Fansided

Tom Herman will stay at Houston for 1.5 million reasons

By Rucker Haringey

Nov 7, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Tom Herman watches the Cougars warm up before playing against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first quarter at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 7, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Tom Herman watches the Cougars warm up before playing against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first quarter at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tom Herman announced today that he will spurn other job opportunities and sign a new contract at Houston that will double his salary to a total of $3 million annually.

In a surprising move today, Houston coach Tom Herman announced he was going to stay with the Cougars. Most had the former Ohio State assistant pegged as a candidate for most of college football’s top job openings. In the end, Herman found 1.5 million reasons to stick with Houston in the form of a new contract that will pay him three million dollars per year.

Herman has guided the Cougars to an 11-1 record on the season which has resulted in him being rumored for just about every available head coaching gig out there. His decision to stay put is going to really disappoint some schools that would have undoubtedly had him on their short list. In particular, schools like Georgia and South Carolina will have to cross one name off their perspective lists.

For Herman though, this seems like the right move. He gets a healthy raise to stay at Houston and is well supported by the school’s fans and administration. They have a history of success and of course, recruiting in Texas gives you a lot of chances to land local talent. It’s one of the best jobs outside the Power 5 in the nation.

The bigger issue was likely the lack of a perfect opening out there for Herman. Yes, even after USC making their hire, there are still some really attractive openings out there, but none really seem to fit Herman’s personality style. He is more of a Big Ten, no-nonsense type of guy as opposed to the more flamboyant personalities of the SEC for example. I think if a top-notch Big Ten job was open he would be dragging his feet on signing a new deal.

In the end, he will likely stick around Houston for another season which should be good for both he and the program. He gets a significantly better contract and the school gets some additional continuity for their flagship program. Ultimately, this feels like a one-year contract extension but it still is mutually beneficial for both parties.

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