Well, he pretty much confirmed in this interview that he’s only staying long term if we get into a P5. That has been my thought all along. Hope we can seal this deal soon.
Really? Didn’t catch that at all… he mentioned he likes to win championships, and last I saw, he got one last year. Also mentioned he could win a national championship this year with the Coogs. He also mentioned staying in one place is very attractive with someone with a family. Sounded primarily positive to me.
I felt that way as well.
But I also thought if we get into the playoff this year he would stick around and see what happens.
Listening to him it seems like that may not be the case. Just because we have a chance this year doesn’t mean we will have a chance the following year.
Disappointing that UH doesn’t control it’s own fate. We can win the next 50 games, sell out the stadium, have great ratings, but if no P5 conference extends an invite then we will always be on this cycle of a new coach every 3 or 4 years.
Man, that interview came off to me as 90% good news, 10% bad news.
Maybe I’m in the minority thinking that.
It is interesting how different people can listen to the same discussion and come to different conclusions. I went in thinking that I would hear red flag warnings in the answers and, after listening to it, I heard nothing like that. I have no idea what he will do. Best case scenario for me: UT, USC, Oregon, LSU, Notre Dame and other P5 jobs all open up after the season and then we find out if he is staying. I do not remember a time recently when so many “brand name” programs were likely to go through HC changes. Let’s get through the season and see how it shakes out. If UH survives this off-season with UT and LSU vacancies, then I like UH’s chances to hold onto Herman.
That is the big “if” in the room. But you are right, those big vacancies (and indeed almost the tops in all college football) won’t be open for awhile either way.
I agree it was very positive, but he was also very careful with this words (as he always is). When asked if he could win a championship at Houston, he said yes, “this year.” He knows, as we all do if we’re being realistic, that it’s going to be very difficult to get there from a G5 conference. Doubts abound after going 13-1 last year, destroying a good FSU team, and assuming we go undefeated this year. We have to hope and pray there aren’t 4 other undefeated teams at the end of the year. I’ve been harping on the quality of life here in Houston for a while, but if the focus is on winning championships (and he did say that in the interview), then a P5 conference lends itself to achieving that goal much more so than a G5 conference does.
Hey, there’s a good chance we could keep him anyway. Check out some of my other posts where I have detailed why the UH job is such a great one. It sure would be nice to be in a position to truly control our own destiny when it comes to winning. Unfortunately, getting into a P5 conference is really the only way to solidify anything.
I think this is the catch. There are two contingencies here…
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We have to go undefeated to have a chance, which is easier in our conference than in a P5. Herman is no fool as we all know, he knows there is an easier path to NY6 bowls and championships at UH.
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However, if we go undefeated (beating a good Louisville and Oklahoma finishing strong) and Houston gets left out of the CFP against 1- or 2-loss P5 teams, it will be a signal to Herman that, even undefeated, the CFP will not give a G5 a shot at the playoff.
At that point, Houston administration better have some solid prospects in place that we are going P5, or he will move on and for good reason. There is nothing more we can do now. We have put our athletics, academics and finances in order to be P5 worthy, and if the powers that be decide it isn’t enough, Herman might be the casualty.
Houston will go and try to hire the best damn coach they can, but make no mistake, Herman is a once a generation type coach. Replicating not only his on-the-field success, but his off-the-field energy will be very, very difficult. I can only pray that we make the playoffs and show that a G5 can get over that hurdle or we get a solid P5 invite. One of those two things happens, Herman stays.
Thank you. This is exactly what I was trying to say. Herman is always very careful with his words in interviews, so obviously my take was just my opinion when “reading between the lines.” All I really want is a fair shake and that’s going to be difficult in our current circumstances. Our administration has done everything humanly possible to position us to take that next step, but we can’t control everything. At some point we just have to hope for the best.
I agree 2002 Coog and here is why. When D.P. asked him if he can win championships at Houston, there was a substantial pause. He then said, “well, this year.” What I inquire and I may be wrong is basically his reaction said, “It is difficult to compete for them when not in a p5.” I only infer that because you have to be perfect at Houston, or any non P5. Again, just my opinion. I could be wrong. I hope he stays regardless.
True, but also parsing, he was very quick and there was no delay when he said he was a stayer.
Before its over with Coogs will have gone over this interview more thorough than the Zapruder film.
You know why?
Because CTH has not come out and said, “I am fulfilling my 5 year contract with the University of Houston, no matter what job offers I may receive.”
We discuss because of the grey area with coaches.
There was an interview earlier this week (can’t remember where) where he talked about why he does bed check the way he does. He talked about how, if you love your kids, you want to spend time with them. My parsing of that interview is that if you love your kids that much, it would be impossible to tell them you’re leaving. If nothing else, for a guy who is often so blunt and direct to the point, Herman is masterful at keeping us all on our toes any time he says something.
You can’t blame him. That’s the landscape of the job. If someone comes along and wants to pay the buyout and double his salary, then more power to him. However, even if he wasn’t interested he shouldn’t be telling the current program. That’s not how the game works. If he did, he would lose all leverage in a bump in pay for being loyal. Sucks, but that’s the landscape of sports and coaching.
Because his agent would literally murder him if he did say that. It is still a career at the end of the day. I get that.
Yup I agree and completely understand.
Helps him at the negotiating table as well.
So as UH fans, we are going to try and decipher anything and everything he says to try and see where he is leaning.
We all know nothing will happen until December or January. But RIGHT NOW, as of October 7th, all we can do is discuss subtle pauses in a sentence on an interview.
Good Point! Even if he is one hundred percent sure he is staying, I understand the reason for being quiet. He wants to make the most money possible. He doesn’t want to destroy any bargaining chips he has. The bottom line is its a wait and see game that we can’t control. We can’t control the big 12 expansion vote, and we can’t control the final four vote (if undefeated), and we can’t control whether or not Tom stays. We can go #1-0 every week and get in a great position to be in the CFP. Enjoy the rid.
I will add this to the conversation…
I think that Herman WANTS to stay, or be stationary as they said in the radio show. I believe that he is genuine in his love for the city and the university.
The only question is can he accomplish his career goals of competing for a national championship at UH or raising UH to a P5 conference.
What pisses me off is those two questions are completely out of our control, the university’s control, and Herman’s control - whether we go undefeated or not. Everyone always says just keep winning. Well, these two big future-changing decisions are going to be decided off the field. One of them is up to some near-sighted presidents in the BigXII, and the other is up to a committee composed primarily of P5 affiliates.
Assume this. Most of the schools in the Big-12-10 would love for Herman to leave UH, regardless of where he winds up. As a conference they’re a pathetic bunch, but they’ve got all that network money and still are terrified of UH. Many of us remember back in the SWC days that Baylor and TCU were pathetic. When they came to the Astrodome with their 500 fans, we might have drawn 25k fans. The sad thing is that these frauds think that they’re where they are because they’re so great. Blah…