Take Two: Should Florida State consider Odell Haggins?
Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling an issue in the college football landscape. Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com national recruiting director Mike Farrell and an expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites or a regional analyst.
MORE TAKE TWO: Can Auburn flip elite offensive linemen?
THE STORYLINE
Florida State is conducting a nationwide search for its next football coach but many players on the team seem to want the committee to look inward instead of outward.
Numerous Seminoles took to social media and told reporters recently that interim head coach Odell Haggins has unified the team, demanded accountability and he has the respect of those in the locker room.
For his part, Haggins is undefeated in two stints as the interim coach with wins over ULM and Southern Miss in 2017 and Boston College and Alabama State so far in 2019. Those aren’t monumental victories, but the players love him, he has their respect and he’s turned down other opportunities to stay at Florida State.
Is Florida State flirting with Bob Stoops or P.J. Fleck, or considering Iowa State’s Matt Campbell, Penn State’s James Franklin or Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables (who also has no head coaching experience)? And if so, are the Seminoles' decision-makers missing an obvious coaching solution staring at them right in the face?
Clemson’s Dabo Swinney and LSU’s Ed Orgeron were both interim coaches that have worked out extraordinarily well. There have also been some that weren’t the right choice (Clay Helton, USC).
Haggins isn’t the biggest name in Florida State’s search, but should he be the next coach of the Seminoles or should the program continue to search for a more national name with head coaching experience?
FIRST TAKE: IRA SCHOFFEL, WARCHANT.COM
“Haggins has never been a 'climber' when it comes to his coaching career. He was very happy working as a defensive line coach for Bobby Bowden and then Jimbo Fisher, and he turned down a substantial offer from Fisher two years ago to go with him to Texas A&M. Haggins then stayed in Tallahassee when Willie Taggart arrived because he loves his alma mater more than he is concerned about making more money.
"But FSU's struggles the last few years have him at least considering a run at the top job. He sees the Seminoles' lack of overall discipline and toughness and probably wonders if he could help bring those qualities back to the program.
“From what I can gather, Haggins would only jump to the top of Florida State's list if two things happen -- if the Seminoles don't settle on someone else in the next two weeks and FSU either beats Florida or loses close in a great game. I get the sense FSU's administration would prefer to have someone with head coaching experience, which Haggins obviously doesn't have.
"But if they can't get one of their top candidates locked down and the Seminoles deliver an inspired effort in Gainesville -- especially if they win and improve his record to 5-0 as an interim head coach -- then Haggins would suddenly become very attractive.”
SECOND TAKE: MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS.COM
“They should go after someone with previous head coaching experience. That’s the difference between Haggins and Orgeron. Orgeron failed at Ole Miss but he was the interim guy at USC and the interim guy at LSU and they tried to get some other people but they decided on Orgeron in the end and that worked out well.
“If Florida State does strike out on a few of their top targets, he would be a good choice. Players like him, he’s an excellent recruiter but without significant head coaching experience you just don’t know what you’re getting.”