Herman aims for first UH coach to start 9-0
It’ s been along time since Tom Herman lost a game.
Does here member what it feels like?
“Unfortunately, I do ,” the University of Houston head coach said this week .“It’ s an awful, awful, awful feeling .”
In his first season at UH, Herman has the Cougars 8-0, No.18 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll and among the early front runners for the Group of Five’ s spot in a New Year’ s Six bowl.
If you count his run to the College Football Playoff national championship as Ohio State’ s offensivecoordinator and quarter backs coach last season, Herman currently has a 21-game winning streak.
His last loss was 35-21 to Virginia Tech on Sept .6, 2014.
With a win Saturday against Cincinnati this Saturday, Herman would become the first football coach in school history to win the first nine games of his tenure. Herman is currently tied with John Jenkins, who began8-0in1990.
There haven’ t been many losses for Herman in the last four years as he’ s compiled a 46-3 record at Ohio State and UH. That includes a 12-0 season in 2012 when the Buckeyes were in eligible for a post season bowl because of NCAA sanctions.
“It’ s certainly the joy of victory and the happinessyou see on the faces of the young men that you have taught and trained ,” Herman said .“That’ s what ultimately motivates you. Certainly that awful, awful feeling of losing motivates you, too.
“I do remember what it feels like, especially when you feel like you were somewhat responsible for that loss.”
The closest the Cougars have come to losing this season came in Week 2 at Louisville. UH pulled off the win on De marcus Ayers ’15 yard touch down catch with 3:09remaining.
UH has trailed early in three other games, which quickly became blow outs, and joins Baylor as the only F BS schools to beat six opponents by 21 points or more.
The schedule gets tough er for the Cougars during the final month, beginning against Cincinnati (5-3). A win could setup a potential top-20 showdown with Memphis with the winner gaining the inside track to the American Athletic Conference West division title and spot in the league’ s inaugural championship game.
Herman would prefer to hold off experiencing the losing feel for as long as possible.
“That’ s a feeling ,” he said, “that hopefully I don’ t have to experience yet for along time.”