Texas gives football coach Herman 2-year contract extension
Head coach Tom Herman of the Texas Longhorns watches players warm up before the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on November 24, 2017 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Tom Herman's Texas Longhorns won 10 games for the first time in a decade. Now the school is giving him a guaranteed contract extension worth an extra $13 million.
University of Texas System regents on Thursday approved a two-year extension that runs through the 2023 season. The last two years are will pay Herman $6.5 million in 2022 and $6.75 million in 2023.
Herman, 43, took over Texas in late 2016 after three straight losing seasons under Charlie Strong. After a 7-6 finish in 2017, Texas went 10-4 in 2018 and played in the Big 12 championship game. A win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl gave the program 10 wins for the first time since the 2009 season when the Longhorns played for the national championship.
Texas hasn't won a Big 12 title since 2009 but school President Greg Fenves said the program is in good hands with Herman. The Longhorns are projected to be ranked in the Top 25 and a conference title contender in 2019 behind junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger.
"I think coach Herman has shown that he's built a platform and strong program that's a base for future progress," Fenves said. "We're all very excited about where he's taking the program."
Texas last won the national title in 2005 under former coach Mack Brown.
Texas opens the 2019 season Aug. 31 at home against Louisiana Tech.
___
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25