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Well, if you weren’t on twitter during tonight’s game, you likely still heard about the dozens upon dozens of reports regarding LSU’s head coaching vacancy:
Tom Herman is close to being named the next coach at #LSU, multiple sources told https://t.co/XBNn1eMJ5K Thursday.https://t.co/bvJJ2lOWaB
— Chip Brown (@ChipBrownHD) November 25, 2016
Which set off a tweetstorm from media, notably the media in Austin.
A very, very, very pro-Tom Herman Texas source told me minutes ago that he is hearing that Tom Herman has accepted the LSU offer.
— Geoff Ketchum (@gkketch) November 25, 2016
Pro-Tom Herman UT folks are on tilt right now over the Herman to LSU reporting. The word "distraught" was used to describe the mood.
— Geoff Ketchum (@gkketch) November 25, 2016
There might be a nuclear meltdown in Austin in the next 24-48 hours.
— Geoff Ketchum (@gkketch) November 25, 2016
One UT source texted me this early in the Dallas game.
— Geoff Ketchum (@gkketch) November 25, 2016
"Failure at Texas is now spelled: F-E-N-V-E-S"
He's a very pro-Tom Herman guy.
and eventually, national media.
#LSU has zeroed in on Houston's Tom Herman after Jimbo Fisher elected to stayat FSU. Deal with Tigers not yet done, according to @ClowESPN
— Mark Schlabach (@Mark_Schlabach) November 25, 2016
It all eventually led to a statement from LSU:
Statement from #LSU about coaching search: pic.twitter.com/PsoiAvT8vu
— LSU News (@LSUNews) November 25, 2016
Now, if all of this seems a bit fishy, it probably should. It’s the leverage and agent game, and Herman’s representative, Trace Armstrong, played it well. These leaks had one purpose, and that was to send a signal flair to the University of Texas to get off its ass and get serious about its coaching process, because that’s the job he really wants. There was literally no reason for anybody connected to LSU to leak this.
Did LSU likely speak with Herman’s people? Probably. But I’d be surprised if it was that serious, given that the Houston coach is in Memphis for a game on Friday, and Joe Alleva has always been planning to meet with Ed Orgeron on Friday. It does appear that Jimbo Fisher is not interested in the job, but given that they call this the Silly Season for a reason, we’ll see if that changes.
UPDATE, 9:25 p.m. — WELL YOU DON’T SAY
UPDATE: Tom Herman hasn't ruled out an offer from Texas, if Charlie Strong is fired after tomorrow's game vs TCU. https://t.co/oGfos1H4oD
— ESPN CollegeFootball (@ESPNCFB) November 25, 2016
We’ll stay on top of things.