Tom Herman joined Sirius XM College Sports Nation recently, and was asking about building his staff in Austin.
The first thing Herman considers when constructing his staff? Trust.
"For our on the field coaching staff, just trust. Trust was the biggest thing for me, that I could trust that these guys are unbelievable teachers and that they'll be completely accountable to the actions of their position group, both on and off the field. To be tremendous teachers."
"I said it ad-nauseum, and it don't know how many people listen, or thought it was hyperbole, that at the University of Houston, we had the best coaching staff in America and a lot of those guys have came with me. I believe that to this day. Those guys are unbelievable teachers, they're great mentors."
Herman understands it's not about the scheme they run, as everyone pretty much runs versions of the same thing, it's about so much beyond that.
"At the end of the day, I tell people all the time, everyone runs the same blitzes we run on defense, everyone runs zone read, and curl-flat in the pass game or four verticals, you name it. There is no secret offense, there is no secret defense. It's how good are the players that are doing it, in terms of how well did you recruit? And then what is their reason? What is the passion that drives them, and how are they developed?"
Then Herman informed listeners on the three specific things that guys who want to be on his staff have to have.
"Schemes and X's and O's are so far down the list of what makes a great coach, because everyone does the same thing. So it's not important what you know from a schematic standpoint, it's about how great of a mentor are you? How great of a teacher are you? And how good of a recruiter are you?"
Herman goes on to note that Texas AD Mike Perrin and President Fenves have allowed him to create some new off the field positions in regards to recruiting, graphics and design, and operations positions to help the Longhorns get back up to speed with some of the country's elite programs.
Listen to Herman's answer from his interview with Sirius XM College Sports Nation below.