Report: Oregon to name Willie Taggart as head coach

Oregon will reportedly hire South Florida head coach Willie Taggart to be its new head coach, according Brett McMurphy of ESPN.

Taggart spent the last four seasons with the Bulls, improving their record each year. In 2013, South Florida went 2-10, then improved to 4-8 and 8-5 in each subsequent year. Finally in 2016, the Bulls finished 10-2 - the most wins in school history - while also claiming a share of a division title in the American Athletic Conference.

Prior to South Florida, Taggart was the head coach at his alma mater, Western Kentucky, for three seasons from 2010-12.

Taggart has experience in the northwest, having coached at Oregon rival Stanford from 2007-09, as the Cardinal's running backs coach.

The 40-year-old replaces Mark Helfrich, who was fired after four years and a 4-8 record in 2016, the worst in school history since 1991 (3-8).

Mississippi State's Dan Mullen was the other finalist, a source told McMurphy