Big 12 Insider: Texas paid a pretty penny to dump Tom Herman for Steve Sarkisian
A week ago, the Insider wrote that Texas football’s future looked promising with the idea that Tom Herman would be returning as coach. The next day, Texas announced it had fired Herman and hired Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian.
The Longhorns’ future still looks promising, but the coaching change remains a head-scratching decision. The total cost for parting ways with Herman and his staff is a reported $24 million. And Texas reportedly handed Sarkisian a six-year, $34.2 million contract.
Did it really get that bad between Herman and AD Chris Del Conte? And the boosters? And the recruiting concerns?
First off, the optics of spending $50-plus million for a coaching change in the midst of a pandemic — which included UT laying off athletic department employees — looks bad even though we all know the Longhorns football program is a money-making machine. Secondly, what an underwhelming hire.
If Texas was able to land a national championship-winning coach such as Urban Meyer, or even bring in a coach such as Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly, it’s a little more understandable to pull the trigger immediately.
But for the top assistant on a national championship contender? That guy is always going to be available to Texas. Nothing against Sarkisian, maybe he becomes the next great coach, but Texas should’ve given Herman another year given the substantial cost of making the change.
Even if Herman isn’t best buddies with Del Conte and the boosters, and those relationships deteriorated even more following the flirtation with Meyer, it’s hard to justify spending that kind of money. Especially when the return is an OC whose previous head coaching stints at Washington and USC produced OK, but not great, results.
Again, maybe Sarkisian becomes a home-run hire. Alabama coach Nick Saban certainly had positive things to say about his OC.
“Sark has done a marvelous job here,” Saban said. “He’s very well-organized. He works very well with all the people in the organization, players and coaches alike. He’s a good play-caller on game day. He does a really good job of preparing the players game plan wise for each and every game, and he’s just done a great job.
Saban continued: “He’s been a real asset to our organization, and I think he’ll be very successful as a head coach. And he’s taken over a good program, so it’s going to be challenging for anybody that plays them in the future.”
That sounds all well and good. Saban made similar comments — the word “organized” seems to be a favorite — when his former defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt headed to Tennessee three years ago.
“He is hard-working, dedicated and organized with exceptional knowledge of the game,” Saban said of Pruitt. “He is an excellent recruiter who does a great job developing players and earning their respect. He’ll do a great job at Tennessee.”
Pruitt has since gone 16-19 in three years at Tennessee. He could be fired any day, too.
Who knows where Sarkisian and Texas will be in three years? Maybe the $50-plus million price tag will look like a bargain, but yours truly wouldn’t bet on it.
Talkin’ Baylor hoops
The No. 2-ranked Baylor Bears men’s basketball team visits TCU and Fort Worth on Saturday afternoon. And the Bears are legitimate national championship contenders.
Baylor is off to a 10-0 start, rolling to a 76-61 victory over Oklahoma on Wednesday night.
What makes the victory even more impressive? The Bears won by 15 points despite Jared Butler and Davion Mitchell both going 0 for 4 from 3-point range. Butler and Mitchell are among the Big 12’s leaders in 3-pointers.
But Baylor showed its depth with MaCio Teague and Adam Flagler combining to go 7 for 11 from distance.
Baylor has the makings of being a special team this season. TCU will get a first-hand look as it tries to pull off the upset. Hey, the Frogs shocked then-No. 2 Baylor with a 75-72 victory in Fort Worth a season ago.
Women’s hoops
The Big 12 announced this week the postponement of three women’s basketball games due to its COVID-19 guidelines, including the TCU at Kansas State game scheduled for Jan. 14 in Manhattan, Kansas.
The rescheduled date for that game is to be determined.
Other games postponed included Saturday’s Kansas at Oklahoma State game, and Sunday’s K-State at Baylor game.
Baylor also had to cancel its marquee nonconference game against UConn, which had been scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 7.
