Theres a subtle difference with reenergized John Harbaugh as he begins new Giants chapter
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va.— If there was a title to be bestowed, Willie Taggart would hold it.Call him Senior Harbaugh Analyst.Taggart is entering his first training camp as the Giants’ running backs coach but in many ways this is same-old, same-old for him.
His affiliation with the Harbaugh family runs far deeper than his relationship with John Harbaugh, the man who four years ago brought Taggart into the NFL after he traversed a winding road across various college coaching stops.Get texts from Paul Schwartz with all the latest Giants news and insights, exclusive to Sports+ subscribers.
When the Giants reached out and handed Harbaugh a five-year, $100 million contract, desperate for him to save the franchise — that is not hyperbole — they entrusted him to assemble as high-quality a staff as there is in the entire NFL.Harbaugh asked several of his loyalists from his time in Baltimore to join him in this new endeavor.
Taggart is one of those, to be sure, and he is much more than that.He is an expert on all things Harbaugh, with strong ties to Jack (the father) and sons John and Jim.Taggart knows Jackie (Jack’s wife) and Joanie (John and Jim’s sister).
Tending to the running backs for John is Taggart’s current responsibility but not his only expertise.He is part of John’s new project because he is a big believer in the roots and foundation of this particular coaching tree.“I think it’s just a Harbaugh thing,’’ Taggart told the Post back in the spring.
“It started with Jack and Jackie and Jim and Joanie.I think it’s a Harbaugh thing.
And what I mean by that is when it comes to coaching you either get one or the other, forcefulness or sincerity and not many coaches have both.When you’re dealing with the Harbaughs they have them both, they know how to do them and do them both very well.“They’re great with people and as a player you appreciate that.
You appreciate when a coach can get on you and also when a coach can pat you o...