The carousel of college football coaching hires often brings with it both hope and hindsight, and for fans of the Arkansas Razorbacks, the name Tom Herman has recently sparked some teasing across the fanbase. Once upon a time, Herman, fresh off his tenure at the University of Texas, was considered by some Arkansas faithful as a prime candidate for the Razorbacks’ head coaching job. Fast forward to 2024, and Herman’s dismissal from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) has prompted some good-natured—and not-so-good-natured—mockery from fans and rivals alike.
Tom Herman’s name carried significant weight during the mid-2010s. His rise as an offensive mind began as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator, where he helped the Buckeyes secure a national championship in 2014. This success propelled him to the head coaching position at Houston, where he achieved a remarkable 22-4 record over two seasons, including a Peach Bowl victory over Florida State.
Herman’s success at Houston made him one of the hottest coaching commodities in the country, leading to his hiring at Texas in 2017. While his time with the Longhorns included some high points, such as a Sugar Bowl win and consistent top-tier recruiting classes, his inability to bring Texas back to its former glory ultimately led to his firing in 2020. Nevertheless, his pedigree left him a desirable candidate for programs like Arkansas, which were searching for leadership capable of rebuilding a struggling team.
After the firing of Chad Morris in 2019, Arkansas was in the market for a head coach who could turn around a program that had struggled to compete in the grueling SEC West. Naturally, many fans and analysts speculated about Herman as a possible hire. His offensive expertise and reputation for innovation made him an appealing option, especially for a program that had fallen behind its conference rivals.
However, Herman’s price tag and his divisive tenure at Texas made him a polarizing figure. Ultimately, Arkansas hired Sam Pittman, a longtime offensive line coach with a reputation as a strong recruiter and players’ coach. At the time, some Razorback fans lamented missing out on a “proven name” like Herman, while others believed Pittman’s blue-collar style was a better cultural fit for the program.
Herman’s career trajectory since leaving Texas has been anything but linear. His stint at FAU, which began in 2023, was supposed to serve as a springboard back into relevance. However, after just two seasons marred by inconsistent performances and an inability to elevate the program, Herman was dismissed, leaving his coaching reputation in question.
For Arkansas fans, this development has sparked a wave of retrospection—and ridicule. Rivals have taken to social media to mock the Razorback faithful who once advocated for Herman, pointing out the irony of endorsing a coach who now finds himself out of a job in Conference USA.
While Herman’s career has stumbled, Sam Pittman’s tenure at Arkansas has been a roller coaster in its own right. After exceeding expectations early with a nine-win season in 2021, the Razorbacks have since struggled to maintain consistency in the hyper-competitive SEC. This has left some fans questioning whether Pittman remains the right leader for the program.
Still, Pittman’s ability to connect with players and build a hard-nosed identity for Arkansas has kept him in good standing with many fans, even as the program endures growing pains. Comparatively, Herman’s recent struggles at FAU make Pittman’s accomplishments in Fayetteville look all the more commendable.
The mockery surrounding Herman as a former Arkansas target serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of college football. Coaching hires are rarely straightforward, and even the most promising candidates can falter in new environments. While it’s easy to laugh at what could have been, it’s also worth acknowledging the challenges inherent in rebuilding programs in today’s competitive landscape.
For Razorback fans, the Herman saga offers a bit of levity amid the ups and downs of SEC football. Whether Pittman ultimately proves to be the long-term answer remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Arkansas avoided a scenario that, in hindsight, could have set the program back even further.
In the wild world of college football, hindsight is always 20/20, and for now, Arkansas fans can take solace in the fact that they dodged a potential coaching misfire. As for Herman, his next chapter will likely involve stepping away from the spotlight to regroup, leaving Razorback fans free to focus on their own journey forward.