Willie Taggart's 40-45 career record as a head coach doesn't exactly jump off the page. The absence of a conference title in seven seasons probably doesn't inspire confidence. The inability of Oregon—with Nike money to play with—to land a coaching superstar might seem like a letdown on the surface.
Don't be fooled, though. Taggart—Oregon's new head coach, according to ESPN's Brett McMurphy and multiple reports—is a perfect fit for the new era of Duck football.
After having promoted from within for its last three head coaching hires, and finding success in all three, this was a critical hire for a program in search of a new identity.