It’s déjà vu all over again for one side of the Red River Shootout. Or not.
In November of last year, David Beaty was fired as the head football coach at Kansas. A couple of weeks later, Beaty was enlisted by Texas head coach Tom Herman to help his squad prepare to face Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game.
Two weeks ago, Chris Ash was fired as the head football coach at Rutgers. With the 115th playing of the heated rivalry on tap for this weekend, it’s being reported that Herman has brought Ash aboard to help the No. 11 Longhorns prep for the No. 6 Sooners.
Former Rutgers head coach Chris Ash has been in Austin since Monday helping Texas football coach Tom Herman and staff prepare for Oklahoma, according to my sources. Not a paid position. Ash was the co-DC at Ohio State in 2014, while Herman was the OC.
— Anwar Richardson (@AnwarRichardson) October 10, 2019
As noted in the tweet, Ash’s and Herman’s stops as members of Urban Meyer‘s Ohio State coaching staff overlapped. Ash served as the Buckeyes’ co-defensive coordinator from 2014-15, while Herman was OSU’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2012-14.
It’s certain that Texas would be looking for a better return on their advisory investment this time around as, after Beaty’s input last year, Oklahoma proceeded to beat the Longhorns 39-27 in the conference title game, with the Sooners going on to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Alas, it’s now being reported that Ash’s role isn’t as extensive as it seemed at first blush.
Report that former #Rutgers HC Chris Ash is volunteering at #Texas isn’t accurate, per source. He just went down to UT to watch practice and sit in on meetings for his own personal development, and likely will do that at other schools the rest of the season.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) October 11, 2019