Florida football: Gators should start scheduling FAU if this is true

Not directly related to Florida football, but perhaps the Gators want to schedule the Owls for open dates if the news proves to be true.

It’s certainly a good thing that Florida football isn’t interested in mediocrity.

But, it’s somewhat unfortunate that Florida Atlantic is.

After losing Lane Kiffin to Ole Miss, the Owls are digging into the deepest part of the coaching well to lure former Florida State head coach Willie Taggart off the unemployment line and a spot in Boca Raton.

If you remember, Taggart was fired in November from the Seminoles job after just 21 games at the helm.

If the reports are true (and ESPN is the latest to report that it likely is), Florida Atlantic would be the third coaching stop in Florida for Taggart — who is a native of Bradenton.

The problem is he’s had just one 10-win season and it was in 2016 at South Florida.

So, it looks like a big step back for FAU.

Now, what all this means for Florida football is actually very little. It’s not like Taggart was a recruiting force in Florida before when he had the Florida State name behind him.

Florida Atlantic, while good enough to win the Conference USA title twice under Kiffin, isn’t necessarily a place a 5-star recruit looks to land — unless they wanted to be coaching by Kiffin specifically.

I really don’t understand the logic behind Florida Atlantic going after Taggart, unless they just wanted to get someone in a hurry.

Let’s just hope Taggart remembers the school that hired him when he does that first promo video for social media. I’d play the video, but it has been taken down when Taggart shouted out to Ducks Nation, but it was a video for Florida State. Yeah, that’s about how his tenure with the Seminoles went.

I mean, even South Florida got Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott for their opening and he has the Dabo Sweeney pedigree behind him. Taggart has, well, nothing really.

All-in-all, Taggart going to FAU means he will likely fade into the football nether regions and not pose much of a threat to Dan Mullen or any other member of the Florida football staff.

In fact, because Mullen and Florida football has so thoroughly dominated Taggart during his time at Florida State, perhaps adding FAU to the football non-conference schedule isn’t a bad idea.

Oh, but we are trying to bolster that non-conference schedule, so nevermind.

Well, best of luck to Taggart and FAU for the future, I guess.

Remember, No. 6 Florida football will take on No. 24 Virginia on Dec. 30 in the Orange Bowl in Miami Gardens, Florida.