Dixie Fried Sports The South's Best Sports WebSite
Your Subtitle text
Taaffe's Giant Killers
Taaffe's Giant Killers
Life at the Military College of South Carolina isn't easy. Coaching football there isn't either. Recruiting against nonmilitary schools is tough, but that's alright; only a certain type of man needs to apply anyway. Not only do the rigors of the Southern Conference take its toll, but bigger schools expect your team to show up and lose in front of 75,000 fans. Sometimes, though, things don't always work out that way. Hard work, mental toughness, and determination sometimes prevail. Sounds farfetched to some, yes, but one could always ask anyone that played for Charlie Taafe's Bulldogs in the late 1980's and early 1990's.
Taaffe, who had previously been the offensive coordinator at West Point, lead some of the best teams in the history of the Citadel. There were 6 victories against Division 1-A teams in a 5 year span. Taaffe's teams would defeat Navy in 1988 and 1989, Army in 1991 and 1992, South Carolina in 1990 and Arkansas in 1992. Known as much for his intensity as the wishbone offense, Taafe was a stickler for detail. This attention to the small things on the practice field would lead to big things on gameday.
The 1992 team particularly stands out. The season opened with a shocking 10-3 win over Arkansas in Fayetteville. The Bulldogs weren't fazed by what can be an intimidating crowd at Reynolds Stadium. Arkansas, beginning SEC play for the first time that year, got caught looking over the Bulldogs. That was a big mistake, as Razorback head coach Jack Crowe would be let go the day following the loss. Houston Nutt, later head coach of Arkansas, was coaching the receivers for the Hogs in 1992. He would claim not to remember too much about the game. Not so for everyone else, as the game has become one of the most celebrated in Citadel Athletics. The Bulldogs would go to 4-0 with the victory over Army. The Bulldogs would overcome both a 14-6 deficit and an injury to starting quarterback Jack Douglas to rise to a #8 ranking in the 1-AA polls. That win would be followed by a 25-0 blanking of Appalachian State, double digit wins over Tennessee Chattanooga, Newberry College, and V.M.I. , and a hard fought 20-14 win over in state rival Furman. The only blemish on the record was a loss to up and coming Marshall. Heading into the postseason, the Bulldogs were ranked #1 in the country. Though the Citadel would fall to eventual national champion Youngstown State, 1992 was a banner year for the Bulldogs, as they captured their first conference championship since 1961. For his efforts, Taaffe won the Eddie Robinson Award, given to the most outstanding coach in Division 1-AA. In 10 seasons at The Citadel, his overall record was 55-47-1, including six seasons of .500 or better and is the school's winningest head coach.
Although the Taaffe era may have ended sourly after the 1995 season, his tenure at the Citadel is something to be remembered and appreciated. His teams set the example that doing things the right way has its rewards. Despite the challenges involved in coaching at the Citadel, Taaffe was successful. Douglas, his quarterback for the glory years of 1989-92. and the all time leading rusher at QB in division 1-AA, would have this to say about his coach: "Intensity is the best word I can use to describe him." Taaffe, who has since moved on to the University of Maryland and the Canadian Football League, will forever be known for taking Citadel men, already dedicated, and turning them into conquering heroes. No longer would they be viewed as a patsy program to be looked past on the schedule. After all, every dog has its day
