AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin has fired Head Football Coach Tom Herman, the school announced on Saturday morning.
In a statement, UT said Athletics Director Chris Del Conte had recommended to President Jay Hartzell that "UT make a coaching change to get us on track to achieving our ambitious goals." Hartzell and Board of Regents Chair Kevin Eltife concurred and approved the change to fire Herman.
"We thank Coach Herman for his service and dedication to our student-athletes, our program and our university," the statement reads.
Later on Saturday, UT announced Herman will be replaced by Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian.
The announcement comes just days after the Texas Longhorns defeated the Colorado Buffaloes, 55-23, in the Valero Alamo Bowl. The team finished the 2020 season with a 7-3 record.
Herman's firing also comes less than a month after Del Conte confirmed Herman would keep his job as head coach amid speculation about his job security.
"With the close of the regular season, I want to reiterate that Tom Herman is our coach," Del Conte said in a statement on Dec. 12.
Read UT's full statement on Herman's firing below:
"With our football season coming to a close, our vice president and athletics director, Chris Del Conte, has evaluated the UT program’s strengths and weaknesses and where the program is relative to our goals. While we have made measured progress during the past several years under Tom Herman’s leadership, Chris has recommended to the university president, Jay Hartzell, that UT make a coaching change to get us on track to achieving our ambitious goals. President Hartzell and the chair of our Board of Regents, Kevin Eltife, concur with this recommendation and have approved the change. We thank Coach Herman for his service and dedication to our student-athletes, our program and our university."
After the school made the announcement, Del Conte released the following statement on Twitter:
Herman is a Texas Ex and was named the school's 30th head football coach in November 2016. The 2020 season was his fourth at UT and his sixth season overall as a head coach, according to UT. Herman went 32-18 overall with the Longhorns.
He's owed $15 million for the remaining three years of his contract.
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