OK. Here we go.
The “if” has long left the station when it came to Charlie Strong‘s dismissal at Texas, with the only remaining question seemingly being when the head coach would be let go. According to Chip Brown of Scout.com, that “when” will come at some point Saturday morning, which will then shift the UT football program’s focus toward its long-expected target.After meeting with Charlie Strong on Saturday morning to go over the termination of the final two years of his contract, Texas officials were expected to turn their focus to Houston coach Tom Herman, multiple sources told HornsDigest.com.
SI.com‘s Pete Thamel subsequently confirmed the report.
Sources just told me Charlie Strong will be dismissed tomorrow morning. @ChipBrownHD reported a minute ago...
— Pete Thamel (@SIPeteThamel) November 26, 2016
The twin reports come a couple of hours after a report had LSU set to meet with Herman for the first time Saturday. According to Brown, Texas is also expected to meet with Herman and his agent, Trace Armstrong, at some point Saturday afternoon or evening. Texas’ objective, it’s believed, is to meet with Herman first and not let him leave without a deal.
A former UT graduate assistant with significant coaching ties to the state, Herman’s been known to privately call the Longhorns his dream job. When it comes to a potential Herman decision between LSU and Texas, the latter side is apparently confident as to how that would play out. From Brown’s report:
One of the big-money donors who has been pushing for Herman to replace Strong told HD Friday night they expected Texas to be able to step in front of LSU and land Herman, because they believe Texas is Herman’s “dream job.”
Money will be of little or no object when it comes to either LSU or Texas. What it will come down to is where Herman feels most comfortable -- and where he feels he can be most successful five years or more down the road as he views both opportunities as destination jobs.