By nearly any measure, the Texas Longhorns are one of the most historically successful programs in college football. Top ten in all-time wins and winning percentage, weeks in the AP poll, consensus All-Americans, bowl appearances - they’re a titan in the sport. It hasn’t shown in recent history, though.
Since the whistle blew on the Longhorns’ loss to Alabama in 2010 BCS National Championship Game, they’ve touched 9 wins only once in eight seasons - and they’ve had four losing seasons in that span. After Mack Brown departed, Charlie Strong failed to live up to expectations, and boosters failed in their fever dreams of luring Nick Saban or Urban Meyer to Austin - former Ohio State offensive coordinator and Houston head coach Tom Herman was brought in as the new hope.