Texas Longhorns fire head football coach Tom Herman; Steve Sarkisian hired

Texas coach Tom Herman watches from the sideline during the first half of the team's Alamo Bowl NCAA college football game against Colorado, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

HOUSTON – On December 13, Texas Athletics Director Chris Del Conte gave Tom Herman a vote of confidence announcing that Herman would return as head football coach in 2021.

Now that we have rung in 2021, Del Conte’s stance changed and the school has announced that Herman has been fired. He will be owed a 15 million dollar buyout for the remaining three years on his contract. Herman’s assistant coaches have deals adding up to another ten million that the university will be obligated to pay.

Recommended Videos



In a statement announcing the move, Del Conte stated that he recommended a change be made " to get us on track to achieving our ambitious goals.” UT President Jay Hartzell and Board of Regents Chair Kevin Eltife approved the change.

The firing comes days after the Longhorns beat Colorado 55-23 in the Alamo Bowl to finish their season 7-3.

TOM HERMAN ERA

4 YEARS ( 2017-2020)

32-18 OVERALL RECORD

22-13 BIG 12 RECORD

1 BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCE

This season after starting the year 2-2 with early losses to TCU and Oklahoma, the heat was on Herman to finish strong or a change was coming. A home loss to Iowa State had Longhorn nation demanding a coaching change after Texas was eliminated from any chance at returning to the Big 12 championship game.

Texas wasted no time, immediately naming Alabama Offensive Coordinator Steve Sarkisian as head coach. Sarkisian has had head coaching stints with both Washington and USC.