Willie Taggart addressed Florida State’s low APR score during a speaking engagement on Thursday, expressing confidence that the football program was moving in a good direction academically.

The NCAA released its annual Academic Progress Rates for athletic programs earlier this week, and the multi-year score for FSU’s football program -- 936 -- was the lowest of any Football Bowl Subdivision team.

Going below 930 in the multi-year range could lead to penalties (such as reduced practice time, postseason bans). FSU had a 922 score for the 2017-18 academic year, which combined Jimbo Fisher’s last season at FSU and Taggart’s first semester.

"I think with the APR you don't get there in one year and you don't change it in one year. But you put a plan together and you work to get it done,” Taggart said during a Seminole Boosters tour in Fort Myers, per the News-Press. “We've always had a plan. Academics have always been first. No matter where we were we're going to work to get it better and it will be better. I think as that gets better you'll see better play as well."

Taggart has routinely discussed the importance of academics since he arrived at FSU in December of 2017, and he says he’s seen growth in that area.

"We're making sure our guys are going to class and we're recruiting the right guys who want to come there for both," Taggart said. "I think, more importantly, it's holding our guys accountable. Our guys had a heck of a semester in the classroom. We had 29 guys get their personal best this semester. We had over 24 guys with over a 3.0 or better. That's just with 87 guys on the team.

On Friday, Taggart took to Twitter to congratulate the 24 players with 3.0+ GPAs.

I'm proud of @TannerAkison commitment to excellence in the classroom. He finished this semester with a 4.0 GPA!#DidSomething — Willie Taggart (@CoachTaggart) May 10, 2019

I'm proud of @KingJay_07 commitment to excellence in the classroom. He finished this semester with a 3.4 GPA.#DidSomething — Willie Taggart (@CoachTaggart) May 10, 2019

The list included scholarship starters such as RB Cam Akers, OL Landon Dickerson, DE Janarius Robinson, LB Dontavious Jackson, FB Gabe Nabers and others.