One of the assistant coaches who helped lead Ohio State to a College Football Playoff national championship has been hired as an assistant on the staff of Florida State.
Tom Herman, the former offensive coordinator of the Buckeyes’ 2014 national championship team, who eventually became the head coach of Houston and then Texas and drew the ire of Buckeye Nation for comments and stories stemming from the tail-end of Urban Meyer’s tenure, is reportedly joining Florida State as an assistant. No role has been confirmed yet, but Herman is known for his ability to scheme up offensive game plans. Seminoles’ offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn retired after this past season, so the move makes a lot of sense, even with Tim Harris Jr. being elevated to the position.
It’ll be interesting to see how Herman fits into the coaching puzzle in Tallahassee. Current head coach Mike Norvell is firmly on the hot seat and needs a good year to not have boosters, administrators, and fans clamouring for a change, even with a massive $45 million buyout.
Herman, for his part, was a much better offensive mind and coordinator than head coach. His success at Iowa State in devising schemes and calling the offensive plays caught the eye of Meyer, who hired him to the same post at Ohio State heading into the 2012 season. The Buckeyes showed explosive offense with Herman in the fold, culminating in a national championship at the end of the 2014 season.
Herman’s head coaching resume wasn’t nearly as great. He started out great at Houston (2015-16), by leading the team to a 22-4 record in two seasons, but his time in Austin never met the lofty expectations. The Longhorns went 32-18 in four seasons under Herman (2017-2020) but never won a League title and never made the College Football Playoff. That, in combination with some off-the-field issues, led to his demise. He most recently was the head coach at Florida Atlantic, where he steered the program to a 6-16 record. He has been out of college football since being fired in November of 2024.
Now, it appears he’ll get a new start at Florida State, whatever that is.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Former Ohio State offensive coordinator hired by Florida State
Reporting by Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire / Buckeyes Wire
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By Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire | USA TODAY Network
