After meeting with Charlie Strong on Saturday morning to go over the termination of the final two years of his contract, Texas officials were expected to turn their focus to Houston coach Tom Herman, multiple sources told HornsDigest.com
The focus of Texas' search for a replacement for Strong was expected to include a meeting this weekend with Herman and his agent, Trace Armstrong, possibly as early as Saturday afternoon or evening (after meeting with Strong in the morning), sources told HD.
Herman has been the focus of a group of big-money donors at Texas for nearly a year, dating to the nearly botched hire of offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert last December, when Fenves and Perrin had to take a private jet to Tulsa to close the deal, multiple sources told HD. But it's unclear how Texas chancellor William McRaven, president Greg Fenves and athletic director Mike Perrin feel about Herman until they meet with him, sources said.
One of the big-money donors who has been pushing for Herman to replace Strong told HD Friday night they expected Texas to be able to step in front of LSU and land Herman, because they believe Texas is Herman's "dream job." Herman's Houston team lost its season finale at Memphis 48-44 Friday after the Tigers scored the go-ahead touchdown with 19 seconds left. Herman did not appear at the post-game press conference.
On Thursday, HornsDigest reported LSU was closing in on a deal with Herman but that a source close to Herman said Herman would probably wait to sign anything with LSU until he knew if Texas would be replacing Strong.
Herman's agent - Armstrong - had gotten far enough along in discussions with LSU that the two sides were nearly in agreement on terms in a letter of memorandum, a source close to the situation told HD.
Sources close to the situation said LSU interim coach Ed Orgeron would likely be the frontrunner for the Tigers' head-coaching job if Herman was pulled away by either Texas or Oregon. Sources said Oregon mega-booster Phil Knight met with Herman last weekend and the two really hit it off. Current Ducks' coach Mark Helfrich is 4-7 heading into Saturday's season finale against Oregon State.
Sources said UT intermediaries have also attempted to gauge the interest of Florida State's Jimbo Fisher, Baltimore Ravens' coach John Harbaugh and Clemson's Dabo Swinney.
http://www.scout.com/college/texas/story/1731983-sources-strong-to-be-let-go