Texas Football: Will Tom Herman be head coach next season?

Texas football head coach Tom Herman’s coaching chair couldn’t be any hotter than it is right now. After the Longhorns loss to Iowa State, people are questioning whether he should still be the head coach after this season.

Fresh start

If Texas fires Herman, it has a chance to bring in someone new and get a fresh start. Herman did help Texas reach the Big 12 Championship in 2018 against Oklahoma, but the Longhorns lost that game and haven’t been back since. Herman also hasn’t met expectations since he has come over to coach them. Moving on from Herman would be a fresh start for everyone. There are pros and cons to this decision. Let’s start with the cons.

Cons

When you hire a new coach, everyone has to learn a new system over again and that can take some time to adjust. Texas will need to adjust to the new voice in the locker room. Some coaches are ones that have a good relationship with their players and some just get right to business. The Longhorns need a coach who knows when to be both. Herman’s play calling was criticized many times this season. He had two chances to easily end the game against Iowa State and failed on both occasions.

Pros

Getting rid of Herman will solidify that a much-needed change is coming. The Texas offense is predictable and is the reason it got stopped on a lot of possessions. This is a team game, the Longhorns need to rely more on the other guys they have on offense, rather than put all the pressure on Sam Ehlinger. Herman realized that too late. Bijan Robinson went off and had himself a day against Kansas State. Had Herman realized the type of running back he has on his team, he wouldn’t be in this situation right now. Urban Meyer’s name has been in connection with the Texas head coaching job for some time now. Only time will tell if Meyer will come to Texas if it fires Herman and what Meyer could bring to the table.

One last ride

The extra year of eligibility due COVID-19 has given players another chance to play for their respective teams, especially seniors. Some Texas seniors may come back, including Ehlinger. He hasn’t been able to get that Big 12 Championship win in his career yet. That is the last thing he wishes to achieve for his career at Texas. Ehlinger may not be the best quarterback, but this extra season also provides him with a chance to increase his NFL Draft stock. Having a new coach may help him become a better player overall and can ensure that his stock will rise. The seniors are obviously not happy with the way this season has turned out. The seniors that decide to come back will be motivated to finish off next season strong.

Major changes are coming after the season is over and while those remain to be seen. One thing is certain, Texas football needs to move on from Herman.

Photo courtesy of Iowa State Athletic Communications