Texas Football: Herman says Ehlinger is ‘best he’s been around’

So much expectation will be put on the new-look coaching staff and quarterback for the Texas football program heading into a critical 2020 season.

Most of the weight of expectations for the Texas football program in 2020 will fall on the shoulders of head coach Tom Herman and rising senior star quarterback Sam Ehlinger. Texas will have an improved and more experienced supporting cast around Ehlinger this coming season, which could also define his legacy on the Forty Acres. And Herman was given one last chance to retool his coaching staff and get it right entering his fourth year as Texas head coach.

Now that all the pieces should be in place for the Texas Longhorns football program to be taken to new heights spearheaded by Herman and Ehlinger, we’ll see if they can finally unseat the rival Oklahoma Sooners at the top of the Big 12. Oklahoma has pretty much owned the Big 12 crown in unchallenged fashion for the last half decade.

This quarterback-head coach duo needs to be the spark plug, along with what is likely to be a top-15 or 20 ranked Texas team in the preseason polls come this fall. Texas has Big 12 Championship aspirations, and has the pieces in place to be a dark horse contender for the College Football Playoff this year.

And the confidence is certainly there with Herman at the moment.

Herman joined up with sports radio show host Colin Cowherd this week to discuss the Longhorns and Ehlinger heading into the 2020 season. Here’s what Herman had to say on the matter (monologue thanks to Horns247).

"“There’s a tier of great leaders that I have had the ability to coach — J.T. Barrett at Ohio State was in that tier, Elandon Roberts, our starting middle linebacker at Houston, Greg Ward Jr., our quarterback at Houston, going back to my days all the way back at Texas State in Barrick Nealy and at Rice, Chase Clement — but Sam Ehlinger is the best I’ve been around.”"

Herman also discussed Ehlinger’s leadership abilities on and off the field with Cowherd.

"“Every person in that locker room, they don’t just respect him, they like him. You don’t have to be liked to be a great leader, but when you’re respected and liked the way that he is, that’s something special.”"

Last season, Ehlinger registered well over 4,000 total yards, 39 total touchdowns, and just 10 interceptions. He registered career-highs in completion percentage, total touchdowns, and passer efficiency rating.

Herman obviously holds Ehlinger in high regard if he says he’s the “best he’s been around” during his time as a college football coach. That would mean that he’s better than numerous National Championship-winning quarterbacks like J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones. We’ll see how that confidence pans out with Ehlinger this fall.