Herman has strong ties in California.... the issue is that Lynn Swan wants more stability at USC, so he may not make a change. LSU and Jimbo Fisher have mutual interest. The Notre Dame job is likely going to be available. Bobby Petrino is looking to get a top tier job. Early signs from Baton Rouge is that LSU wants someone with an SEC background.
Herman has strong ties in California.... the issue is that Lynn Swan wants more stability at USC, so he may not make a change. LSU and Jimbo Fisher have mutual interest. The Notre Dame job is likely going to be available. Bobby Petrino is looking to get a top tier job. Early signs from Baton Rouge is that LSU wants someone with an SEC background.
There have been rumors that LSU will target Herman. What I find significant is that Herman didn't flat out deny he is interested.
Yes, I've heard reports that LSU will target Herman. I don't think that's irresponsible journalism. I also don't think it would be in Herman's best interest to be commenting on what jobs he would or would not be interested in during the season. Coaching is the BUSINESS he is in. After the season is over he can consider any and all offers he may have.
I mean, I think he owes it to himself to at least listen to what LSU has to say. It's one of the bigger football schools around right now. If nothing else, he'll be able to leverage LSU's offer for more money elsewhere (hopefully at UH)
I don't blame Herman, only pointing out that he didn't deny the report. Tom is very careful with his language.
No one ever does that. Why? Because it has nothing but negative consequences. 1) you look like an ass putting down a school in public 2) you hurt your leverage with other employers (including your current one) 3) you burn a bridge that didn't need to be burned
There are a dozen or so Top Shelf jobs, and most coaches would never turn down any of them: FSU Florida Alabama LSU OU UT USC Michigan Ohio St ND Maybe Auburn, TAMU, Miami, Tennessee, UCLA, Oregon, Stanford, etc....
For Herman he likes calling his own shots. LSU will meddle in his business, I think they are off his list. UH needs to get in a P5 to have any chance of keeping him long term, but I think USC will be a real test to his commitment at UH, most others are just noise at this stage. He says he has a plan to build something special here. UH needs to pack that stadium Thursday.
I'd like to think that he'd wait to see where the realignment chips fall, but I can't imagine him passing up USC if it became available. Or LSU for that matter.
I have a hard time imagining Herman wanting to bail for any job short of UT at this point. He has 3 kids between 3rd and 9th grade. I doubt he wants to go dragging them around the country right now. Austin would be a smaller move, a good place to continue raising a family, an enormous raise in pay (doubling his salary or more), and the honor of leading one of the top 5 programs in the country. While the expectations are enormous, Herman's wheelhouse is Texas football and the Big 12 isn't exactly murderers row, so it would present him with his best chance to win national titles. Baton Rouge just doesn't tickle that pickle, IMO.
Herman isn't looking to Todd Graham his way to a better job every few years. All his work towards developing the foundation of the program has demonstrated that. If/when he leaves, it will be for a program that will provide better stability and control. LSU admin's hard-on for beating Saban doesnt really scream that. I can totally see Notre Dame or even Stanford if David Shaw ever bolts
Here it's #htowntakeover. At Texas or USC he could potentially have a platform to do the #TexasTakeover (state of) or #CaliTakeover. Since he's had so much success here it would be translatable and kids would follow it immediately. Up to him really, no one knows what he wants other than him and his wife.
I don't think that he would jump at the LSU job either, but I do believe that the USC job is one that he may view as a long term option. From what I have been told from people that work with him and know him, Herman is very unlikely to jump from job to job. If he leaves UH it will take close to perfect circumstances.
I'd like to think he's not a job hopper, but his longest stay at his previous jobs was 3 years. Granted, those were position coaches or assistant coaches, but he's an ambitious person and is looking for the right situation to build his legacy. Whether deep down inside he thinks UH is that situation is anybody's guess. My guess is if USC opens up he's going to seriously consider it.
I would be interested to get in his mind, because you know he's sitting at home with his wife going, "Am I this good." And the question is not so easily answered, as he is still on an inherited team at Houston that did quite well without him, and at OSU he was well, at OSU. So it's got to be a great mind tuck for him right now as rises from a mid level band to these huge opportunities as a rock star.
I think Herman owes it to himself to not take a toxic job like LSU where he'd have boosters up his ass from day 1 and an off season can cause him to have his reputation trashed and get him fired. Sumlin jumped at a job less toxic than LSU and is already on the hot seat and his reputation has taken a hit. With A&M likely to lose 2 of their next 3 games and 3 of their next 6, I bet we start hearing rumors about him being on the way out. The smart thing for Herman is to either keep building up UH and become a legend for it or at least wait till a better job opens than LSU.
Oh please let this be true! SENIOR TIGHT END Tyler McCloskey On Head Coach Tom Herman addressing coaching vacancy rumors “From a team standpoint, we think he’s different. He’s not in it for the money. He genuinely loves us; I know he does. He cares about us. He’s not worried about how big his bank account is. He’s building something special. It’s more important to him that we are building something special here.” http://www.uhcougars.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/092616aab.html
5* linebacker Dylan Moses has set his official vist for Dec 9th. http://www.espn.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/player/_/id/182265/dylan-moses
