It appears that Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte originally wanted to retain head coach Tom Herman for the 2021 season.
According to a recent report from Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman, Herman and his staff were shocked when they were notified Saturday morning of the termination.
Del Conte previously made a statement on Dec. 12 that signified a vote of confidence that Herman would remain the coach at Texas. However, shortly after the school announced the firing, Del Conte admitted that his previous statement was made prior to completing his evaluation.
December ended up being a whirlwind for the Texas football program. After the heartbreaking loss to Iowa State, numerous players began opting out of the remainder of the season due to the Big 12 title being out of reach.
At the same time, recruiting continued in a downward spiral. The Longhorns lost several highly-touted commits over the last few months and a few current players chose to enter the transfer portal. Other top recruiting targets whom had once considered Texas decided to go elsewhere.
Recruiting struggles typically indicate trouble within the program.
“Del Conte learned that some players currently on the roster were doing negative recruiting, telling some not to come to UT. It’s not unusual for disgruntled, outgoing players to talk negatively about a coaching staff that they don’t like,” Davis’ report stated.
Regardless, Texas managed to string together a dominant performance over Colorado in the Valero Alamo Bowl. You’d think the win would ease the harsh coaching rumors, but it only provided more questions.
Why weren’t running back Bijan Robinson’s unique talents used more throughout the season? It was clear that he was a difference maker every time he stepped onto the field and the true freshman continued to prove that with 220 all-purpose yards as the featured back against Colorado.
Ultimately, Davis noted in the report that Texas administrators felt they were in a no-win situation at that point. The questionable personnel use, recruiting struggles, lack of championships, frustrated fans and Herman’s sideline antics in previous years were insurmountable at that point.
A fresh start was needed.