Ohio State’s Herman takes long road to top

Tom Herman's trip from Columbus, Ohio, to Little Rock was a two-day whirlwind that included a re-routed flight and a late arrival.

It certainly included its share of twists, much like the career path that led Herman to where he was Tuesday, posing in the downtown Little Rock Marriott as the 19th recipient of the Broyles Award, which is given to the top assistant coach in college football.

"I didn't even shave," joked Herman, Ohio State's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, moments after the announcement. "I didn't expect to win this thing."

Herman became the second coach from Ohio State -- then-defensive coordinator Jim Heacock won it in 2007 -- to take home the award after beating out other finalists Oregon's Scott Frost, Alabama's Lane Kiffin, TCU's Doug Meacham and Missouri's Dave Steckel.

Herman, 39, said his surprise came from scanning the other coach's credentials. He noted that Frost tutors quarterback Marcus Mariota, who is considered the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, and that Meacham has orchestrated an offensive overhaul that improved TCU's scoring average from 25.1 points per game last year to 46.8 this season.

"I had no idea, and that's apparent by my lack of personal hygiene," Herman said.

Herman left Columbus on Sunday planning to visit a recruit in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., before flying Monday morning to Little Rock. But another passenger passed out on the flight to Little Rock, and the plane was forced to land in Orlando.

Herman said the plane waited on the tarmac before heading to Fort Lauderdale, and it wasn't until late Monday night that he made it into Little Rock.

At least he got to visit the recruit.

"I was going to get to that player before I came here to get to this award," Herman said. "I can tell you that."

Taking the long way to get to where he's going isn't new for Herman.

Born in Cincinnati, Herman was raised by a single mother in southern California. He played wide receiver at California Lutheran, a Division III school in Thousand Oaks, and then spent most of his first nine seasons in coaching at Division III and FCS schools. He went to Rice in 2007, moved Iowa State in 2009 and on to Ohio State in 2012.

Herman credits David Bailiff, Rice's current coach, for getting him to the FBS level.

Herman was Sam Houston State's wide receivers coach in 2004, earning $10,000 a season. The Bearkats went 11-3 and reached the semifinals of the FCS playoffs that year, after which Ron Randleman retired as the Bearkats' longtime coach. Todd Whitten was hired as Sam Houston State's new coach and brought in his own staff, leaving Herman out of a job.

Bailiff was the head coach at Texas State, then a member of the FCS, and hired Herman to be his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Herman spent two seasons with the Bobcats before following Bailiff to Rice in 2007.

"I had never called plays in my entire life," Herman said. "I had never coached quarterbacks in my entire life."

He's done both ever since, and it was largely his work with quarterbacks that led to him winning the Broyles Award.

Ohio State started the season with Braxton Miller slated to begin his fourth season as a starter and expected to be among the favorites for the Heisman Trophy, but Miller suffered a shoulder injury in August before the season opener.

Enter J.T. Barrett, who bounced back from a Sept. 6 loss to Virginia Tech -- during which he threw three interceptions -- to pass for 2,834 yards with 34 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

The came another twist for Herman.

Barrett suffered a broken ankle in the regular-season final against Michigan. That meant Herman had to get third-string quarterback Cardale Jones, who had thrown 19 career passes to that point, ready to play No. 13 Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game.

All Jones did was complete 12 of 17 passes for 257 yards with 3 touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 59-0 victory that launched Ohio State into the inaugural College Football Playoff.

Herman laughed off the notion that preparing a third-string quarterback to play in a championship game was his toughest coaching job, but it's likely what won him the Broyles Award.

"The one thing you want to do is make sure he understands how much confidence his staff and his teammates have in him," Herman said. "We're all human. You're filled with some self-doubt, and you're thrust into the position with the so-called weight of the world and weight of the school on your shoulders.

"You don't have to do anything but play your best, and he did."

And even though Jones' play helped Herman win the award, Herman gave most of the cred it to his mother.

Herman said his father was "in and out" of his life growing up, and he got into coaching with the help of his mother and the coaches he played for along the way. Herman's mother graduated from California Lutheran the same day he did in 1997, and the two walked across the stage together.

"She's my hero," Herman said. "I probably should let her know that I've won and remind her how appreciative I am of her. ... I have so much to be thankful of because of her.

"I'm probably going to give her a call on the way out of here."

Sports on 12/10/2014