Odell Haggins enters his 29th season on Florida State’s coaching staff in 2022. The longest-tenured assistant coach at one institution in the country, he has helped FSU post a 254-99-1 (.719) record with 13 ACC titles and two national championships in his time on staff. In recognition of his many accomplishments at Florida State, he was inducted in the Florida State Athletics Hall of Fame class of 2018.

Haggins has twice served as interim head coach for the Seminoles and has a career record of 4-2. He has led Florida State to bowl eligibility in both tenures as an interim head coach, including in 2017 when FSU clinched bowl eligibility for an NCAA-record 36th straight year and won the Independence Bowl to finish the program’s 41st consecutive winning season. He was named interim head coach again on Nov. 3, 2019, and led the Seminoles to two wins and a return to bowl eligibility.

Haggins has coached 20 defensive linemen that have been selected in the NFL Draft, including seven first-round selections, as well as linemen who have earned 32 All-ACC honors and nine All-America recognitions. Andre Wadsworth was the No. 3 overall pick in 1998 and remained the highest-drafted player in FSU history until 2015 when Jameis Winston was selected No. 1 overall.

Haggins has established himself as an outstanding recruiter, developer of talent and a role model to his players. He earned ACC Top Recruiter of the Year honors from ESPN in 2012. In 2014, Haggins was named one of the top 25 recruiters in the nation by Rivals.com for the fourth consecutive year. He captured the same top-25 mention from 247Sports in 2016.

His 2021 group was headlined by All-ACC performers Robert Cooper and Fabien Lovett. In 2020, Haggins’ group combined for 68 tackles, including 7.0 for loss with 3.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. He helped guide Marvin Wilson to a PFF All-American, first-team All-ACC performer and Bednarik Award semifinalist season in 2019. The 2018 season added two more all-conference linemen to his resume as senior Demarcus Christmas and Wilson both earned All-ACC recognition.

FSU’s 2017 defensive line was a dominant force in the middle as senior Derrick Nnadi, who was selected in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs and an All-ACC selection, and Christmas teamed up to wreak havoc in opponents’ backfields. In 2016, the Seminoles ranked first in the nation in sacks per game while Nnadi garnered first-team all-conference recognition.

Haggins’ defensive line anchored one of the nation’s best defenses in 2015. Two defensive linemen captured all-conference honors as Nile Lawrence-Stample was a first-team selection and Nnadi was on the third team. In 2014, Eddie Goldman captured third-team All-America honors and was a first-team All-ACC selection. The Seminoles advanced to the first-ever College Football Playoff, set an ACC and FSU record with a 29-game winning streak and captured the program’s third straight ACC championship.

A staunch interior defense played a prominent role in helping Florida State to its third national championship in the 2013 season. Jernigan earned All-America honors after leading a defensive front that surrendered just seven rushing touchdowns, the fewest in the nation. Florida State’s defensive tackles paved the way for the nation’s top scoring defense and the third-best total defense.

The 2012 season saw three Seminole defensive tackles earn All-ACC honors with senior Everett Dawkins and sophomore Jernigan capturing second-team recognition while senior Anthony McCloud picked up honorable-mention accolades. The Seminoles ranked second in the nation in total defense and tied for fourth in the country in rushing yards per carry allowed. Jernigan became a Freshman All-American in his first season under Haggins’ tutelage, and FSU’s run defense was first in the country with only 2.35 yards per carry allowed while ranking fourth nationally in total defense.

Haggins helped produce one of the best defensive lines in the nation in 2010 as the Seminoles ranked third in FBS in quarterback sacks per game and tied for first nationally in total sacks. His 1999 defensive front was instrumental in FSU’s 12-0 run to the national championship. The Seminoles boasted the nation’s top-ranked defense in 1998 and the No. 1 rushing defense in 1996 and 1997.

FSU posted a 39-8-1 (.823) record with Haggins starring at nose tackle, and he was part of four bowl-winning teams at the start of the Seminoles’ dynasty. He earned Kodak, Walter Camp and UPI All-America honors as a senior in 1989.

A ninth-round pick in the 1990 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, Haggins went on to play for the Buffalo Bills during their 1991 Super Bowl season. Following a three-year NFL career, he returned to Florida State and joined Bobby Bowden’s staff following the Seminoles’ 1993 national championship season.

Haggins and his wife, Robin, have one daughter, Amelia Grace.