ESPN: Tom Herman’s Rebuilding Plan

ESPN: Tom Herman has an extensive (and expensive) Texas rebuilding plan

By Max Olson

As soon as Tom Herman got settled in at Texas, he started his wish list.

One month into the job, Herman conducted a walk-through of the Longhorns’ football facility with AD Mike Perrin, senior associate AD Arthur Johnson and football chief of staff Fernando Lovo. Together, they got started on what will be an extensive (and expensive) to-do list.

Herman offered his initial judgment a few days later: “We’re behind, but not by much. Nothing a multimillion-dollar face-lift can’t fix.”

When it comes to rebuilding Texas into a powerhouse, Herman has a clear blueprint. Upgrading Texas’ football facilities is an early priority for a head coach who recognizes how far the Longhorns have fallen behind the national elites, despite their wealthy reputation.


On signing day, Herman met again with administrators and architects to discuss his needs for a modernized locker room, and the strength staff is plotting several renovations to the weight room and training room later this spring. It’s clear Herman isn’t messing around.

“We’re going to get this facility, in very short order, to the point where it’s as good if not better than any in the country,” Herman said.

Herman says anything Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Michigan have, the Longhorns better have too. He believes a college football program should have a capital project going at all times. These goals shouldn’t be new for the University of Texas, where the richest college athletic department in the country raked in nearly $188 million in revenue in 2015-16, according to USA Today.

That, however, couldn’t keep Herman from walking through the Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletic Center and determining Texas has fallen behind in college football’s facilities arms race. He hasn’t hesitated to point out what needs to change.

“I haven't been told ‘no’ yet,” Herman said.

Perrin, Texas’ second-year athletic director, told ESPN he admires Herman’s initiative and has an open mind about any improvements his new coach wants to make.

“Tom dreams big, and I like that,” Perrin said. “He’s detail-oriented and he’s pretty comprehensive in his looking at things. At age 41, he’s closer to a 17-year-old than I am. I’m not put off at all by the scrutiny he brings to all that.”

A state-of-the-art locker room is at or near the top of Herman’s wish list. Just look at what Texas’ nearby rivals have constructed in recent years. Texas A&M unveiled its brand-new locker room in 2014. Oklahoma is finishing one this offseason. Baylor got a new one when McLane Stadium opened in 2014, and TCU redid its locker room in 2012.

They make Texas look downright outdated by comparison, even though the Longhorns installed new lockers in 2011 as part of a partial renovation. Perrin understands these features must be viewed through the eyes of players and recruits. When kids walk through the building, there must be a "wow" factor.

One new Texas staffer had a bit of a "wow" moment in January when he realized the locker room had no sound system. Instead, players were blasting their music via one small Bluetooth speaker an offensive lineman brought in to share.

The Texas locker room upgrade is now looking to make the facility more technologically advanced with individual video screens and more connectivity.

Those little details will get attacked quickly under Herman, who made similar things happen in rapid fashion at Houston. UH finished a $1 million new locker room in August and will open a $20 million practice facility this August.

“We changed the University of Houston in 23 short months more than anybody thought was possible,” Herman said, “not just from a wins and losses standpoint but from an infrastructure standpoint as well. I have no doubt that with the support of President Greg Fenves and Mike Perrin, we’ll do the same here in very, very, very short time.”

How grand his plan will be at Texas is still getting worked out. Herman said in a January radio interview he’s expecting “somewhere in the range of $10 million” in renovations to facilities. Perrin says he hasn’t been presented with any plans approaching that number, and Herman knows there will be red tape in getting everything approved and underway.

“As I’m getting to know Tom,” Perrin said with a chuckle, “I suspect we may never be finished.”

His confidence in publicly throwing around a price tag like that begs the question: Does Herman essentially have a blank check when it comes to upgrading Texas? Perrin tries to answer that one carefully.

“Tom is a very pragmatic, realistic man,” he said. “He’s very ambitious and very focused, extremely well organized. I think he’s a real innovator. And I support that, I really do. But we’ve not talked in terms of unlimited budgets or that everything’s going to happen overnight or anything like that.”

The Longhorns’ new leader likes to say players and coaches win games but administrations win championships with their support. He’s going to tell Perrin and Fenves exactly what he needs to get Texas competing at a championship level again. He’s starting with his football complex because, at a place like this, there’s no excuse for not having elite facilities.

“They have to be the best at Texas,” Herman said. “They have to be.”

 

Earn Your Horns

 

In a way it's kinds sad that how flashy your locker room is what attracts recruits. I think it can create a lazy entitled attitude and that's what we need to get rid of. I guess that's the way things are nowdays. Maybe I'm too old school.

 

I bet your lawn is prestine.

 

You're right, youngsters these days crave flashy uniforms, lockerooms and a everything else. And that doesn't even include the social media nonsense. Oh well, Herman will do what it takes.

 

Let's be fair about this. How many of us interviewing for a job aren't swayed somewhat by the working conditions? If I had to pick between three or four office jobs, do you think I wouldn't be swayed by one that had amenities that were going to make my life there easier? A company that showed dedication to putting money behind making sure I was happy and successful?

 

As long as he wins and doesn't change the uniforms have at it. At some point he will run out of money - sooner if he doesn't win.

 

Since you said 'swayed somewhat', I agree wholeheartedly. One would assume that a recruit (football or job) would have already decided for themselves the more important aspects of taking that job: they are a fit, can do well, have good coaches/management/resources, work/life issues, and like the direction of the team (football or job)...If the facilities are the thing that pushes them over the line then go for it.

I liken it to hunting for houses. If you have to choose between two that are similar in most aspects (schools, cost, location, etc.), you are likely to choose the one with the better finishes.

 

Yeah, but this will make those darn kids are soft! Hmmm maybe except for the 5am practices and getting the **** knocked out of them while the U makes serious jack over on what these darned kids produce. Broken bones and trashed knees- big deal.
An inside sales coordinator received a severe paper cut yesterday here st the office.
Now excuse me whilst I head to our break room for a cup of latte.. a coworker said jelly donuts have made an appearance.
But I digress, those kids are privelaged. I say Downgrade the facilities in hopes that UT improves. Let's watch while Bama gets soft.

 

I think you are going to have to settle for 1 of the 2.

I'm afraid uniform change is inevitable. Don't agree with it, don't like it, but it's coming in some form. I just hope for moderation when the time comes.

 

Stop it. I said stop it! I mean it!!​

 

i realize the "kids these days" reality, but i agree with prodigal that "best foot forward" is also a part of greatness. companies voted the best places to work aren't port-a-potties. Their culture is defined by being great in all facets. i have no problem with having a plan that incorporates all facets of the athletic department from staff to athletes to facilities. Whatever excellence is in 2017, go for it!

 

When Herman starts putting Texas in the 4 team playoff (year after year) nobody is going to give a rats *** about any of this.

 

Except the for the uniforms

 

At Texas, Herman is just starting to spread the Longhorn gospel and love, one "hook 'em" and kiss at a time.

"Well, usually it ends up on the extreme, one way or the other, right?" he says. "Either you're doomed to repeat the same path, or you take a massive 180 from the path.

"I'm not perfect by any stretch. I need to be a better father and a better husband. But I think where you see it is in the profession that I chose, in terms of being that kind of polar-opposite.

"Now, I want to be a dad to everybody."​

This Sportsday article offers much insight into Tom Herman as a man as well as a coach.

 

How did our facilities fall so far behind other premier programs? Did our administration get complacent and over-confident, similar to other initiatives over the last 10 years? It seems like this goes beyond Steve Patterson.

 

OK this is impressive.

 

The interest in detail is indeed impressive. However, this will be a joke if the Horns go 5-7 again.

 

Agreed, but the team I saw yesterday is not going 5-7 for the following reasons:
- we have a FG kicker. Made all 3 inside of 40 yards
- defense looked a lot more disciplined at LB and DB.
- punter is awesome (AA)
- deep and athletic in a lot areas: DB, LB, OL, WR.
- Poona and Nelson stepping up to be leaders on DL
- excellent pash rushers like Hughes, Roach, Hager, McCollough

I think the real issues are QB and RB health.

 

By the way, I am not dismissive of the concern that our 2nd team in a lot positions needs improvement. But we definitely have the bodies to work with, except at QB and RB (if the injury bug continues).

 

$10,500 per locker, if true, is obscene.

 

I wasn't forced to pay for them. You were not forced to pay for them. So why do you care about the price tag?

 

that might be the installed price. if the whole lockerroom renovation is $1M then you divide by the number of lockers and voila. I'd guess this type of reno has plenty of reasons the whole deal is that big. if so, that's not so obscene imo.

Edited::to use real math in my statement

 

$100k will buy a little more than 9 lockers at that price.
The price of a years tuition for place to hang your pads is obscene.

 

Good investment.

I trust Herman knows, as apparently other programs, that this helps with recruiting.
We'll make that money back in a week if star recruits come.

But I'm probably a more aggressive investor than most.

 

Capitalized cost of the initial outlay, recaptured in future years as depreciated (not as important since it's a Gov't entity), plus as mentioned above, there is the cash flow the renovations are tied to. Herman puts a good product, revenues go up, the cost are recouped quickly.

 

I'm 31 and I agree.