Willie Taggart has become known for rebuilding programs at Western Kentucky and South Florida. His next endeavor will be much more high profile, trying to turn around the struggling Oregon Ducks.Oregon announced Wednesday that it had hired Taggart to take over following a disappointing 4-8 season and the dismissal of coach Mark Helfrich.Taggart has been coach at USF for the past four seasons, guiding the team from a 2-10 record his first year to a 10-2 mark this year and a spot in the Birmingham Bowl.Before he arrived in Tampa he spent three seasons at his alma mater, Western Kentucky, inheriting a winless program that he turned around with back-to-back winning seasons.Willie places an emphasis on ensuring a positive student-athlete experience and on winning, and his previous stops have proven his success at both, Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens said in a statement. We have a very bright future under his leadership.A news conference to formally introduce Taggart was set for Thursday.Taggart, 40, is the first coach Oregon has hired from outside the program since 1976. The Ducks previous three coaches, Mike Bellotti, Chip Kelly and Helfrich, were all assistants who were promoted.Taggart will also be the first black head football coach at Oregon. The length and terms of his contract with the Ducks were not immediately released.Oregon has a strong national presence and a proud recent history of playing among the nations elite, and I look forward to the challenge of upholding the excellence, Taggart said in a statement. I cant wait to get started.Taggart was 16-20 at Western Kentucky, taking over when it was first transitioning to FBS. He went 7-5 in his last two seasons with the Hilltoppers and then moved to USF, not far from where he grew up in Bradenton, Florida.It took two seasons and a change in offensive philosophy from more pro-style, West Coast schemes to a spread, but he now has the 25th-ranked Bulls rolling. They finished second in the American Athletic Conference East Division to Temple and will play South Carolina on Dec. 29 in the Birmingham Bowl.Wednesday was the second straight day the AAC has lost one of its best coaches, and the third the conference has lost since Thanksgiving weekend. Temples Matt Rhule was hired by Baylor on Monday and Tom Herman left Houston for Texas on Nov. 26.Taggart had support from former NFL player and broadcaster Tony Dungy, whose son Eric played at USF in 2014 after transferring from Oregon.Taggart served as running backs coach for Jim Harbaugh at Stanford from 2007-09 and is credited with helping to recruit Andrew Luck. Harbaugh had recruited Taggart, a quarterback, to play at Western Kentucky under father Jack Harbaugh from 1995-98.After taking over when Kelly left in 2013, Helfrich went 37-16 in his four seasons as head coach of the Ducks. He signed a contract extension in early 2015, and had an $11.6 million buyout.Just two seasons ago, Oregon went to the first College Football Playoff championship game, led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota.But the Ducks struggled this season with a five-game losing streak -- the programs longest since 1996 -- and finished at the bottom of the Pac-12 North with just two conference wins.In a statement after his dismissal, Helfrich thanked his own family, the campus community, the fans, and his coaches and their families.Finally, to the players -- thank you, and I love you, he said. The future is bright for this young, talented team, and we will be supporting them and their new leadership.Mullens also reportedly interviewed Boise States Bryan Harsin and Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano before settling on Taggart. Kelly, now with the San Francisco 49ers, had said he was not interested in the job, as did former offensive coordinator Scott Frost, now at Central Florida.Taggart leaves USF with four seasons remaining on a five-year, $9 million contract. The deal he received last winter included a provision for a $1.7 million buyout.For the immediate future, Taggart will need to reach out to Oregons recruits. Defensive back Deommodore Lenoir and defensive end Langi Tuifua both previously withdrew verbal commitments. Offensive lineman John Vaka said he was no longer committed via Twitter on Tuesday.---AP College Football Writer Ralph Russo contributed to this report.---More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.orgCheap Lebrons From China . 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Their second may soon slide shut, as well.Francisco Liriano and three relievers combined on a three-hitter, Troy Tulowitzki had four RBI and the Toronto Blue Jays routed the Yankees 9-0 Friday night to maintain a one-game lead in the AL wild-card standings.New York lost for the ninth time in 12 games, following a seven-game winning streak, and was eliminated from contention in the AL East.The Yankees are four games behind Detroit for the second wild care with nine games left.Things are kind of slipping away at this point, outfielder Brett Gardner said. Were not out of it, but were definitely not in a good position.Josh Donaldson hit a two-run homer and Edwin Encarnacion got his 124th RBI, tied with Bostons David Ortiz for the AL lead, as the Blue Jays won their sixth straight home game over New York.Toronto has won five of eight after going 3-9 starting September.Gary Sanchez had two hits for the Yankees, who were shut out for the second straight night and the fifth time this month. New York has gone 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position in their last two games and stranded 17 runners.Its not what you want, manager Joe Girardi said. Its frustrating.Girardis frustration was plainly evident. He cut short his postgame media session and angrily walked out of his office following a question about bullpen usage.Liriano (8-13) escaped a bases-loaded jam by striking out Chase Headley to end a 27-pitch first inning, then left runners at the corners after the first two batters reached in the third. That was the start of a stretch that saw the left-hander retire nine straight.Liriano allowed three hits, walked two and struck out six for his second win with Toronto.Liriano was was really, really good, manager John Gibbons said. Hes got one of the better arms in baseball.Reliever Joaquin Benoit walked Aaron Hicks to begin thee seventh but pinch-hitter Brian McCann grounded into a double play.dddddddddddd Brett Cecil worked the eighth and Danny Barnes finished.Tulowitzki opened the scoring with a two-out, bases-loaded single off Bryan Mitchell (1-2) in the first and Encarnacion made it 3-0 with a bases-loaded walk in the second.Mitchell allowed three runs -- one earned -- and six hits in six innings.Jose Bautista hit a two-run double off Blake Parker in the seventh and Tulowitzki added a second two-run single.Donaldson homered off Ben Heller in the eighth, his 36th.DECISION PENDINGGirardi said he has not decided who will start in place of RHP Masahiro Tanaka (strained forearm) in Mondays series finale. Tanaka leads the American League with a 3.07 ERA.HAL AND THE BABY BOMBERSYankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner watched some of New Yorks top prospects work out Friday at instructional league in Tampa, Florida. Steinbrenner also looked at the on-going multi-million renovation project at the Yankees minor league complex, which includes new indoor hitting and pitching cages, and clubhouse improvements.FALL LEAGUEThe updated list of Yankees set to play in the Arizona Fall League are RHPs Dillon Tate, Brody Koerner and J.P. Feyereisen, INFs Greg Bird, Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres, and OF Tyler Wade.TRAINERS ROOMYankees: 2B Starlin Castro (right hamstring) hit in the cage before the game and plans to run on the field Saturday. Manager Joe Girardi said he does not expect Castro to return during the series against Toronto.UP NEXTNew York LHP CC Sabathia (8-12, 4.19) faces RHP Marcus Stroman (9-9, 4.50) Saturday. Sabathia, who will start on five days rest, is 3-8 with a 5.49 ERA in his past 17 starts. Stroman has lost his past four starts and is winless since Aug. 14. ' ' '