Odell Haggins facts for kids
 |
|
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Associate head coach |
| Team | Florida State |
| Conference | ACC |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | February 27, 1967 Lakeland, Florida, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Bartow (FL) Florida State (1993) |
| Playing career | |
| 1985–1989 | Florida State |
| 1990 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1991 | Buffalo Bills |
| Position(s) | Defensive tackle |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1994–1995 | Florida State (TE/OL) |
| 1996–2018 | Florida State (DT) |
| 2019 | Florida State (AHC/DL) |
| 2019 | Florida State (interim head coach) |
| 2020–2024 | Florida State (AHC/DT) |
| 2025–present | Florida State (AHC) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 4–2 |
| Bowls | 1–1 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
|
|
Odell Haggins Jr. (born February 27, 1967) is a well-known American college football coach and former player. He currently works as an associate head coach and defensive tackles coach for Florida State University. He has been coaching at Florida State since 1994. Haggins has also stepped in twice as the team's temporary head coach. He led the team for the last two games of the 2017 season and the last four games of the 2019 season.
Contents
Odell Haggins' Football Journey
Odell Haggins has been a key part of the Florida State Seminoles coaching staff since 1994. Most of his time has been spent coaching the defensive tackle position. A defensive tackle is a player who tries to stop the other team from running the ball and puts pressure on the quarterback. Since 2014, Haggins has also been the associate head coach. This means he is one of the top coaches on the team.
Playing Days at Florida State
Haggins grew up in Bartow, Florida. He was a talented football player himself. He played as an All-American defensive lineman for the Florida State Seminoles. He played for the team from 1985 to 1989. His coach during those years was the famous Bobby Bowden.
After college, Haggins was picked by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1990 NFL draft. He played three years in the NFL with the 49ers and the Buffalo Bills.
From Player to Coach
After his time in the NFL, Haggins returned to Florida State in 1994. He started coaching for his old team. He first coached tight ends and the offensive line. He continued to coach under Bobby Bowden. When Jimbo Fisher became head coach in 2010, Haggins stayed on the coaching staff. In 2014, he was promoted to associate head coach.
Stepping Up as Interim Head Coach
In 2017, the head coach, Jimbo Fisher, left the team. Odell Haggins was asked to be the interim head coach. This means he was the temporary head coach. He did a great job, leading the Seminoles to two wins and a perfect 2–0 record. One of those wins was a big 42–13 victory over Southern Miss in the 2017 Independence Bowl. This win helped the team qualify for a bowl game.
Haggins was kept on the staff when Willie Taggart became the new head coach in 2018. But in 2019, Taggart was fired during the season. Again, Haggins stepped in as interim head coach. He led the team for the last three regular season games. The team won two of those games, finishing the season with a 6–6 record and reaching another bowl game. His overall record as interim head coach is 4 wins and 2 losses.
A Long-Time Seminole Coach
In December 2019, Mike Norvell became the new head coach for FSU. He made sure Odell Haggins was one of the first coaches he hired for his staff. The 2023 season marked Haggins' 30th year as an assistant coach at FSU. This makes him the longest-serving assistant coach in the entire country by a lot! He has worked under four different head coaches at Florida State.
Hall of Fame Honor
In 2018, Odell Haggins was honored for his amazing career. He was chosen to be part of the FSU Athletics Hall of Fame. This is a special award that recognizes his contributions to Florida State football as both a player and a coach.
