BOCA RATON, Fla. — Tom Herman spent the past season out of football. It didn't take much convincing to lure him to Florida Atlantic.
The former Texas and Houston head coach was introduced Friday as the new leader of the FAU football program, less than a week after Willie Taggart was fired.
Herman called FAU "this close" from winning championships again – something that was lacking the last three seasons under Taggart.
His arrival coincides with FAU's transition from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference.
"It is extremely important for the trajectory of our program," Herman told reporters Friday. "You've seen schools follow this roadmap. I mean, the school I was at, the University of Houston, [went from] Conference USA, American Conference and now the Big 12 (Conference).
Herman, 47, is 54-22 and a perfect 5-0 in bowl games.
Most recently, he coached the Longhorns to a 32-18 record from 2017-20, including a 22-13 record in Big 12 Conference play.
FAU athletic director Brian White said he believes Herman is the right man to bring an AAC championship to Boca Raton.
Herman said he hopes to create "a culture of accountability" among his players.