Tom Herman is reportedly joining the Seminoles staff in a support role (per On3). Herman has served as the head coach of FAU (2023-2024), Texas (2017-2020), and Houston (2015-2016), as well as the offensive coordinator at Ohio State (2012-2014) and Iowa State (2009-2011). He was also an offensive analyst for the Chicago Bears in 2021.
His stint at FAU was not good (oddly enough, he took over for Willie Taggart), but he coached Houston to a 22-4 combined record, was 6-0 vs AP-ranked teams and 5-0 vs P5 opponents (including beating FSU in the 2015 Peach Bowl). He was the AAC Coach of the Year in 2015 after leading the Cougars to a 13-1 season and an AAC title.
His record at Texas was 32-18, including a 10-4 season in 2018 that featured a Big 12 title game appearance and a Sugar Bowl win over Georgia. Herman produced a Top 10 scoring offense at Rice (2008), Ohio State (2014), and Houston (2015). He’s primarily coached quarterbacks and wide receivers. He won the Broyles Award at OSU in 2014 after helping lead them to a national championship.
Is this Mike Norvell taking a page from Saban’s book? Is this FSU hiring a potential interim in case Norvell were to get fired? Trading a guy who took over for Willie Taggart and has won 7 games in the past two years for a guy who took over for Willie Taggart and has won 6 games in the past two years doesn’t seem like a move I’d make…
However, I like the move as an analyst. I understand the time at Texas was underwhelming outside of 2018, and the stint at FAU was bad (6-16), but you can never have enough experienced voices in the room and he does have some positives in his history. Thanks for reading and Go Noles!