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5 Potential Landing Spots for Houston's Tom Herman
Houston Cougars head coach Tom Herman will be one of the most highly sought-after head coaches this season. Where will he wind up in 2017?
The Houston Cougars suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday, and with the team’s College Football Playoff hopes likely over, their head coach may also be leaving after the season.
Cougars head coach Tom Herman is one of the hottest names in college football right now. After helping on Urban Meyer’s coaching staff from 2012 to 2014 at Ohio State, Herman has gone 18-2 in his first 20 games with Houston.
There’s a chance that Herman stays on after this season, but there are going to be a lot of amazing offers that will be too hard to pass up on. Here are five schools that will likely be trying to negotiate with Herman to become their newest head coach over the coming months.
Oct 8, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USC Trojans head coach Clay Helton reacts during a NCAA football game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
5. USC Trojans
The USC Trojans have been one of the biggest disappointments of the college football season. Heading into Saturday’s matchup against the Colorado Buffaloes, the Trojans were just 2-3 with losses to Utah, Alabama and Stanford.
No one really expected the Trojans to take down the defending national champion Alabama Crimson Tide in their season opener, but three losses in their first five games isn’t what they were looking for.
Helton has served two stints as interim head coach before finally receiving the permanent title prior to the 2016 season. However, it doesn’t seem like Helton is the right long-term fit, going 8-7 in his first 15 games heading into Saturday’s game.
USC has had some amazing teams in recent years, but now they need a coach that can recruit the best talent out there to help rebuild the program. A high profile name like Tom Herman could do just that.
Oct 8, 2016; Raleigh, NC, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly leaves the field following the game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium. NC State won 10-3. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
This season has been an absolutely nightmare for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. After losing a thrilling game in their season opener to Texas, Notre Dame is now 2-4 after yet another loss on Saturday against the NC State Wolfpack.
A game like this could have sealed Brian Kelly’s fate as the Notre Dame head coach. Despite the two teams playing in the storm produced by Hurricane Matthew, Kelly wanted to keep airing it out, which failed miserably.
Notre Dame has fallen apart this season. Yes, they had some injuries, but the Fighting Irish have so much talent that just hasn’t meshed like fans were hoping it would.
Kelly is almost guaranteed to be let go after this season, especially since they will be expected to take a few more losses with their next two games against Stanford and Miami.
Notre Dame is fighting just to make a bowl game at this point. Herman has proven that he can turn a Group of Five team into a College Football Playoff contender, and I’m guessing that he could do the same for Notre Dame if he landed there.
Oct 1, 2016; Pullman, WA, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Mark Helfrich walks off the field after a game against the Washington State Cougars at Martin Stadium. The Cougars won 51-33. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
3. Mark Helfrich – Oregon Ducks
The Oregon Ducks have gone from a perennial national title contender to an average team in the Pac-12. The program simply hasn’t been the same in the ensuing years after Chip Kelly departed for the NFL, and Oregon might be ready to move on from head coach Mark Helfrich.
If Helfrich leaves, Oregon will be an appealing destination for a lot of head coaches. They have a great recruiting pipeline thanks to their high-powered offense, program reputation and tons of fresh gear every week.
Because of Herman’s success at Ohio State and Houston, high school players know that he has the coaching skills to win games and develop players. At Oregon, Herman could take his recruiting classes to a whole new level.
Teams like Washington and Colorado are starting to emerge in the Pac-12, making the conference that much more competitive. Adding a head coach like Helfrich could help Oregon maintain its status as one of the best teams in the Pac-12.
Oct 1, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers interim head coach Ed Orgeron is dunked with a cooler by quarterback Caleb Lewis (8) and wide receiver Stephen Sullivan (10) following a win in his first game against the Missouri Tigers at Tiger Stadium. LSU defeated Missouri 42-7. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
2. LSU Tigers
You can point to Les Miles’ poor clock management all you want, but I still don’t agree with LSU’s decision to fire their head coach in the middle of the season. Yes, the season has quickly gone downhill, but the head coach who has taken LSU to two national championship games should at least be allowed to finish out the year.
Instead, the Tigers have turned to interim head coach Ed Orgeron who helped lead LSU to a 42-7 win over Missouri in their first game after the departure of Miles. Oregon won’t keep that title after this season unless he wins out, and the Tigers will have all kinds of coaches that they can reach out to.
Despite a number of qualified candidates, Herman will likely be on the top of LSU’s list. The SEC is filled with elite head coaches, and Herman would give them a chance to return to their former glory.
At the very least, Herman could do a better job of managing the clock in late-game situations.
Oct 8, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong on the field during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Cotton Bowl. Oklahoma won 45-40. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
1. Texas Longhorns
Texas Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong was reportedly already on the hot seat prior to Saturday’s game against the Oklahoma Sooners. A 45-40 loss in the Red River Rivalry could have helped the program make up its mind.
Defense has been a huge problem for the Longhorns, giving up at least 45 points in four of their first five games. Strong had taken over defensive play calling duties on Saturday after demoting the defensive coordinator, but that didn’t exactly help.
The Longhorns coaching search will likely begin immediately following the regular season if not earlier. Texas is such an appealing program for a head coach because a successful Longhorns program can open up the recruiting pipeline wide open in the state.
Herman is the kind of guy that would make the Longhorns compete in the Big 12 almost immediately. Staying in the state makes a lot of sense, and if Herman really wants to win a national championship, he could possibly do so with Texas.
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