fau video board willie taggart

Staff Additions

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BOCA RATON – New FAU coach Willie Taggart took several steps to fill his coaching staff this past week, including the naming of co-offensive coordinators.

Former Texas passing game coordinator Drew Mehringer, fired by the Longhorns earlier in the month, will coach the Owls wide receivers and co-coordinate the offensive along with quarterbacks coach Clint Trickett.

Mehringer spent three seasons at Texas. Prior to that he served as the Rutgers offensive coordinator. He was also a co-offensive coordinator at James Madison.

Defensively, Taggart tabbed former University of Miami defensive end Kevin Patrick to be the Owls’ outside linebackers coach.

North Carolina State’s defensive line coach last season, Patrick also coached that same position for Texas Tech, North Texas and South Florida in previous seasons.

OwlAccess.com previously reported that former USF head coach Jim Leavitt will serve as Taggart’s defensive coordinator.

Offensively, Taggart promoted off-field assistant Chris Perkins to running backs coach, replacing Kevin Smith, who left with former coach Lane Kiffin for Mississippi. Perkins worked closely with Smith last season.

As OwlAccess.com reported last week, Taggart retained special teams coach Jaron Fairman. He’ll add tight end coaching responsibilities to his special teams duties.

Taggart also officially elevated Trickett from tight ends coach to quarterbacks coach/co-offensive coordinator, which OwlAccess.com reported last week was likely. Trickett’s brother, Travis, served as FAU’s offensive coordinator during the Charlie Partridge era.

FAU hired Joey Guarascio as its strength and conditioning coach, replacing Wilson Love, who also left for Mississippi.

Taggart has yet to name a defensive backs coach. Cornerbacks coach Jason Jones and safeties coach Wes Neighbors left with former defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer to join the South Florida staff.

Three on-field coaching positions remain to be filled on Taggart’s staff.



FAUOwlAccess.com