If you watched any of the LSU-TAMU game last night, you were informed of the developing soap opera surrounding the LSU and Texas jobs and Tom Herman, who is likely going to wind up being a much better paid human being in another month.
It almost seemed like an afterthought, but LSU kicked a little ass on the road, scoring the most points on an Aggies defense since Alabama whupped up 59 a couple of seasons ago (pre-Chavous). The win led to this interesting factoid:
I don’t know if that makes him head coaching material, but it appears it’s not a bad idea as an AD to have him as a member of the football staff in case things go south with your head coach and you need a backstop to make it through the end of the season.
Get The Picture 
The whole situation around coach O is messy. Potentially can be a big deal when we consider that the players might take a long time to buy in to a new coach if O is shuffled out the door. When we say “it’s all about the wins” the team is like “if it’s all about winning, why is he getting shafted?”
It doesn’t feel right to me in that it appears that LSU wants to hire a coach just for the image, feels superficial. I don’t know jack about coach O other than he didn’t do so well and then he kicked ass at USC and now LSU.
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I wouldn’t call 5-2 kicking ass. He’s done well.
What could Herman’s possibly tell his team to get their attention before their game today? “Guys go make me some goddam money”?
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For the betting public (us sharps), this game is a classic Tom Herman bed shitter. Road game, letdown off a big win and continued & confirmed coaching departure. Memphis +5 is a solid play. Remember, this Coug squad was DOMINATED by SMU in Dallas…should have lost to Tulsa too.
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Memphis up 7 early
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Memphis not only covers…but outright wins. Mike Norvell head and shoulders better than bed-shitting Herman. Once again, kudos to Greg Ward, Jr….he is a bad mutha!!!
***Leave your tips at the bar
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Nice call
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So, how does UGA’s handling of last year look now compared to LSU (2 years in a row) and Texas?
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I don’t know yet. Are either making a 24 hour national search before rejecting experienced head coaches in favor of a career assistant?
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Do either of them have the guy they won’t yet? Best case, one of them is hiring their second choice.
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I think Orgeron would do well at LSU, but he’s not the shiny new thing.
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I think the problem is PR. Louisiana is dead broke. It’s education system is hemorrhaging and there are budget cuts everywhere.
It wouldn’t look too great to then turn around and make a guy that nobody outside the bayou can understand the highest paid employee in the state.
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But their boosters can pay a lot of $$$$$. And they foot the bill. After all it is football.
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Orgeron’s strength has been his ability as a recruiter so I think a lot of kids outside the bayou can actually understand him. You’re right that Louisiana is broke, but would it be better to hire Orgeron’s for say $3 million a year vs. Herman @ $4 million a year. Orgeron may take even less money because everyone knows the coachin’ is a lot better than shrimpin’.
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In the SEC West (actually the whole SEC) you gotta hire the next Nick. Orgeron has too much baggage to qualify. Herman has a better Nick Quotient. If the players don’t like it, let em eat beignets.
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Check out GT.s SB Nation site. The writer is hoping that GT gets to play LSU in a bowl game so that “They can have three wins over the SEC this year”…So he’s counting the game against UGA as a win already..or close too it. If I could make their wish to play LSU come true, I’d do it..but they are reading a little too much into their win over that SEC powerhouse, Vanderbilt.
Meanwhile, Tennessee’s SB site makes GT’s look reasonable. They are determined that Tennessee is some great power, just one more piece of the puzzle away from being Bama.
Vandy’s website, however, is pretty clever…with some real good pokes at the hillbillies..They have a nice pic of the Tennessee “Life Champions” ring..available at the finer Knoxville jewelry stores.
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I don’t get this auditioning to keep your job or get hired on a game by game basis. After Bama O was a no and again last week after Fla he was a no and now he’s a yes. Herman was the next Saban until Navy and SMU then he was a big ? Now after Louisville he’s a genius again. Strong gone after Kansas but can stay if he beats TCU. Kind of a stupid way to approach vetting a head coach IMO. Brilliant one day and unacceptable the next. And we wonder why these guys command so much money.
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Speaking of genius, I heard this week that Herman was a Mensa member. Don’t know if anyone can verify, or if they were just referring to how he has positioned himself to max the dollars from the geniuses who run universities, and their Mensa boosters. 🙂
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I’ve known a couple Mensa members and have to say I was not overly impressed. The fact that someone wants to join an organization to validate their perceived intelligence is a big red flag to me.
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Well, I thought it had to be a verified IQ, but not sure. I certainly agree with your observation as it pertains to high IQ people in both business, and people situations. The ability to consume and process reams of information/data is unrelated to the use of said information. Had a lot of interaction with some of these guys and their lack of common sense and experience can lead them to drive a car off a cliff. While that is not a guarantee, the number of incidences I have personally been involved with show it is very common. So I don’t think a 190 IQ is any indicator of great success, especially in CFB, but it does make me wonder why he would choose that direction as a career choice. The Pirate has a law degree, fwiw. 🙂
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Educational psychology is an under appreciated field, it’s where one focuses on the transitions from various stages of cognition and some people have a true barrier between processing and application-assimilation.
For these big jobs where is the line between executive oversight or player development (in the trenches position coaching)?. Seems that Saban relies on quality coaching from his staff and he remains above most of the individual learning. As an example, Storng and O may be exceptional leaders being jilted by disappointing contact coaches. Like, CMR was great when he did his own offense and pretty solid when bobo was on fire. When bobo left, we know what happened….
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Mensa member just lost to Memphis so he may be on probation.
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Roger that
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I have a lot more respect for the abilities of Power 5 coaches than I do Power 5 ADs.
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Good observation.
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Lot of conflicting stories and positioning on the Herman/Fisher/Strong and LSU/FSU/Texas/Houston merry-go-rounds. Going to be a very interesting week seeing how this all plays out. And who would be the new “young guns” to replace any of these super star names at the big power schools? I really don’t know where you go to find the hidden guru (s) to satisfy the blood thirsty fans of the school(s) who get left without a chair when the music stops. Junior may be ready to spread and wings and attempt to fly again but he has to be toxic at the top level, perhaps an Arizona or Purdue type gig? Are there any Herman/Fuentes like “hotties” like there were last year? I don’t hear much about the next group.
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Did Memphis even call Tom Herman?
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Lose to Tech tomorrow and KS is a big no in my opinion.
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