FSU Football: Five Parallels Between Start of Fisher and Taggart Eras

Coaching changes have become much more common at Florida State, but only relatively speaking. Over the last 42 years, the FSU program has had just two permanent head coaches with Willie Taggart recently becoming the third.

Although the recent end of the Jimbo Fisher era was rocky, the duration of it was nothing short of prosperous. After spending three years as the offensive coordinator, Fisher took over for the legendary Bobby Bowden to start the 2010 season.

In just under eight years as the FSU head coach, Fisher led the Seminoles to seven top-25 finishes, five bowl victories, four top-10 finishes, three ACC titles and one national championship. While there are a number of significant differences between the start of the Fisher era and the start of the Taggart era, there are some similarities as well.

Here’s a look at five of them:

1. FSU was coming off a 7-6 season
As was the case when Fisher took over in 2010, the Seminoles are coming off a 7-6 finish. The expectations in 2017 however, were much higher than they were in 2009. Sure, FSU began the year ranked 18th, but that’s a far cry from the No. 3 national ranking that Florida State owned to start the 2017 campaign.

Disappointing seasons at the start of the Fisher era had become common as the 7-6 finish in 2009 was the third such finish in four years. Prior to last season, Florida State had won at least 10 games in six of the previous seven seasons and had not lost more than four games at any point during that span.

2. Momentum from a strong finish
While both 2009 and 2017 seasons were disappointing ones for Florida State, it should be noted that the Seminoles finished strong each year. In 2009, FSU was in danger of watching its bowl streak and string of winning seasons come to an end after starting 4-5.

From there, the Seminoles managed to win three of their final four games, which included a 33-21 upset of No. 18 West Virginia in the Gator Bowl to send the legend Bowden out a winner. This season, Florida State was just 3-6 through nine games before winning its final four capped with a 42-13 win over Southern Mississippi in the Independence Bowl.

3. Injured starting quarterback returning
Both the 2010 and 2018 teams will return a quarterback coming back from injury. In 2009, Christian Ponder separated his shoulder making a tackle after an interception in a 40-24 loss at Clemson in November. Last season, Deondre Francois suffered a torn patella tendon in the first game of the season against Alabama.

Francois was the ACC Rookie of the Year as a redshirt freshman in 2016. Ponder likely would have been an All-ACC selection in 2009 had he not missed the final four games. Both the 2009 and 2017 teams were able to finish strong with a freshman quarterback. In 2009, it was a redshirt freshman in E.J. Manuel as opposed to a true freshman in James Blackman last season. There does seem to be more optimism that Blackman could unseat Francois this upcoming season than there was that Manuel would beat out Ponder in 2010.

4. Strong National Signing Day finish
Like Jimbo Fisher during his first cycle as head coach, Willie Taggart finished strong on the recruiting trail with his first class. Fisher’s class finished No. 8, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. Taggart’s first class finish 11th, but climbed 53 spots in less than two months.

Taggart’s strong finish included the additions of five prospects on Signing Day, headlined by defensive end Malcolm Lamar, athlete Tre’Shaun Harrison and wide receiver Jordan Young. On National Signing Day in 2010, FSU reeled in linebackers Jeff Luc and Christian Jones, defensive end Bjoern Wener and defensive back Lamarcus Joyner.

5. Full class removed from an ACC title appearance
When Fisher took over for the legendary Bowden, Florida State had not made an ACC Championship since winning the conference crown in 2005. While there are a few players that were redshirted in 2014 like fullback Jonathan Vickers, center Alec Eberle and defensive tackles Arthur Williams and Demarcus Christmas, Taggart will inherit a team that is four years removed from its last ACC Championship appearance.

When it comes to getting to the ACC Championship early in his tenure, Taggart will hope to replicate Fisher’s success. Fisher made the conference title game in his first year and four of his first five, winning three straight from 2012-14. That’s something that only Clemson — over the last three years — has duplicated since the conference went to divisions and a championship in 2005.

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