War room
If you want change, it's on the door-step.
Tom Herman is ready.
If Texas wants to create change with a new head coach, the guy that one high-level UT source referred to as "a possible DKR" earlier in the week is ready to step in.
You want change? Change is available. It's in the palm of UT's hands. Ultimately, the question is whether change is desired after an incredibly frustrating season for the Longhorn football program that will end in less than eight days.
With this information as the primary backdrop, here’s a collection of notes from the last 72 hours that the entire Orangebloods staff has collected with regards to everything that has been taking place behind the scenes.
On Tom Herman …
* Following the early season struggles of the program, unofficial vetting of Tom Herman has taken place in the last month-plus and as of early this week, everything was seemingly in place for a potential hire of Herman ... IF … Strong is let go.
* Orangebloods can confirm through a source in Houston that Herman’s agent Trace Armstrong spent roughly 48 hours in Houston this week before leaving prior to the Cougars’ game against Louisville on Thursday night. We were told that part of Armstrong's purpose for being in Houston was to solidify who Herman will take with him to his next position, assuming that Herman will depart after the season.
* Texas knows that Tom Herman wants Texas. It is his dream job. If offered the job, Tom Herman is the next Texas coach.
* On Tuesday, multiple high-level sources confirmed that momentum for Herman was building and that “Herman to Texas is on a silver platter.”
* On Wednesday morning, after weeks of vetting, the biggest supporters of Herman on the Texas side of things were contacted and informed of a “red flag”, and those supporters were spooked enough by what they were told that support for Herman has paused. One high-level source indicated that the issue wasn’t a complete deal-breaker and raised the possibility that these concerns might eventually be wiped away with more vetting leading into next week.
* One high-level source told OB just before 4 p.m. on Thursday that the issue was not a deal-breaker, saying, “I am just saying it is a red flag, not that (we) can’t work through it. Tom Herman could end up being the guy.”
* According to a source with specific knowledge of what was reported, the information on Herman came from someone that knows him well enough that incredibly specific information was given. Whether this person or persons knew that they were delivering a potential dagger to Tom Herman’s chances of getting his dream job is unknown, but there's no mistaking that the person or persons that conveyed the message created a monumental impact. In no way can we pass along what was shared in these discussions, but it is being taken very seriously.
* Over the course of the last 36 hours, Orangebloods has spoken to double-digit sources about Herman in an effort to unravel the truth behind these concerns that were presented to his Texas support this week and none of those sources we spoke with believed the concerning issue was serious enough to warrant standing in the way of him landing the Texas job. That being said, there’s no way to ignore the fact that the specific information that was presented to Herman’s Texas support is concerning enough from their perspective that they believe more vetting is absolutely needed.
* In speaking with multiple high-level sources, there’s a feeling that Herman will leave Houston after this season. One high-level Texas source told Orangebloods this week that there was unnamed competition to hire Herman and eventually one program that was revealed this week as a possible landing spot if Texas doesn't hire Herman is Baylor. If the Longhorns do not hire Herman, multiple sources believe that he could turn his attention to the Baylor job, believing that the program is set up to win right now and is closer to being a top-10 program right away than any other option that exists. It is believed that Baylor is just one of the schools that will show major interest in Herman in the next week or two.
* In talking with a Herman supporter before the Wednesday bombshell, he was being viewed as a perfect candidate for the job. One high-level source even mentioned that he believed Herman could be the modern-day DKR for the program.
On President Greg Fenves…
* The single biggest piece of stability in what’s happening behind the scenes is with Fenves. From the moment he decided during the season that there wouldn’t be a coaching change in the middle of the season, he has maintained that he won’t make a decision on Strong’s future until a full 12-game sample size is in front of him and he can sort through all of the factors in play.
* Those with access to Fenves have been steadfast in reporting to Orangebloods that he has remained 100-percent committed to waiting on a decision, so much so that he has been described as put off by those that haven’t respected his intent to wait until after the TCU game by approaching him about it.
* Fenves has been painted by those who know him as an analytical nerd and someone who will want as much information as possible made available to him before making a decision. Everyone seems to believe that if he concludes change needs to be made, he’ll make it without flinching, but that he hasn’t given a ton of indication about where he stands because he hasn’t started his personal process of breaking down the information.
* While more than 80-percent of those voting in a recent Orangebloods.com poll were in favor of Charlie Strong being dismissed, Fenves does not live in a world where he senses the anxiety, concerns and fear about the football program. Some of the people with access to Fenves have told him the program is just fine and dandy when he’s checked in with officials in the athletic department from time to time throughout the season. One source explained on Thursday that the belief among some is that the mainstream Texas fan is probably more 50-50 with regards to Strong being removed than 80-20.
* Earlier in the week, sources were indicating that a 6-6 record would spell doom for Strong and that a 7-5 record might save him, but that.that info was seemingly connected to the idea that Herman would be the coach if Strong is removed and we've not confirmed if anything has changed in the last 24-48 hours since the "red-flag" that has created this pause with Herman occurred.
On Mike Perrin and the future of the athletic department …
* Perrin’s role in everything that has transpired in the last couple months is somewhat limited. In general, he gives updates to Fenves when he’s been asked to give them.
* Those that prefer change believe Perrin hasn’t been as helpful in expressing to Fenves the seriousness of the moment as he needs to. All things being equal, Perrin is a fan of Charlie Strong and focuses on supporting the coaches and the players as the most important aspect of his job, which means he’s just not going to undermine that support in any way, even if it might be in the best long-term interest in the program.
* Multiple high-level sources believe that having a heavy-hitting athletic director is needed to make the change that is needed and that person isn’t in the position right now, which leaves the program without the proper leadership in their minds to tackle what is in front of them.
* As Orangebloods has reported for months, the process of hiring a new athletic director will not begin until the spring of 2017.
On what exists after Herman …
* There is no backup plan in place if the Herman deal is in fact dead. So much has been done on the Herman front to prepare him to be the guy that there’s just not a No. 2 at this exact moment after the unexpected twist on Wednesday.
* We get the sense that this could change in the coming days as those fighting for change begin to look beyond Herman if they believe Herman isn’t a viable candidate.
On Charlie Strong …
* Strong hasn’t been told one way or another about his job status at this point. His focus has been on winning the final two games of the season and letting the chips fall where they may.
* Sources have told us this week that Strong’s biggest frustration hasn’t been the idea of losing his job, but the level of anxiety that it has created for his players during the season.
* As we reported last week, there's been zero talk with Strong at this point about an extension of any kind, but if Texas decides to keep him it will likely need to do something in an effort to help recruiting. It would be shocking if anything was added to his contract that made it even remotely more difficult to remove him in a season if needed.
