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Texas has a decision to make as the Tom Herman experiment again falls short in a critical game

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The Longhorns are 9-7 in Big 12 play under Herman since the start of the 2019 season

In the end, the only way to describe "The Eyes of Texas"? Moist. Players cried. Coaches cried. No. 17 Texas losing to No. 13 Iowa State unleashed those floodgates of emotion.
All that Texas money. All that Texas talent. All that Texas promise. All but down the drain after the Longhorns were on the wrong side of a 23-20 decision to the Cyclones.
"Not a whole lot was said," quarterback Sam Ehlinger shared when asked to describe the devastated locker room.
There didn't have to be. Certain inevitabilities are obvious now.

There will be intense scrutiny of coach Tom Herman's future employment. That started early and often following a loss that came with the finality of Cameron Dicker's desperation 57-yard field goal attempt sailing wide left as time expired.

That's what will sit with Orangebloods everywhere as they slog through the remainder of the season with near-zero chance of playing in the Big 12 Championship Game. The team that danced happily out of Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium is now all but certain to play for the Big 12 title.

Maybe it has gotten so far beyond Herman's future as Texas coach that the answer was clear. The guy on the other sideline should probably be the Longhorns' next coach. Iowa State's Matt Campbell is just about the hottest name in the game. Whether Texas power brokers will deem him worthy for eight figures -- and whether Texas would be a preferred destination over, say, Michigan or the NFL -- is less of a question as to whether Campbell will leave.

The 40-year-old Ohio native was crying, too. Iowa State has defeated Oklahoma and Texas in the same season for the first time in program history. In his fifth season at the helm, Iowa State is off to its best-ever start in conference play (7-1).

Campbell's departure is far from certain. There's talk he enjoys Ames, Iowa, and the challenge of coaching up three-star prospects to the point they can beat Oklahoma and Texas.
There are further rumblings that Campbell would only consider Ohio State or Notre Dame. That brings it back around full circle. If you haven't noticed, Texas isn't Ohio State or Notre Dame. The Longhorns just lost to a program with $128 million less annual athletic revenue. On paper, the Cyclones have less talent, too. Maybe that's what hurt the most, falling to an "inferior" opponent in a make-or-break game.

Or maybe it was inevitable. There has been a lot of losing to such opponents in the last decade at Texas. The Tom Herman experiment is the latest that hasn't worked to this point.
But who will?

"I don't think it's ever fully on the coach," Ehlinger said after his last home game. "That's the million dollar question that everybody has been trying to figure out for the last 10 years."
It's actually been 11 years since Texas last won the Big 12 in 2009. Those glory days quickly fizzled with Mack Brown run out of town and Charlie Strong never establishing himself. Now Herman has all but completed his four years on the job without a conference championship. Texas loyalists expected at least that from Herman, once the hottest name in the game himself.

Worse, the 'Horns look like they've regressed since teasing us with a turnaround in 2018. That year, Texas beat Oklahoma to get to the conference championship game, lost the rematch and then throttled Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Since then, it is a moribund 13-8. Herman is 7-7 in his last 14 conference games. Real progress is debatable.
On Friday, Texas fell into a familiar Iowa State trap. The 'Horns were dragged down into the mud -- figuratively speaking -- for a rock fight. The Cyclones prefer those; they typically don't do shootouts well. Texas scored on it first two possessions to go ahead 10-0 then spent the next 42 ½ minutes allowing the opportunistic Cyclones to catch up. And take the lead.

The go-ahead score came with 85 seconds left after Iowa State suddenly zipped 69 yards in five plays with the season on the line for both teams.

Ricky Williams didn't hold back on the Longhorn Network set after the game. The former Heisman Trophy winner at Texas twice said Herman "coach scared."
"Eighty-five percent of the game, I felt Texas outplayed Iowa State," Williams said. "The coaching job is to set up the players to win. I felt like today Tom made it hard for the players to win."
Herman may or may not have upchucked the game, but he will be blamed by many. And when Texas starts throwing blame at coaches, it can get extremely ugly. That's why the next few days and weeks will be uncomfortable for everyone in Austin.

Four years ago, Texas landed Herman, once Urban Meyer's right-hand man as Ohio State offensive coordinator. Now the expectation will be that Texas land Meyer himself.
"That's not for me to decide," Herman said when asked if he's the right man for the job. "I feel like where were have the program right now compared to where it was when we took over, the future is very bright."

It just didn't feel that way on Friday.

Herman and his staff were building to this point. There was a new defensive coordinator, another Ohio State import in Chris Ash. A year after landing the highest-ranked Group of Five class ever (35th at Houston), Herman referred to his first recruiting class at Texas as transitional.

If that was an insult that day, the seniors from that class bought in and were playing for it all on Friday. Or at least something better than what Texas had been as of late.
"Just seeing the hurt on their faces, I wanted to send them out with a win," said redshirt junior corner Josh Thompson, who was part of that first class.
Ehlinger was one of those seniors. It's borderline tragic that he has to go out this way. He grew up burnt orange through and through. He played his high school football 7 miles from where he played his final college game on Friday.

But it was Ehlinger who failed to convert twice in the fourth quarter. His fourth-down scramble came up inches short at the Iowa State 13-yard line with 8 minutes left. Then on third down on the final drie, Ehlinger allowed himself to be sacked at the Iowa State 40 with 3 seconds left.

Dicker's field-goal attempt, which would have sent the game into overtime, sailed wide as "The Eyes of Texas" began to tear.

"I think, 2020, this game has pretty much summed it up for us," Ehlinger said.

Now the question is whether Texas is fed up with Tom Herman.
 
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“Campbell's departure is far from certain. There's talk he enjoys Ames, Iowa, and the challenge of coaching up three-star prospects to the point they can beat Oklahoma and Texas.
There are further rumblings that Campbell would only consider Ohio State or Notre Dame.”


I think that depends on how big the Check being offered to move on from Ames is. Also if Michigan says move on to the Khakis, I’ll bet the Great Matt Campbell would head to An Arbor if the money is right. He was at Toledo and knows the area.
 
“Campbell's departure is far from certain. There's talk he enjoys Ames, Iowa, and the challenge of coaching up three-star prospects to the point they can beat Oklahoma and Texas.
There are further rumblings that Campbell would only consider Ohio State or Notre Dame.”



I think that depends on how big the Check being offered to move on from Ames is. Also if Michigan says move on to the Khakis, I’ll bet the Great Matt Campbell would head to An Arbor if the money is right. He was at Toledo and knows the area.

Agree. Possibly even Ped State where recruiting hot beds exist nearby.
 
Agree. Possibly even Ped State where recruiting hot beds exist nearby.
Lord I hope not. I got respect for Campbell. Very good coach and has built a pretty good PROGRAM. If he goes to the worst school ever, it would make me sick.
 
What about Dusty? They have to have Dusty!

the other question would they be able to get Casteel. According to a published book “3 and out” not having the Casteel Curtain is why he was not successful.

I hope the Khakis sticks around and gets back to Power Football that he runs. You can win with Power Football
 
Agree. Possibly even Ped State where recruiting hot beds exist nearby.


Just heard on TV announcer said Franklin has a $30 million buyout. Crazy! I would think Franklin is going anywhere even though Penn St has a ton of money.
 
Just heard on TV announcer said Franklin has a $30 million buyout. Crazy! I would think Franklin is going anywhere even though Penn St has a ton of money.

They wouldn't have signed a contract if they couldn't afford the buy out.

Termination By Coach (voluntary, to assume NFL or Collegiate Coaching position)

CY2020 - $5,000,000
CY2021 - $4,000,000
CY2022 - $3,000,000
CY2023 - $2,000,000
CY2024 - $1,000,000
CY2025 - $0

By University (without cause)
Current Yr. (Base+Supplemental+Loan) Xnumber of remaining contract years.

Base Salary 500,000
Supplemental Salary
2020 - $4,900,000
2021 - $5,000,000
2022 - $5,250,000
2023 - $5,500,000
2024 - $5,750,000
2025 - $6,000,000

Loans are for Insurance, Car, house whatever else BS crap they tack on.


But I don't think they can him. He is averaging 9.5 wins a year basically 10 wins a year if you take this 0-5 start away.

 
I know of an AD who fired a coach that averaged 9.5 wins a year in an 11 game regular season and had his team playing in the National Title Game because as the AD said, “I refuse to let this program deep into mediocrity.” The AD fired the coach (who was a former player at that school) by putting a letter under his door saying as much.

The School was Nebraska. The AD was Steve Petersen (worst AD ever—-at 2 schools on 3 occasions) and the Head Coach was Frank Solich. After that Firing, the replacement was Bill Callahan who by today’s standards at Nebraska was a coaching genius and successful icon.


Just goes to show you how a bad firing (especially when you don’t even have option 1, 2, or 3 signed) can really really mess up a program.
 
I know of an AD who fired a coach that averaged 9.5 wins a year in an 11 game regular season and had his team playing in the National Title Game because as the AD said, “I refuse to let this program deep into mediocrity.” The AD fired the coach (who was a former player at that school) by putting a letter under his door saying as much.

The School was Nebraska. The AD was Steve Petersen (worst AD ever—-at 2 schools on 3 occasions) and the Head Coach was Frank Solich. After that Firing, the replacement was Bill Callahan who by today’s standards at Nebraska was a coaching genius and successful icon.


Just goes to show you how a bad firing (especially when you don’t even have option 1, 2, or 3 signed) can really really mess up a program.

The same happened here as well as a former 9 wins a season coach was asked to hire a new OC/HCIW for a 2 year contract. You know how that turned out. Although I was not happy with that coaches hiring after Fiesta Bowl victory they did do him wrong. Probably would have been a disaster in Big 12 had he lived and was still coaching.
 
Not the same but a similarity.

Not a former player and not playing for a national title and WVU has not fallen in any way as close to how much Nebraska has fallen. The new WVU coach brought in also won 10 games twice (even though he probably was snorting the entire tenure). Nebraska went from the team of the 90s (and don’t laugh cause they were) to 5 coaches over the next 20 years and the only one (Mad Dawg Crazy Ass Bo Pelini) who won even close to RESPECTABLE mediocrity they ran ran out of Lincoln cause he yelled & cursed too much (and he did insult the fan base on a leaked reporters tape recorder that was supposed to be off the record).

Nebraska is in desperate need of a HC who can give them respectability cause they suck. WVU has only forced out 1 HC in 20 years and the others have left. Nebraska has fired 4 (Solich, Callahan, Pelini, Riley), and Frost should be Fired cause he’s worse statistically and in every way than the PREVIOUS 4.
 
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“Campbell's departure is far from certain. There's talk he enjoys Ames, Iowa, and the challenge of coaching up three-star prospects to the point they can beat Oklahoma and Texas.
There are further rumblings that Campbell would only consider Ohio State or Notre Dame.”



I think that depends on how big the Check being offered to move on from Ames is. Also if Michigan says move on to the Khakis, I’ll bet the Great Matt Campbell would head to An Arbor if the money is right. He was at Toledo and knows the area.
Tennessee offered 7M/year, and he turned them down. At least 8 NFL teams have tried to get him. Supposedly the only position he has any interest in is ND. Remember, Matt Campbell actually wanted the ISU job before it was ever offered to him. Toledo actually played in Ames the year before, and he was there early enough to scope out the facilities, and to even tailgate with ISU fans. Told his wife he wanted to coach there. A year before the job was even open. He will get a boost in salary, probably to over 5M year. Money though does not really motivate him.

He is also getting a 100M expansion of the football facilities, opening very soon.

Sports Performance Center
 
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Tennessee offered 7M/year, and he turned them down. At least 8 NFL teams have tried to get him. Supposedly the only position he has any interest in is ND. Remember, Matt Campbell actually wanted the ISU job before it was ever offered to him. Toledo actually played in Ames the year before, and he was there early enough to scope out the facilities, and to even tailgate with ISU fans. Told his wife he wanted to coach there. A year before the job was even open. He will get a boost in salary, probably to over 5M year. Money though does not really motivate him.

He is also getting a 100M expansion of the football facilities, opening very soon.

Sports Performance Center

The day is coming for the job he really wants. Campbell would have taken any P5 job offered hm while at Toledo. He turned Down Tennessee because they are a dumpster fire of a school.

8 NFL teams is an exaggeration on your part and you have shown no proof. Agents give out feelers to get more money. As long as ISU pays up he will stay until the right job comes along. This is by far Campbell best year as he was an overall .500 coach and had a losing record in Big 12 until this year. Nice job at turning around a fledgling program. Big 12 is super down this year so that's helping.

One of these years ISU will not be able to meet his demand and you will be looking for a new coach. But at least he has laid a foundation ISU can sustain now.
 
8 NFL teams??? That’s like 1/4 of the league??? I don’t watch the nfl anymore so I may be wrong.
Really???
Cough!! BS!! Cough!! BS!!!

I guess I’m right when I call him The Great Matt Campbell then. And Truth be told he is a decent coach except vs the Sunbelt.

As was stated TN got turned down by about everyone (except Houston Nutt cause he wasn’t offered that job either). Seriously TN got turned down by the Mullet at Ok State, Dave Doeren at NC State, Jeff Brohm at Purdue, Mike Leach at WA State, and a few others. There were 6 or 7 total and I think Clauson at Wake and even Cutcliffe at Duke. Well they didn’t get turned down 3 years ago, but they used TN to get a raise. I didn’t know or had forgot Matt Campbell was in the group. Greg Schiano had it ripped from him after he had it offered once Fulmer got involved. They settled on Mr Potato Head after SGT Carder was fired. Schiano looks pretty good right now.

As for Campbell if the check is big enough he will go—period and end of story. He’s no different than any coach include Brown at WVU. Believe what you will. One day you’ll realize all jobs are a paycheck and depending on where the commas and the decimal points are is what makes them really special.
 
The day is coming for the job he really wants. Campbell would have taken any P5 job offered hm while at Toledo. He turned Down Tennessee because they are a dumpster fire of a school.

8 NFL teams is an exaggeration on your part and you have shown no proof. Agents give out feelers to get more money. As long as ISU pays up he will stay until the right job comes along. This is by far Campbell best year as he was an overall .500 coach and had a losing record in Big 12 until this year. Nice job at turning around a fledgling program. Big 12 is super down this year so that's helping.

One of these years ISU will not be able to meet his demand and you will be looking for a new coach. But at least he has laid a foundation ISU can sustain now.

Continued success at ISU is unlikely....leave while your stock is at its highest.

The job he wants is the one that brings the biggest check.
 
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