Five reasons Texas should hire Tom Herman immediately

By John Buhler | Dec 31, 2015

Dec 5, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Tom Herman reacts during the second half against the Temple Owls in the Mid-American Conference football championship game at TDECU Stadium. The Cougars defeated the Owls 24-13. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

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Dec 31, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Tom Herman (L) speaks to the fans after the Peach Bowl against the Florida State Seminoles at the Georgia Dome. The Cougars won 38-24. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Youth and experience are on Herman’s side

Tom Herman is only 40 years old and has a great deal of coaching experience on his side. He was an offensive coordinator from 2005 to 2014 at Texas State, Rice, Iowa State, and Ohio State before becoming the head coach of the Houston Cougars, going 13-1 (7-1) with a New Year’s Six Bowl victory in his first season as a head coach.

Herman served as a graduate assistant at Texas from 1999 to 2000 and has coaching experience at six institutions in the state. So Herman is well aware of what it takes to recruit in the highly competitive state that is Texas.

While signing him to a long-term contract may not be the wisest of decisions for Texas, Herman could coach 25 years before retiring at 65 if he wanted to. The best way to build a program is through a strong, young, iconic head coach. The pride in Longhorns football could return to Austin well before Herman turns 45 or 50.

For a head coach that is only 40 years old, Texas could take a chance on Herman if the school does choose to part ways from Charlie Strong. It may end up being a massive overhaul in Austin, but the program hasn’t been this bad in a while. Herman could have Texas in a bowl game in 2016 and contending for a New Year’s Six Bowl by as early as 2017-18. He’ll have a strong quarterback by then for the Longhorns without a doubt.

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