Pay for play? FSU's Taggart prefers trust funds for college athletes
AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. -- When it comes to the football field, Willie Taggart is all about forcing the issue. He runs an up-tempo offense and covets an attacking defense, and his trademark motto is, "Do something."
When it comes to his first appearance at the annual ACC Spring Meetings here at the posh Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, Taggart is taking a more laid-back approach.
Wearing a black Florida State polo with a large Seminole logo, the first-year head coach says he is mostly in listening mode during the discussions about recent NCAA rule changes and assorted proposals.
"Really, we're just in there venting," Taggart said with a smile. "If there's something I feel strongly about, I'll say it."
That is not to say Taggart doesn't have strong opinions.
During a nearly 15-minute conversation with reporters during a break in Tuesday's meetings, the Seminoles' head coach was perhaps most passionate when talk turned to the topic of paying college players.
Taggart did not hesitate to say that players should be getting paid on top of their current scholarship packages, which include "full cost of attendance." But he added that the money should only come after their college careers have come to a close and they have earned their degrees.
"Should they get paid? Sure," Taggart said. "I think there should be some kind of trust fund for guys to get paid. ... But I think they need to graduate in order to get that fund."
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While some college sports officials and observers have advocated paying players while they're in school -- actively helping to generate millions of dollars for their universities -- Taggart said that concept is flawed for several reasons.
Number one, the players don't need large incomes when they're still in college, getting all of their necessities covered. He said most players face much larger financial challenges after their playing days.
"We need to think about helping them when they get out of college," Taggart said. "Not while they're in college. We're taking care of them. They've been taken care of all their life. Once they get out of school, nobody takes care of them. That's when most of the kids get themselves in trouble."
Another issue, he said, is that many players likely would feel obligated to send payments they received in college back home to their families. While that would be a nice gesture, he said it doesn't necessarily create long-term solutions for the players or their families.
"That's not why they come to school -- to take care of anybody back home," Taggart said. "They're trying to get an education so they can really take care ... they're not taking care of anybody back home by what they send back."
In Taggart's opinion, tying the trust funds to college graduation would be a much greater long-term solution. Not only would the money be there when they need it most, but it would be a great incentive for college athletes to earn their degrees.
"I think we all know that and see that, but I guess that's too easy to do," Taggart said. "To me, that's the right thing to do. ... Everybody's talking about pay, pay, pay. Nobody's talking about graduate anymore."
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