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Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Football
Herman, Tom
Tom Herman
- Title:
- Hagerty Family Head Football Coach
Owls Announce Change in Football Leadership (Nov. 18, 2024)
Tom Herman was named Florida Atlantic University’s Hagerty Family Head Football Coach on December 3, 2022, bringing to South Florida a head coach who ranks among the nation’s current elite winners. Over his first six seasons as a head coach, he holds a 54-22 record, is 5-0 in bowl games and is known as a prolific recruiter and offensive mastermind. Through seven seasons, his career record now stands at 58-30.
Herman is the sixth man to hold the reins of the Owls’ program and eighth to hold the title when accounting for those holding the interim position.
In his first season with the Owls, LaJohntay Wester became a prolific receiver as the nation's regular-season leading receiver in catches per game. Wester ended his season No. 2 nationally in receptions per game and No. 2 in punt return TDs. Florida Atlantic became a more disciplined squad ending the year ranked No. 3 nationally in fewest penalties, a 52 spot improvement. FAU also took care of the ball ending 2023 ranked No. 3 nationally in fumbles lost and 57 spot jump.
He was previously the 30th Head Football Coach at The University of Texas, named so on Nov. 26, 2016, a position that he served for four winning seasons.
Herman amassed 32 (32-18) wins at Texas, the third-most by a head coach in his first four seasons at UT. Herman’s first three seasons saw the signal caller record a 25-15 record, which was a nine-win improvement on Texas’ record from the three years prior to his Austin arrival (16-21). That ranks as the second-best improvement by a Longhorn head coach during his first three seasons in charge (12 wins, Darrell Royal - 1957-59).
Herman led the Longhorns to a 7-3 mark in 2020, marking his fourth-straight winning season at the helm of the Longhorns. The Texas head coach led his teams to bowl games in all four seasons at UT and in all six seasons overall as a head coach. Five UT players earned All-Big 12 honors in a COVID shortened 2020 season, with offensive lineman Samuel Cosmi and defensive lineman Joseph Ossai garnering first team honors. Nine Longhorns earned All-Big 12 recognition under Herman in 2019, with WR Devin Duvernay and OL Zach Shackelford both collecting first-team honors. DB Brandon Jones and Cosmi both were named second-team performers.
Quarterback Sam Ehlinger became only the third Longhorn to surpass 4,000 yards of total offense in a season, joining Longhorn legends Vince Young (2005) and Colt McCoy (2008) in that exclusive club. Ehlinger has totaled 39 touchdowns in 2019, the third-most in school history. The offense ranked 17th nationally in scoring offense, 14thth in total offense and converted third downs at the seventh-best rate of any team in the FBS. Texas surrendered the fewest turnovers of any Big 12 team. The Horns also were a top-10 team offensively in the red zone. On defense, the Longhorns stuffed opponents on fourth down and turned opponents over 19 times. UT’s plus-five turnover margin ranked 33rd nationally, and the Longhorns were a top-20 team in the country defensively on fourth downs.
In 2018, Herman led his Longhorns to a 10-4 mark, a Sugar Bowl victory and a Big 12 Championship Game appearance in just his second season at the helm. The 2019 Allstate Sugar Bowl marked Herman’s second appearance in a NY6 Bowl Game in just four seasons. Defensive end Charles Omenihu was named Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year, while safety Caden Sterns was UT’s seventh all-time Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year. In total, 18 Longhorns garnered All-Big 12 recognition, including four on the first team. In all, 10 players went on to an NFL opportunity, including draft picks Omenihu and cornerback Kris Boyd.
Ehlinger became the only player in UT history to pass for at least 25 touchdowns and rush for at least 15 in a season, while the Longhorns controlled the ball and kept it secure in 2018. The offense ranked 22nd in the nation in time of possession despite playing in the fast-paced Big 12, along with being 12th in total first downs. Texas also was tied for 15th in turnover margin at plus-nine and tied for fourth in turnovers lost with just 11. The offense had a stretch of 295 total plays, including three-straight full games without a turnover, leading to a total of five turnover free games for the season. On defense, Texas continued in its strengths of strong red zone defense, ranking 17th nationally, and stopping the run, allowing just 131.4 yards per game to rank 28th.
In his first season at Texas, Herman guided the Longhorns to a 7-6 record and a victory in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl over Missouri. Both punter Michael Dickson and safety DeShon Elliott were named unanimous All-Americans, with Dickson becoming UT’s first-ever winner of the Ray Guy Award.
Seven players were named All-Big 12 and 14 were named to the Academic All-Big 12 teams. Linebacker Malik Jefferson was named Big 12 Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year, defensive lineman Poona Ford was named the Big 12 Conference’s Defensive Lineman of the Year, and punter Dickson was named Big 12 Conference Special Teams Player of the Year for the second-straight season. Elliott joined the trio of players of the year as a unanimous first team All-Big 12 selection.
Texas was stout defensively, finishing third nationally in third-down defense (.271) and seventh nationally in fourth-down defense (.300). The Longhorns finished eighth nationally in rushing defense (106.8 ypg) and 41st in total defense (365.6), after finishing the 2016 season 76th and 94th, respectively. UT had eight non-offensive touchdowns (five interceptions, two fumble returns, one punt return) in 2017 after not recording any during the previous season.
Herman saw 12 players earn an opportunity in the NFL following his first season, including four Longhorns being selected in the 2018 NFL Draft. Offensive lineman Connor Williams was taken in the second round by the Dallas Cowboys, Jefferson went in the third round to the Cincinnati Bengals, Dickson was selected in the fifth round by the Seattle Seahawks and Elliott was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round.
Herman came to Texas after compiling a 22-4 record in two seasons at Houston, the fourth-best record in the FBS in that span. His first season as head coach at Texas marked his 14th spent in the state of Texas out of 20 years coaching on the collegiate level. That includes his time as a graduate assistant at UT (1999-2000), where he earned a master’s degree in education.
Following his first season at UH, Herman was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson and Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Awards, while also being chosen as the Football Writers Association of America’s First-Year Coach of the Year and the American Athletic Conference’s Co-Coach of the Year.
Herman became just the fourth head coach in NCAA history with at least 13 wins in a rookie season, joining Chris Petersen (Boise State - 2006), George Woodruff (Penn - 1892) and Walter Camp (Yale - 1888), and just the fifth head coach in NCAA history to win the first 10 games of his career, joining Petersen, Larry Coker (Miami - 2001), Woodruff and Camp in accomplishing the feat.
He led the Cougars to their first New Year’s Bowl in 30 years, their second 13-win season in program history and their 11th conference championship in program history by claiming the inaugural AAC Championship. He led all FBS coaches in their first year with a program with 13 wins as Houston finished third nationally with a 92.9 winning percentage at 13-1.
With a 38-24 win over No. 9 Florida State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Herman joined College Football Hall of Famer Bill Yeoman as just the second coach in Houston history with a win in one of the New Year’s Six bowls and the second with a bowl victory over a top-10 opponent. Houston ended the 2015 season ranked No. 8 in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls, its highest finish since ranking No. 5 in 1979, and just the sixth time in program history to finish in the top 10.
Houston was one of just two schools nationally to play at least four ranked opponents in 2015 and remain undefeated in those contests, while UH was one of eight teams nationally with at least four wins against ranked opponents. Three of those wins came by double-digits, the fourth-best total in the nation.
Ranking 10th in scoring offense (40.4 points per game) and 21st in scoring defense (20.7 points per game), Houston was the only program in the nation to rank in the top 10 in scoring offense and the top 25 in scoring defense. UH ranked fifth nationally with an average margin of victory of 19.7 points per game. The Cougars ranked eighth nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 108.9 yards per game, while ranking 13th in rushing offense with an average of 235.8 yards per game. Houston was the only team in the nation to rank in the top 13 in both categories.
In 2016, Herman guided his program to a 9-3 record, including wins over No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 3 Louisville. Houston became the first program nationally to defeat two top-five teams. Herman’s Cougars joined Alabama as the only two teams in the nation with double-digit wins over two top-10 teams this season.
Houston ranked as one of the most efficient and disciplined teams in the country under Herman, as their offense ranked 34th and the defense 15th when he was hired by the Longhorns.
In the regular season, Houston’s offense ranked 15th in third down conversions, sixth in completion percentage, ninth in first downs and 21st in scoring offense in 2016. Greg Ward, Jr. led the Cougars offense, as he was named a semifinalist for both the Davey O’Brien Award and The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award. He finished the regular season with 3,328 passing yards and 518 rushing yards. He was 294-of-435 (67.6%) passing, ranking in the top-12 nationally in completion percentage, completions per game and passing yards. He had 31 total touchdowns in 12 games. For his career, Ward is fifth in Houston history with 8,202 passing yards, 52 touchdown passes and 699 completions.
Defensively, Houston featured the nation’s third-ranked rush defense in addition to the nation’s 15th-best defense in total yards allowed. The Cougars were third nationally with five defensive touchdowns on the season and allowed just 22.6 points per game in 12 regular-season contests. They also ranked as one of the nation’s best in bringing pressure, ranking in the top-20 in sacks (13th) and tackles for loss (19th). Freshman defensive tackle Ed Oliver, an All-American, was sixth nationally with 19.5 tackles for loss. He added seven quarterback hurries and led all defensive linemen nationally with his nine pass breakups. Linebacker Steven Taylor, the Cougars’ leading tackler, ranked 26th nationally with 8.5 sacks. As a team, Houston finished the regular season with 90 tackles for loss and 37 sacks.
Prior to his arrival at Houston, Herman helped develop record-setting and explosive offenses in each of his 10 seasons as an offensive coordinator, including three seasons as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Ohio State, where he won the 2014 Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach. He helped the Buckeyes win the 2015 College Football Championship (following the 2014 season) with third-string quarterback Cardale Jones under center in wins over Alabama and Oregon, and a Big Ten Championship win over Wisconsin.
Herman’s 2014 Ohio State offense finished the season ranked fifth in scoring offense at 44.8 points per game and ninth in total offense at 511.6 yards per game despite losing Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Braxton Miller prior to the season. With freshman J.T. Barrett taking over the reins, Herman molded the quarterback into a formidable leader who finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting and was named a FWAA Freshman All-American.
The Buckeyes claimed the 2014 Big Ten Championship with a 59-0 win over Wisconsin as Herman’s offense rolled to 558 total yards with Jones under center after an injury to Barrett in the regular-season finale.
The offense continued to roll in Ohio State’s 42-35 College Football Playoff semifinal win over Alabama. Facing a defense that entered the game ranked fourth nationally in scoring defense at 16.6 points per game, Herman’s offense exploded for 42 points and 537 total yards. The balanced attack yielded 256 passing yards and 281 rushing yards.
In the championship game against Oregon, Herman’s offense piled up 538 total yards with 242 through the air and 296 on the ground in a 42-20 win. The 42 points marked the most scored on Oregon during the 2014 season.
Herman’s quarterbacks in 2014 ranked second nationally with a team passing efficiency rating of 167.72, while Barrett was second nationally with a rating of 169.8 and sixth nationally with an Ohio State record 34 passing touchdowns, while also adding 11 touchdowns on the ground for a Big Ten record of 45 touchdowns responsible for. The Buckeyes’ offense was sixth nationally with an average of 6.98 yards per play and second nationally with 46 plays of 30 yards or longer and 17 plays of 50 yards or longer.
Barrett, the Big Ten’s 2014 Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year, was one of four offensive players to receive All-Big Ten honors in 2014 and was the third to receive a major Big Ten award under Herman’s leadership as Carlos Hyde was named the 2013 Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year and Miller was named the Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year and the Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year in both 2012 and 2013.
After leading the Big Ten in scoring in 2012 at 37.2 points per game and ranking 10th nationally in rushing at nearly 250 yards per game, Ohio State’s offense under Herman went to a new level in 2013, ranking third nationally in scoring at 45.5 ppg and fifth in rushing at 308.6 ypg.
The Buckeyes were successful through the air as well. Among the 12 single-season records to fall in 2013 were most touchdown passes (38) with top-five school totals in passing yards (2,846), attempts (368) and completions (238). Additional records were set in rushing yards in a season (4,321 yards, which also is a Big Ten Conference record), most total touchdowns (82) and most total offensive yards (7,167), yards per play (7.1) and yards per game (511.9).
Miller finished fifth and ninth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Additionally, he set the school record for total offense and was a finalist for the Davey O’Brien and Manning Awards in 2012, then in 2013 he led the Big Ten in passing efficiency.
Herman, who was named the 2013 Rivals.com Big Ten Recruiter of the Year and national Top 25 recruiter, arrived in Columbus after spending three years as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Iowa State.
During his time at Iowa State from 2009-11, Herman’s well-balanced offense was very evident as Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud ended his career as the Cyclones’ No. 2 all-time leading passer with 6,777 yards and 42 touchdown passes, while running back Alexander Robinson finished his Iowa State career as the Cyclones’ fourth all-time leading rusher with 3,309 yards.
Herman spent 2007 and 2008 as offensive coordinator at Rice before heading to Iowa State. During his two seasons with the Owls, his offenses broke over 40 school records and in his second season, the Owls won 10 games and went to a bowl for the first time since 1954.
Rice ranked in the Top-10 nationally in 2008 in passing offense (fifth; 327.8), scoring offense (t-eighth; 41.6) and total offense (10th; 472.3). Two Rice receivers had more than 1,300 yards receiving that year. Tight end James Casey had 111 catches and quarterback Chase Clement was named Conference USA MVP.
Rice’s spread attack completed nearly two-thirds (65.6%) of its passes, and its touchdown-to-interception ratio of 48-to-7 was an NCAA FBS best. The quick-strike Owls had 30 scoring drives of five plays or less in 2008 and 31 scoring marches of less than two minutes.
Prior to Rice, Herman directed offensive attacks for two years (2005-06) at Texas State, where Bobcat squads led the Southland Conference in total offense. The 2005 Texas State club was eighth nationally in scoring and made a run to the FCS semifinals in the school’s first appearance in the Division 1-AA playoffs. Herman also worked four years (2001-04) as an assistant coach at Sam Houston State as special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach, helping them to a pair of conference titles and trips to the FCS semifinals and quarterfinals.
The job with SHSU was his first after his time as a graduate assistant at Texas, where he assisted with the offensive line on the Longhorns’ Cotton and Holiday Bowl teams. He received his coaching start in 1998 as a wide receivers coach at Texas Lutheran.
Herman was born in Cincinnati and still has family there. He was raised in Simi Valley, Calif., and he played collegiately as an all-conference wide receiver at California Lutheran, graduating in 1997 with a degree in business administration. He received a master’s in education from the University of Texas in 2000.
Herman and his wife, Michelle, have a daughter, Priya, and two sons, TD and Maverick.
Bowl games (as a head coach)
5-0 (3-0 vs. Top 11-ranked teams)
W, 38-24 vs No. 9 Florida State (Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl)
W, 38-10 vs No. 11 Utah (Valero Alamo Bow)
W, 28-21 vs No. 6 Georgia (Allstate Sugar Bowl)
W, 33-16 vs Missouri (Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl)
Year-by-Year Coaching
*Led the team to the Las Vegas Bowl but did not coach
2015 Conference Champion | 2018 Conference Title Game
Notes:
Tom Herman was named Florida Atlantic University’s Hagerty Family Head Football Coach on December 3, 2022, bringing to South Florida a head coach who ranks among the nation’s current elite winners. Over his first six seasons as a head coach, he holds a 54-22 record, is 5-0 in bowl games and is known as a prolific recruiter and offensive mastermind. Through seven seasons, his career record now stands at 58-30.
Herman is the sixth man to hold the reins of the Owls’ program and eighth to hold the title when accounting for those holding the interim position.
In his first season with the Owls, LaJohntay Wester became a prolific receiver as the nation's regular-season leading receiver in catches per game. Wester ended his season No. 2 nationally in receptions per game and No. 2 in punt return TDs. Florida Atlantic became a more disciplined squad ending the year ranked No. 3 nationally in fewest penalties, a 52 spot improvement. FAU also took care of the ball ending 2023 ranked No. 3 nationally in fumbles lost and 57 spot jump.
He was previously the 30th Head Football Coach at The University of Texas, named so on Nov. 26, 2016, a position that he served for four winning seasons.
Herman amassed 32 (32-18) wins at Texas, the third-most by a head coach in his first four seasons at UT. Herman’s first three seasons saw the signal caller record a 25-15 record, which was a nine-win improvement on Texas’ record from the three years prior to his Austin arrival (16-21). That ranks as the second-best improvement by a Longhorn head coach during his first three seasons in charge (12 wins, Darrell Royal - 1957-59).
Herman led the Longhorns to a 7-3 mark in 2020, marking his fourth-straight winning season at the helm of the Longhorns. The Texas head coach led his teams to bowl games in all four seasons at UT and in all six seasons overall as a head coach. Five UT players earned All-Big 12 honors in a COVID shortened 2020 season, with offensive lineman Samuel Cosmi and defensive lineman Joseph Ossai garnering first team honors. Nine Longhorns earned All-Big 12 recognition under Herman in 2019, with WR Devin Duvernay and OL Zach Shackelford both collecting first-team honors. DB Brandon Jones and Cosmi both were named second-team performers.
Quarterback Sam Ehlinger became only the third Longhorn to surpass 4,000 yards of total offense in a season, joining Longhorn legends Vince Young (2005) and Colt McCoy (2008) in that exclusive club. Ehlinger has totaled 39 touchdowns in 2019, the third-most in school history. The offense ranked 17th nationally in scoring offense, 14thth in total offense and converted third downs at the seventh-best rate of any team in the FBS. Texas surrendered the fewest turnovers of any Big 12 team. The Horns also were a top-10 team offensively in the red zone. On defense, the Longhorns stuffed opponents on fourth down and turned opponents over 19 times. UT’s plus-five turnover margin ranked 33rd nationally, and the Longhorns were a top-20 team in the country defensively on fourth downs.
In 2018, Herman led his Longhorns to a 10-4 mark, a Sugar Bowl victory and a Big 12 Championship Game appearance in just his second season at the helm. The 2019 Allstate Sugar Bowl marked Herman’s second appearance in a NY6 Bowl Game in just four seasons. Defensive end Charles Omenihu was named Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year, while safety Caden Sterns was UT’s seventh all-time Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year. In total, 18 Longhorns garnered All-Big 12 recognition, including four on the first team. In all, 10 players went on to an NFL opportunity, including draft picks Omenihu and cornerback Kris Boyd.
Ehlinger became the only player in UT history to pass for at least 25 touchdowns and rush for at least 15 in a season, while the Longhorns controlled the ball and kept it secure in 2018. The offense ranked 22nd in the nation in time of possession despite playing in the fast-paced Big 12, along with being 12th in total first downs. Texas also was tied for 15th in turnover margin at plus-nine and tied for fourth in turnovers lost with just 11. The offense had a stretch of 295 total plays, including three-straight full games without a turnover, leading to a total of five turnover free games for the season. On defense, Texas continued in its strengths of strong red zone defense, ranking 17th nationally, and stopping the run, allowing just 131.4 yards per game to rank 28th.
In his first season at Texas, Herman guided the Longhorns to a 7-6 record and a victory in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl over Missouri. Both punter Michael Dickson and safety DeShon Elliott were named unanimous All-Americans, with Dickson becoming UT’s first-ever winner of the Ray Guy Award.
Seven players were named All-Big 12 and 14 were named to the Academic All-Big 12 teams. Linebacker Malik Jefferson was named Big 12 Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year, defensive lineman Poona Ford was named the Big 12 Conference’s Defensive Lineman of the Year, and punter Dickson was named Big 12 Conference Special Teams Player of the Year for the second-straight season. Elliott joined the trio of players of the year as a unanimous first team All-Big 12 selection.
Texas was stout defensively, finishing third nationally in third-down defense (.271) and seventh nationally in fourth-down defense (.300). The Longhorns finished eighth nationally in rushing defense (106.8 ypg) and 41st in total defense (365.6), after finishing the 2016 season 76th and 94th, respectively. UT had eight non-offensive touchdowns (five interceptions, two fumble returns, one punt return) in 2017 after not recording any during the previous season.
Herman saw 12 players earn an opportunity in the NFL following his first season, including four Longhorns being selected in the 2018 NFL Draft. Offensive lineman Connor Williams was taken in the second round by the Dallas Cowboys, Jefferson went in the third round to the Cincinnati Bengals, Dickson was selected in the fifth round by the Seattle Seahawks and Elliott was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round.
Herman came to Texas after compiling a 22-4 record in two seasons at Houston, the fourth-best record in the FBS in that span. His first season as head coach at Texas marked his 14th spent in the state of Texas out of 20 years coaching on the collegiate level. That includes his time as a graduate assistant at UT (1999-2000), where he earned a master’s degree in education.
Following his first season at UH, Herman was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson and Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Awards, while also being chosen as the Football Writers Association of America’s First-Year Coach of the Year and the American Athletic Conference’s Co-Coach of the Year.
Herman became just the fourth head coach in NCAA history with at least 13 wins in a rookie season, joining Chris Petersen (Boise State - 2006), George Woodruff (Penn - 1892) and Walter Camp (Yale - 1888), and just the fifth head coach in NCAA history to win the first 10 games of his career, joining Petersen, Larry Coker (Miami - 2001), Woodruff and Camp in accomplishing the feat.
He led the Cougars to their first New Year’s Bowl in 30 years, their second 13-win season in program history and their 11th conference championship in program history by claiming the inaugural AAC Championship. He led all FBS coaches in their first year with a program with 13 wins as Houston finished third nationally with a 92.9 winning percentage at 13-1.
With a 38-24 win over No. 9 Florida State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Herman joined College Football Hall of Famer Bill Yeoman as just the second coach in Houston history with a win in one of the New Year’s Six bowls and the second with a bowl victory over a top-10 opponent. Houston ended the 2015 season ranked No. 8 in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls, its highest finish since ranking No. 5 in 1979, and just the sixth time in program history to finish in the top 10.
Houston was one of just two schools nationally to play at least four ranked opponents in 2015 and remain undefeated in those contests, while UH was one of eight teams nationally with at least four wins against ranked opponents. Three of those wins came by double-digits, the fourth-best total in the nation.
Ranking 10th in scoring offense (40.4 points per game) and 21st in scoring defense (20.7 points per game), Houston was the only program in the nation to rank in the top 10 in scoring offense and the top 25 in scoring defense. UH ranked fifth nationally with an average margin of victory of 19.7 points per game. The Cougars ranked eighth nationally in rushing defense, allowing just 108.9 yards per game, while ranking 13th in rushing offense with an average of 235.8 yards per game. Houston was the only team in the nation to rank in the top 13 in both categories.
In 2016, Herman guided his program to a 9-3 record, including wins over No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 3 Louisville. Houston became the first program nationally to defeat two top-five teams. Herman’s Cougars joined Alabama as the only two teams in the nation with double-digit wins over two top-10 teams this season.
Houston ranked as one of the most efficient and disciplined teams in the country under Herman, as their offense ranked 34th and the defense 15th when he was hired by the Longhorns.
In the regular season, Houston’s offense ranked 15th in third down conversions, sixth in completion percentage, ninth in first downs and 21st in scoring offense in 2016. Greg Ward, Jr. led the Cougars offense, as he was named a semifinalist for both the Davey O’Brien Award and The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award. He finished the regular season with 3,328 passing yards and 518 rushing yards. He was 294-of-435 (67.6%) passing, ranking in the top-12 nationally in completion percentage, completions per game and passing yards. He had 31 total touchdowns in 12 games. For his career, Ward is fifth in Houston history with 8,202 passing yards, 52 touchdown passes and 699 completions.
Defensively, Houston featured the nation’s third-ranked rush defense in addition to the nation’s 15th-best defense in total yards allowed. The Cougars were third nationally with five defensive touchdowns on the season and allowed just 22.6 points per game in 12 regular-season contests. They also ranked as one of the nation’s best in bringing pressure, ranking in the top-20 in sacks (13th) and tackles for loss (19th). Freshman defensive tackle Ed Oliver, an All-American, was sixth nationally with 19.5 tackles for loss. He added seven quarterback hurries and led all defensive linemen nationally with his nine pass breakups. Linebacker Steven Taylor, the Cougars’ leading tackler, ranked 26th nationally with 8.5 sacks. As a team, Houston finished the regular season with 90 tackles for loss and 37 sacks.
Prior to his arrival at Houston, Herman helped develop record-setting and explosive offenses in each of his 10 seasons as an offensive coordinator, including three seasons as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Ohio State, where he won the 2014 Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach. He helped the Buckeyes win the 2015 College Football Championship (following the 2014 season) with third-string quarterback Cardale Jones under center in wins over Alabama and Oregon, and a Big Ten Championship win over Wisconsin.
Herman’s 2014 Ohio State offense finished the season ranked fifth in scoring offense at 44.8 points per game and ninth in total offense at 511.6 yards per game despite losing Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Braxton Miller prior to the season. With freshman J.T. Barrett taking over the reins, Herman molded the quarterback into a formidable leader who finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting and was named a FWAA Freshman All-American.
The Buckeyes claimed the 2014 Big Ten Championship with a 59-0 win over Wisconsin as Herman’s offense rolled to 558 total yards with Jones under center after an injury to Barrett in the regular-season finale.
The offense continued to roll in Ohio State’s 42-35 College Football Playoff semifinal win over Alabama. Facing a defense that entered the game ranked fourth nationally in scoring defense at 16.6 points per game, Herman’s offense exploded for 42 points and 537 total yards. The balanced attack yielded 256 passing yards and 281 rushing yards.
In the championship game against Oregon, Herman’s offense piled up 538 total yards with 242 through the air and 296 on the ground in a 42-20 win. The 42 points marked the most scored on Oregon during the 2014 season.
Herman’s quarterbacks in 2014 ranked second nationally with a team passing efficiency rating of 167.72, while Barrett was second nationally with a rating of 169.8 and sixth nationally with an Ohio State record 34 passing touchdowns, while also adding 11 touchdowns on the ground for a Big Ten record of 45 touchdowns responsible for. The Buckeyes’ offense was sixth nationally with an average of 6.98 yards per play and second nationally with 46 plays of 30 yards or longer and 17 plays of 50 yards or longer.
Barrett, the Big Ten’s 2014 Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year, was one of four offensive players to receive All-Big Ten honors in 2014 and was the third to receive a major Big Ten award under Herman’s leadership as Carlos Hyde was named the 2013 Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year and Miller was named the Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year and the Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year in both 2012 and 2013.
After leading the Big Ten in scoring in 2012 at 37.2 points per game and ranking 10th nationally in rushing at nearly 250 yards per game, Ohio State’s offense under Herman went to a new level in 2013, ranking third nationally in scoring at 45.5 ppg and fifth in rushing at 308.6 ypg.
The Buckeyes were successful through the air as well. Among the 12 single-season records to fall in 2013 were most touchdown passes (38) with top-five school totals in passing yards (2,846), attempts (368) and completions (238). Additional records were set in rushing yards in a season (4,321 yards, which also is a Big Ten Conference record), most total touchdowns (82) and most total offensive yards (7,167), yards per play (7.1) and yards per game (511.9).
Miller finished fifth and ninth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Additionally, he set the school record for total offense and was a finalist for the Davey O’Brien and Manning Awards in 2012, then in 2013 he led the Big Ten in passing efficiency.
Herman, who was named the 2013 Rivals.com Big Ten Recruiter of the Year and national Top 25 recruiter, arrived in Columbus after spending three years as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Iowa State.
During his time at Iowa State from 2009-11, Herman’s well-balanced offense was very evident as Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud ended his career as the Cyclones’ No. 2 all-time leading passer with 6,777 yards and 42 touchdown passes, while running back Alexander Robinson finished his Iowa State career as the Cyclones’ fourth all-time leading rusher with 3,309 yards.
Herman spent 2007 and 2008 as offensive coordinator at Rice before heading to Iowa State. During his two seasons with the Owls, his offenses broke over 40 school records and in his second season, the Owls won 10 games and went to a bowl for the first time since 1954.
Rice ranked in the Top-10 nationally in 2008 in passing offense (fifth; 327.8), scoring offense (t-eighth; 41.6) and total offense (10th; 472.3). Two Rice receivers had more than 1,300 yards receiving that year. Tight end James Casey had 111 catches and quarterback Chase Clement was named Conference USA MVP.
Rice’s spread attack completed nearly two-thirds (65.6%) of its passes, and its touchdown-to-interception ratio of 48-to-7 was an NCAA FBS best. The quick-strike Owls had 30 scoring drives of five plays or less in 2008 and 31 scoring marches of less than two minutes.
Prior to Rice, Herman directed offensive attacks for two years (2005-06) at Texas State, where Bobcat squads led the Southland Conference in total offense. The 2005 Texas State club was eighth nationally in scoring and made a run to the FCS semifinals in the school’s first appearance in the Division 1-AA playoffs. Herman also worked four years (2001-04) as an assistant coach at Sam Houston State as special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach, helping them to a pair of conference titles and trips to the FCS semifinals and quarterfinals.
The job with SHSU was his first after his time as a graduate assistant at Texas, where he assisted with the offensive line on the Longhorns’ Cotton and Holiday Bowl teams. He received his coaching start in 1998 as a wide receivers coach at Texas Lutheran.
Herman was born in Cincinnati and still has family there. He was raised in Simi Valley, Calif., and he played collegiately as an all-conference wide receiver at California Lutheran, graduating in 1997 with a degree in business administration. He received a master’s in education from the University of Texas in 2000.
Herman and his wife, Michelle, have a daughter, Priya, and two sons, TD and Maverick.
Bowl games (as a head coach)
5-0 (3-0 vs. Top 11-ranked teams)
W, 38-24 vs No. 9 Florida State (Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl)
W, 38-10 vs No. 11 Utah (Valero Alamo Bow)
W, 28-21 vs No. 6 Georgia (Allstate Sugar Bowl)
W, 33-16 vs Missouri (Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl)
Year-by-Year Coaching
| Year | Program | Position | Record | Conference Standing |
Bowls | National Rank Coaches/AP |
| 1998 | Texas Lutheran | Wide Receivers | 4-6 | |||
| 1999 | Texas | Graduate Assistant | 9-5 | |||
| 2000 | Texas | Graduate Assistant | 8-4 | |||
| 2001 | Sam Houston | Wide Receivers/Special Teams | 10-3 | Playoffs | FCS Quarterfinalist | |
| 2002 | Sam Houston | Wide Receivers/Special Teams | 4-7 | |||
| 2003 | Sam Houston | Wide Receivers/Special Teams | 2-9 | |||
| 2004 | Sam Houston | Wide Receivers/Special Teams | 11-3 | Playoffs | FCS Semifinalist | |
| 2005 | Texas State | Offensive Coordinator/QBs | 11-3 | Playoffs | FCS Semifinalist | |
| 2006 | Texas State | Offensive Coordinator/QBs | 5-6 | |||
| 2007 | Rice | Offensive Coordinator/QBs | 3-9 | |||
| 2008 | Rice | Offensive Coordinator/QBs | 10-3 | 1st C-USA | W, Texas Bowl | |
| 2009 | Iowa State | Offensive Coordinator/QBs | 7-6 | W, Insight Bowl | ||
| 2010 | Iowa State | Offensive Coordinator/QBs | 5-7 | |||
| 2011 | Iowa State | Offensive Coordinator/QBs | 6-7 | L, Pinstripe | ||
| 2012 | Ohio State | Offensive Coordinator/QBs | 13-0 | |||
| 2013 | Ohio State | Offensive Coordinator/QBs | 12-2 | L, Orange Bowl | ||
| 2014 | Ohio State | Offensive Coordinator/QBs | 15-1 | W Sugar Bowl/CFP | National Champions | |
| Head Coach | ||||||
| 2015 | Houston | Head Coach | 13-1 | T-1st (West) | W, Peach | 8/8 |
| 2016 | Houston | Head Coach | 9-3 | T-3rd (West) | *Las Vegas | |
| 2017 | Texas | Head Coach | 7-6 | T-4th | W, Texas | |
| 2018 | Texas | Head Coach | 10-4 | 2nd | W, Sugar | 9/9 |
| 2019 | Texas | Head Coach | 8-5 | T-3rd | W, Alamo | NA/25 |
| 2020 | Texas | Head Coach | 7-3 | 3rd | W, Alamo | 20/19 |
| 2021 | Chicago Bears | Offensive Analyst | ||||
| 2022 | CBSSN | Television Analyst | ||||
| 2023 | Florida Atlantic | Head Coach | 4-8 | |||
| Total | 58-30 | .659 |
*Led the team to the Las Vegas Bowl but did not coach
2015 Conference Champion | 2018 Conference Title Game
Notes:
- Four AP-Top 25 finishes in seven season as a head coach (#8 - 2015, #9 - 2018, #19- 2020, #25 - 2019)
- American Athletic Conference Championship (2015)
- American Athletic Conference --- West Division Title (2015)
- American Athletic Conference ---- Coach of the Year (2015)
- FWAA Steve Spurrier First Year Coach Award (2015) Presented annually to the best coach in his first year at a school.
- Big 12 Championship Game Appearance (2018)
- Two New Year’s Six Bowl Appearances
- 2018 Sugar Bowl – Texas defeated the University of Georgia 28-21
- 2015 Peach Bowl – Houston defeated Florida State 38-24
- First six season as a head coach, never had fewer than seven wins
- 2020 – Texas (7-3)
- 2019 – Texas (8-5)
- 2018 – Texas (10-4)
- 2017 – Texas (7-6)
- 2016 – Houston (9-3)
- 2015 – Houston (13-1)
- Held a perfect 6-0 record at Houston against To-25 opponents
- #3 Oklahoma; September 3, 2016: Houston defeated Oklahoma 33-23
- #3 Louisville; November 17, 2016: Houston defeated Louisville 36-10
- #9 Florida State; December 31, 2015: Houston defeated Florida State 38-24
- #16 Navy; November 27, 2015: Houston defeated Navy 52-31
- #20 Temple; December 5, 2015: Houston defeated Temple 24-13
- #25 Memphis; November 14, 2015: Houston defeated Memphis 35-34
Inside the Owls Burrow 2025-26 #7
Thursday, September 25
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Get to Know Coach Korel Smith
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Scarlee Jean "Pads Off"
Thursday, September 25
