Former Texas Longhorns Head Coach Embraces Fresh Start With New Program Hoping to Reignite His College Football Legacy Again
The world of college football never stays still for long. Coaches come and go, their careers shaped by seasons of glory, disappointment, and, more often than not, reinvention. For the Texas Longhorns, one of the most storied programs in the sport, former head coach Tom Herman once stood at the helm with immense expectations on his shoulders. Now, after a period of reflection and recalibration, Herman has landed a new head coaching job that may mark the next major chapter in his coaching journey — this time with the Florida Atlantic Owls.
The announcement of Herman taking the reins at Florida Atlantic University has generated ripples across the college football landscape. While the Owls are not a traditional powerhouse like Texas, the move represents both a calculated risk and a valuable opportunity for Herman to revive a coaching career that began with so much promise and acclaim. For FAU, it signals an ambition to elevate its program to new heights under the direction of a coach who has seen the bright lights of the national stage.
Herman’s ascent through the coaching ranks began as a tale of innovation and energetic leadership. His offensive acumen first gained national recognition during his time as offensive coordinator at Ohio State under Urban Meyer, particularly during the Buckeyes’ 2014 national championship run. There, he crafted a high-octane offense that flourished despite losing its starting and backup quarterbacks, ultimately helping third-stringer Cardale Jones lead the Buckeyes to a title. That performance earned him the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach, as well as an opportunity to lead a program of his own.
That opportunity came in the form of the University of Houston. As head coach from 2015 to 2016, Herman transformed the Cougars into one of the most exciting teams in college football. Under his leadership, Houston went 13-1 in his first season, capping the year with a Peach Bowl victory over Florida State and finishing in the top 10. The following season saw another strong start before fading slightly, but the momentum he created was undeniable. Major programs took notice, and soon the Texas Longhorns came calling.
In November 2016, Herman was named head coach at Texas, a position steeped in history, prestige, and enormous pressure. The Longhorns, desperate to return to their glory days, saw Herman as the visionary who could restore their place among college football’s elite. Early signs were promising. In 2018, his second season, Texas won 10 games and upset Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, famously declaring, “Texas is back” — a phrase that quickly became a lightning rod for both hope and mockery.
However, sustaining success at a place like Texas is no small feat. Over the next two seasons, Herman’s teams were consistently competitive but failed to break through. They went 8-5 in 2019 and 7-3 in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. While those records were respectable, they fell short of the high expectations that come with the burnt orange and white. Questions about player development, inconsistency in big games, and internal friction began to mount. Eventually, Texas made the decision to part ways with Herman in January 2021, replacing him with Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian.
For many coaches, a high-profile firing like that could spell the end of top-tier aspirations. Yet Herman chose not to fade quietly into the background. He took a season off from coaching to reset, later joining the Chicago Bears in an analyst role, where he remained connected to the game while working in a lower-pressure environment. That year gave him the opportunity to reflect on what went wrong at Texas and, more importantly, how to approach his next opportunity differently.
Now, with his hiring at Florida Atlantic, Herman is reentering the college football arena with both a renewed sense of purpose and the humility that comes from experience. The Owls, based in Boca Raton, Florida, have shown flashes of potential over the past decade, particularly during Lane Kiffin’s tenure. But the program has struggled to maintain consistency since Kiffin’s departure, and Herman’s arrival signals an aggressive move to reestablish credibility and success.
From a strategic standpoint, FAU offers Herman a unique blend of opportunity and challenge. The program competes in the American Athletic Conference (AAC), a league that, while not part of the Power Five, is still highly competitive and regularly produces nationally relevant teams. It’s a step down in prestige from Texas, but also an environment where expectations are more measured and building a winner doesn’t require navigating the SEC-level gauntlet.
In many ways, this could be the ideal fit for Herman at this stage of his career. He’s still relatively young in coaching terms and brings with him a wealth of experience from some of the sport’s biggest stages. He has proven he can recruit, develop talent, and outmaneuver blueblood programs — skills that can thrive in the AAC when paired with the right infrastructure and buy-in from school leadership.
FAU has made clear its commitment to football, with investments in facilities and branding aimed at making the program attractive to recruits across Florida and beyond. With Herman’s Texas connections and reputation as an offensive innovator, he’s well-positioned to build a strong regional recruiting pipeline. Florida remains one of the richest recruiting territories in the nation, and if Herman can keep top-tier athletes closer to home while selling them on his experience and vision, the Owls could become a force to reckon with in the AAC.
Herman has also revamped his staff with experienced assistants who bring complementary skills and philosophies. He understands that the margin for error is small at the Group of Five level, and success will require both smart recruiting and elite execution. The bar is high, but it’s a bar Herman is familiar with — and this time, he gets to set it on his own terms.
Beyond the tactics, Herman’s return to a head coaching role invites broader reflection on the nature of college football coaching careers. The industry is notoriously volatile, with even successful coaches frequently pushed out for failing to meet impossible standards. But it also offers second chances to those willing to evolve. In Herman’s case, the FAU job represents not just a second act, but a potential springboard — a way to redefine his legacy and prove that he belongs among the top minds in the game.
For Florida Atlantic, the hire brings visibility, credibility, and hope. Herman’s national profile will likely translate to greater media attention, fundraising momentum, and fan engagement. If he succeeds in elevating the Owls into contention within the AAC, he could help the program position itself for long-term relevance or even future conference realignment discussions. College football is changing rapidly, and a strong leader at the helm could help FAU capitalize on those shifts.
Ultimately, the narrative arc of Tom Herman’s coaching career remains unwritten. His tenure at Texas ended in frustration, but it was far from a failure. He won nearly 70% of his games and kept the Longhorns nationally relevant. Now, at Florida Atlantic, he has a chance to channel those experiences into something new, something lasting — not just for himself, but for a program hungry to matter on the national stage.
For now, all eyes turn to Boca Raton. Can Tom Herman rebuild his brand and reignite the magic that once made him one of the hottest names in coaching? Can he lift the Florida Atlantic Owls into consistent contention? Those questions will be answered over the coming seasons. But one thing is certain: Herman is back, and he’s ready to prove that his coaching story is far from finished.
