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5 college football coaching carousel winners

By Nathaniel Reeves

Oct 22, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Tom Herman during warm ups prior to a game against the SMU Mustangs at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 22, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Tom Herman during warm ups prior to a game against the SMU Mustangs at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 17, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Tom Herman on the field during the game against the Louisville Cardinals at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 17, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Tom Herman on the field during the game against the Louisville Cardinals at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Texas Longhorns

Texas is the clear winner of the offseason after hiring the consensus best coach available on the market. With a good amount of talent already in place, Herman could have the Longhorns contending for the Big 12 and more as soon as next season.

There’s an argument to be made that Charlie Strong deserved more time at Texas after going 16-21 in three seasons. However, a late-season loss to Kansas sealed Strong’s fate, and Texas moved quickly to hire Herman before another power program could snag him.

Herman has been tremendously successful at every stop and first rose to national prominence as offensive coordinator of Ohio State from 2012-2014. The Buckeyes won the national title in 2014 despite being down to their third string quarterback during the College Football Playoff, and clearly missed Herman’s play calling ability the next season.

Meanwhile, Herman led Houston to a 13-1 season in 2015 with a win over a good Florida State team in the Peach Bowl. Things weren’t quite as good this season as Houston went 9-3 before Herman left, but the Cougars did earn huge wins over Oklahoma and Louisville in non-conference play.

Next: Best college quarterback born in every state

Herman brought in plenty of talent in a short amount of time at Houston while also getting the most out of the existing roster. With unlimited resources at Texas, the Longhorns have a chance to rebuild instantly and should consistently bring in top-ranked recruiting classes under Herman.

At just 41 years old, Herman has the potential to build a long-term powerhouse in Austin.

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