Tom Herman’s buyout is starting to look worth it for Texas football
Tom Herman might convince Texas football to eat that buyout after all.
“If not for the pandemic and the fact that Texas is laying off people, we would be talking about that Tom Herman buyout right now.”
That’s what Dan Wolken tweeted last Saturday as the Longhorns trailed Texas Tech before pulling off a stunning comeback.
Guess what, Dan? It’s a week delayed, but we’re talking about Tom Herman’s buyout now.
After 10-point underdog TCU upset Texas, 33-31, the chickens are coming home to roost.
If not for the pandemic and the fact that Texas is laying off people, we would be talking about that Tom Herman buyout right now.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) September 26, 2020
Tom Herman’s buyout is huge, but Texas football may need to pay it
Here’s the thing: Herman’s performance at Texas hasn’t been good enough. He went 7-6 in Year 1, then showed signs of progress with a Sugar Bowl victory to cap a 10-4 season in 2018. However, the Longhorns’ decision to extend him after that win is looking ill-advised at best. He posted a disappointing 8-5 record in 2019.
Herman’s team has now lost six games to unranked opponents since 2017, more than anyone else in FBS, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
The trouble is, Herman’s buyout after that extension could be in the range of $20 million, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
Has Herman been bad enough to set $20 million on fire in the middle of a pandemic, which will have wide financial consequences? That’s for Texas’ powerbrokers to decide.
When you’re fresh off watching your team drop another game to a lesser opponent, a lot of measures sound more appetizing than they might have otherwise. Immediately after the loss, fans had “Fire Tom Herman” trending.
Calls to dump Herman may only get louder next week when Texas battles rival Oklahoma. The Sooners are also reeling from an upset loss this season, so someone is going to drop a second.
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