Official: Herman To Texas

Good news! This means we can get Fedora!

 

Not a done deal

SOURCES: LSU CLOSING IN ON HERMAN

CHIP BROWN
4:11 PM

Tom Herman is close to being named the next coach at LSU, two sources close to the situation told HornsDigest.com Thursday.



So if Texas plans to make a run at the former Longhorns' grad assistant and current Houston head coach, time is running out - if it hasn't already, the sources said.


A third source close to the situation said Herman definitely has an offer from LSU but that they doubted Herman would accept it until he knew what was going on at Texas with the fate of coach Charlie Strong - after Friday's game against TCU.


I was told Thursday (Thanksgiving) that Fenves was supposed to reach out to Herman's agent Trace Armstrong Wednesday night. Still trying to confirm if, in fact, Fenves reached out to Armstrong.



Whether or not anyone from Texas reached out to Herman's camp Wednesday night, the wheels were in motion Thursday for Herman to become the next coach at LSU - with a possible announcement on Saturday, I'm told.


Two sources told HD that on Monday LSU had given Herman a deadline of Wednesday night to respond to a job offer and that Herman/Herman's agent Trace Armstrong were hoping to hear something from Texas - other than from UT intermediaries.


Specifically, I was told, Herman's camp wanted to hear from a Texas decision-maker, such as school president Greg Fenves, athletic director Mike Perrin ... or ... now ... UT chancellor William McRaven, who has injected himself into the process.


But I was told those UT officials were reluctant to do that until Texas' season was over - or perhaps never had the same interest in Herman as a group of influential big-money donors.


Those donors - many of whom wanted to go after Nick Saban three years ago - began expressing interest in Herman last December, when Strong's hire of offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert nearly went sideways and required Fenves and Perrin to take a private jet to Tulsa to close the deal.


If Texas needs a new football coach after Friday's game vs TCU and Herman is off the board, it sounds like Fenves, McRaven and Perrin would be starting from scratch, because none of them expected to be in a coaching search, sources said. Those sources said school leadership has been looking for a reason to keep Strong but that everything was thrown off by UT's shocking loss last week to previously 1-9 Kansas, dropping the Longhorns to 5-6 and Strong to 16-20 in three seasons in Austin.


A group of UT regents expected Strong to be fired, sources told HD. But Perrin put out a statement last Sunday night saying Strong would be evaluated through Friday's TCU game and that any decision would come after that.


HD reported a week ago Wednesday, according to high-level sources, all Strong had to do to continue as coach at Texas was beat Kansas, becoming bowl eligible with six wins, and play a close, "respectable" game - even in a loss to TCU - and Strong would be back at Texas in 2017.


On Wednesday, one of those high-level sources said Texas had to beat TCU "convincingly" on Friday for Strong to keep his job.


UT sources said school leaders have been looking for reasons to bring Strong back in 2017, in part, because his buyout would cost $10.7 million for the remaining two years on his contract as well as the $6.6 million in buyouts for assistant coaches’ guaranteed contracts. That concern is magnified with a legislative session starting in Austin in January with lawmakers trying to contain higher education costs (even though no state money is used for athletics).





Those sources said Fenves would do what he needed to do in paying for the buyouts if necessary.


All week UT intermediaries have been scrambling to identify other head-coaching candidates, including gauging the interest of Florida State's Jimbo Fisher, Baltimore Ravens' coach John Harbaugh and Clemson's Dabo Swinney.


One source said McRaven is being advised by former Texas coach Mack Brown, who apparently suggested North Carolina's Larry Fedora as a candidate if UT needs a new coach. Another source said Brown is hoping Brown would be a candidate at UNC if it opened after this season.



Sources indicated Herman's agent Trace Armstrong had expressed to UT intermediaries that Herman would like a say in new leadership for academic services and nutrition at Texas, among other things.


A source close to Herman said Texas brass never showed any real interest in Herman (only UT intermediaries and fans) and that Trace Armstrong didn't want Herman to put off LSU - waiting on a Texas offer that might never come. At LSU, Herman could be reunited with his Cal Lutheran roommate - Dave Aranda, who is currently LSU's defensive coordinator and another rising star in the coaching business.


Herman's offensive coordinator at Houston - former Longhorns' QB Major Applewhite - is from Baton Rouge and is well connected with folks at LSU.


Applewhite and Houston defensive coordinator Todd Orlando could be candidates to replace Herman at UH.

 

I'm afraid this means Fenves and Perrin have their excuse to keep Strong.

 

If this is true and they decide no to keep strong they should just say wth spend the money and go get urban or dabo

 

Well, this news will put a lot of folks' privates in a twist.

 

That is not an acceptable excuse. Fedora is available. Herman is not the ONLY coach out there. If Perrin and Fenves think so, they are idiots.

 

Now watch Aggy go out and get Fedora.

 

Fenves should be fired if he keeps Strong. And if Herman is quick to accept LSU's offer, he is not a smart man. Why take an early offer before the other offers start flowing?

 

I'd rather him at Texas, but I can see why he'd want LSU. Fedora would be OK as a second choice, but to keep Strong would be unacceptable.

 

It could be a ploy by Herman's agent to help Texas make a decision about Strong's position.

If this leak is taken seriously by Texas AD, then they might be more likely to start asking what Herman wants.

 

I'm not sure how this will go down, but if Herman goes to LSU and we keep Charlie, there will be barbarians at the gate if Herman wins 10 and we win 7 next year.

 

Thinking we win 7 games is optimistic.

 

Este.

 

Texas does this to themselves. The conference sucks. We are not the be all end all coaching mecca that some think we are. Our leaderships sucks and our fans are more fickle than most big-time programs. Not all, but most.

 

Someone must have threatened to kick Fenves' ***.

Texas headed to court their man Herman

On behalf of the staff here at The Scoop, we’d like to wish a very Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your families.

LSU: Sources on both sides of this deal confirm to FootballScoop that no deal is currently in place with Tom Herman. Texas reps are headed to meet with Tom Herman’s reps tonight. Houston plays Friday. This will play out quickly. Stay tuned…

 

This is just nuts man pick up the phone and call the guy

 

Wouldn't be surprised if they are taking a taxi cab.

 

I find it odd that Brown and ESPN's reports say "a deal could be in place as early as Saturday". Just so happens our reg season ends on Friday.

Sounds like an agent ploy to tell Texas get your *ss moving as soon as your game ends if that's what you're waiting for.

 

Let me guess....these sources are unnamed?

 

But if lsu stayed firm with that deadline as of last night and he doesn't accept and he doesn't already have an agreement with somebody else in place that puts all the power in Texas hands and I doubt his agent wants that

 

Not saying this guy is right or wrong butbI can't wait to see all the retractions and excuses when all these sources end up to be wrong

 

Somehow, after the whole going to beg Gilbert in his Tulsa driveway thing, I do not trust the Fenves-Perrin Dummkopf Duo regardles of which sources are true on Herman right now.

 

Fantastic news for a Thanksgiving evening ... Not

 

A

Aggy losing at least something going to plan

 

Chip Brown has one goal. To build brand and sell subscriptions. After the Pac 10+6 disaster I could care less what he says. Why ESPN ran with this is beyond me.