Credit Willie Taggart with Florida State's best defensive stand of the day.
After rival Florida snapped its five-game losing streak against the Seminoles with a 41-14 victory Saturday at Doak Campbell Stadium, it was FSU's first-year head coach who physically stopped the Gators from planting a giant UF flag on the Seminole head logo at midfield.
The scene unfolded as players from both teams met near the 50-yard line following the game, and UF defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson approached with the flag.
Gators coach Dan Mullen also was seen yelling at his players to stop and, "show some class." But it was Taggart and another FSU staffer who actually stood in front of Gardner-Johnson and turned him away.
A UF staffer then took the flag away in an effort defuse the situation.
"This is our school. This is Florida State," Taggart said, when asked why it was important to stop the flag-planting. "Again, you don't do that. I'm sure we go there they don't want that done either. So again, it's important and I want our players to know how important it is to be here at Florida State and how important it is to have pride for our university and what we do, and it's so important that we all feel that way, not just myself."
A handful of former FSU players posted on social media that the Seminoles' players should have been the ones standing up to protect the field, but Taggart said he preferred that the players stay out of it.
"I think when players get involved in that, that's when you have the riots and all that, because they don't necessarily handle it the right way," Taggart said. "You know, I just tell [their] guys we're not going to do that today here. Especially right there in the middle of our field on our logo. You go to sideline and plant it, but don't do it right there -- that's disrespectful. Especially right while we were standing right there.
"But,no, I didn't want necessarily want our players to do that or anything ... I think it's another teaching moment for everybody."
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