseys, green pants, green helmet

Synopsis: It’s not hard to see that Willie Taggart’s teams at his previous three head coaching stops were willing to switch things up. That’s not a surprise at a place like Oregon known for uniform combinations, but even during his first season at Western Kentucky, the Hilltoppers wore seven different uniform combinations.

In eight years under Fisher, Florida State wore just five total combinations. The Seminoles either wore garnet or white jerseys on gold pants with gold helmets virtually all of the time. Under Fisher, FSU used just five total combinations.

There were three occasions where the Seminoles broke tradition. FSU wore all white in the 2014 opener in Dallas against Oklahoma State. It wore all black with black helmets in the 2015 contest against Chattanooga. It wore all garnet in the 2015 Peach Bowl against Houston.

Add this season’s finale against Louisiana-Monroe which was coached by interim Odell Haggins and FSU has worn one of two combinations in 104 of its last 107 games. In Taggart’s final two years at Western Kentucky, his team wore just two combinations in 2011 and three in 2012. While most consider three combinations to be a “conservative” number in the modern era of uniforms, that’s still more than FSU utilized in six of its eight seasons under Fisher.

Although some may not be compatible as far as desired looks go, FSU has two different helmets, three different jerseys and four sets of pants. If they utilized all of those, the Seminoles would have 24 different uniforms combinations. With that being a hot topic of conversation, expect Florida State to use more than five under Taggart — maybe just next season alone.

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson