The Baltimore Ravens continue to make changes to their coaching staff with Lamar Jackson's future unclear for the time being. On Wednesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that former Florida State head coach Willie Taggart is heading to Baltimore to become the running backs coach.
The #Ravens are expected to hire Willie Taggart as their running backs coach, per source.
Taggart — the former head coach at FAU, Florida State, Oregon, South Florida and Western Kentucky — was once Jim Harbaugh’s RB coach at Stanford. Now joins brother John in Baltimore.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 22, 2023
Taggart has been in the college ranks for some time, including head coaching jobs at Florida State, Florida Atlantic, Oregon, South Florida, and Western Kentucky. Taggart also coached for Ravens HC John Harbaugh's brother, Jim, during his days with Stanford.
Taggart replaced Lane Kiffin at Florida Atlantic but then was fired in November of 2022 following a loss to Western Kentucky. However, it didn't take long for Taggart's name to surface, and Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders had his eyes on Taggart joining the staff in Boulder.
Spoke to former FAU coach Willie Taggart. He visited Deion Sanders' staff in Boulder this week, but has not taken a job there. He spent last week at Michigan and is headed to Baltimore this week to visit with the Ravens.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 6, 2022
Sanders even said that Taggart was going to “walk through that door at any moment” back in January, so Taggart not going to Boulder is a bit of a surprise.
However, Taggart is now headed to the NFL and will work with a talented running back room that includes JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards. Craig Ver Steeg has been the Ravens RB coach since 2019, although it remains unclear which position he will hold now that Taggart is coming in to take over the job.
Taggart was also a star quarterback for Western Kentucky, and that team was coached by Jack Harbaugh, so the Taggart-Harbaugh relationship runs deep. Willie Taggart is officially leaving the college ranks and heading to the NFL in a bit of a surprising move.