The No. 19 Houston Cougars plan to offer first-year coach Tom Herman a raise to $3 million annually in an effort to keep him after their 10-0 start, the school said Thursday.
Advertisement
Steve Spurrier, SC: $4 million.
Chairman of the Board Tilman Fertitta spoke about the universities belief in Herman in a news release from the University. “Our actions are created to help the academic mission by increasing our exposure to the entire country”. The top-rated Group of Five champion is guaranteed a spot, and Houston will secure that if it wins out and captures the American Athletic Conference championship.
Herman originally signed a five-year deal in December worth at least $6.75 million.
The American, formed in 2013 from the football schools in the old Big East, is caught in the middle. In his first head coaching job after previously serving as offensive coordinator at Ohio State, Iowa State, Rice and Texas State, Herman has the Cougars back where Kevin Sumlin left them before jumping to Texas A&M following a 13-1 season in 2011.
“This board is 100 percent committed to Coach Herman”, Fertitta said. Winning out, or at least beating Navy, would allow them to play for the AAC Championship and a New Years Six bowl game.
This story has been corrected to show that vote would increase salary to $3 million, not by $3 million.
Advertisement
Basketball is next. Houston’s men’s basketball team has been to one NCAA tournament in the past 23 years; the women’s team, to three. Houston’s Board has approved the decision and is waiting for Herman to accept, per Thamel.
