Tom Herman may be a smart guy and a great ball coach, but as a leader of young men he continually acts like a young man. If he doesn't stop it's going to get him fired.
On National Signing Day, the omnipresent cameras of The Longhorn Network caught the head football coach at the University of Texas flipping both middle fingers in the UT "war room."
This is what makes him our Tommy Boy.
Sitting at a conference table and flanked by a few of assistants, Herman looked up and shot two middle fingers at the cameras. This wasn't an accident. This was deliberate.
How often does Nick Saban do this? Did Herman's Jedi Master, Mack Brown, ever flash a few birds at the LHN cameras?
Maybe Herman didn't realize the cameras were on. As a man who boasted of having majored in journalism, Herman should know to assume all cameras are on.
For a coach who tried so hard to be the one voice of the University of Texas football, and to control both the narrative and the message, it is appropriate that he is the one who continually butchers both.
How many times has a head coach, like Herman, stressed to his players the importance of being aware of their surroundings, both on and off the field?
At news conference to discuss UT's signing class, the middle figure salute came up and Herman offered the following explanation; that he was re-telling a story of his first UT-OU game where Sooners' fans extended their own version of "We're No. 1" at the Longhorns.
"Regardless, it was poor judgment on my part and I do apologize for that," Herman told reporters in Austin.
Would he condone a couple of middle fingers at cameras from an assistant or a player?
And does Herman realize he's coming off a 7-5 season where he lost to Baylor and TCU? That in three years he's had two seven-win teams in Austin?
At the age of 42, because mostly of timing, Herman was handed the keys to one of the highest profile jobs in the nation and he is blowing it. He has to know he can't do this.
So, if you're keeping score, this is a head coach who mocked and mimicked a college player in the 2017 Texas Bowl. During the Longhorns win over Missouri, Herman strutted and acted like Mizzou quarterback Drew Lock.
It's one thing for a college player to strut, and quite another for his coach to do the same thing. One looks like a college kid having fun, while the other looks like the old guy at the club trying to look cool when he doesn't realize everyone is laughing at him.
In 2018, Herman came out and challenged Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy in the waning seconds of The T Boone's upset win over No. 6 UT in Stillwater. On this, both coaches acted a fool.
Gundy was trying to make sure no fight took place, and Herman ran out and ... looked tough and quite cool.
Later that season, Herman openly complained about West Virginia quarterback Will Grier flashing the "Horns Down." Herman's valid point about taunting penalties was lost when it sounded like whining.
But ever since winning the 2018 Sugar Bowl, Herman appeared to be growing into the job, and holding up despite losing so many quality players to injury, and losing so many games.
Now he has fired both coordinators and reshuffled his staff in an effort to prevent another 7-win team. He may act dumb, but he's been in the college game long enough to know better.
The University of Texas is Tom Herman's dream job.
Act like it.
