As the Florida State Seminoles sit at 3-4, a second straight season without a bowl opportunity could be in play. For a fan base hungry for a winner, frustration mounts with head coach Willie Taggart following a 22-20 loss at Wake Forest.

But could change really be on the way for the second-year Seminoles coach? According to Noles247 expert Josh Newberg, serious discussions could already be underway in Tallahassee.

“I believe an exit strategy is being discussed,” Newberg said on the “On the Bench” Podcast. “It’s not a certainty right now. Nothing is done but it is getting real. I’m told that this is a situation where Jimmy Sexton and the FSU administration have been in touch. They have been talking directly about money and a potential buyout-slash-negotiation if it is to come to that. Yeah. I think in the scenario where Taggart does get let go, it’s if this team continues to go down the path that it’s going, continues to play and make the same mistakes that it has. And on the business side, there’s a deal that gets struck in the background.

“I don't think it happens today. I don’t think it happens tomorrow. I think once that window closes in the next 24-48 hours, we’re going to see Willie Taggart coach again at Florida State unless something gets announced in the next 24 hours. Yeah, I do see a scenario where that happens.”

But what goes into the decision? First, there are certainly arguments that the Seminoles need to give a new coach more time. Taggart has not even had two full seasons since he left Oregon for the vacancy opened by Jimbo Fisher’s departure. He went 2-10 at Western Kentucky before back-to-back bowl games. He did was 6-18 at USF before an 11-win season that sent him to Oregon.

There is also the topic of money. Football Scoop broke it down, and the buyout is significant.

“Taggart’s buyout calls for the university to pay 85 percent of his remaining contract. At $5 million a year with four years remaining after this one, that would equal a $17 million bill for the university. Any buyout would be subject to offset from subsequent employment; but this remains a staggering number.”

Like any other public university, Florida State released Taggart’s contract details upon his hire. The clause in Taggart’s contract states, “The University reserves the right to terminate your employment without cause for its own convenience at any time. In the event you are terminated without cause, University will pay you liquidated damages in an amount equal to 85 percent the total remaining compensation due to you through the end of the otherwise unexpired term, less required deductions and applicable withholdings for federal, state and local taxes. The payments will be made on a monthly basis over the remaining term of the contract.”

Taggart has a 55-61 overall record as a head coach, and is 8-11 at Florida State. The Seminoles hired taggart out of Oregon after Jimbo Fisher left for the vacancy at Texas A&M. Last year’s losing season for Taggart saw a 36-year bowl streak end at Florida State.