Tom Herman tells Texas high school coaches that they’re ‘always welcome’

On the 19th anniversary of former Texas Longhorns head coach Mack Brown addressing the Texas High School Coaches Association for the first time in his new position, new Longhorns head coach Tom Herman did the same.

Brown’s former graduate assistant certainly took a page out of Brown’s playbook during his introductory press conference, when he quickly made clear his feeling about Texas high school football coaches.

“I also want the high school coaches of the great state of Texas to know that this is their football program,” he said. “We're the flagship university of the best high school football playing state in America. And I want to continue to do a great job of recruiting our fine student-athletes produced by Texas high school football coaches.”

The biggest lesson that Herman learned from Brown was his inclusivity, which he stressed to the high school football coaches he addressed on Wednesday.

Having recruited the state for close to 20 years — nearly half his life — Herman noted that he’s grown up with Texas high school football coaches around the state

Herman finished Wednesday with an important in-home visit with consensus five-star offensive tackle Walker Little, but the recruiting pitch that he made to the high school football coaches was one with a far wide reach.

Now the new head coach will try to continue following in the footsteps of his mentor as he steps into a state-wide void.