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HOUSTON -- It's time to call B.S. on Tom Herman.

Houston's coach has spent a year, a season, a recruiting season showing us it can be done. No, we're not talking about a self-described "40-year-old white guy" cozying up to a passel of local rap stars in furthering his now-famous #HTownTakeover.

We're not talking about a command-the-room presence who can tell well-heeled boosters at a luncheon, "If you want to know the truth, come ask me. Shoot, you've paid $10,000; you've earned the right."

Nor is this a reference to this week's historic recruiting class. Dixie Wooten III, a massive offensive line signee, said of his wooing by Herman, "[He] took my heart on the first date."

This is to nail down Herman on exactly what his intentions are with Houston football.

In one of the most spectacular rookie major-college head coaching debuts in history, Herman went 13-1, beat Florida State in the Peach Bowl and led the Cougars -- which play in the American Athletic Conference and therefore outside the Power Five -- to their first top 10 finish in 25 years.

Herman topped it off Wednesday with what is reportedly the highest-ranked recruiting class ever among the game's unwashed (Group of Five conferences -- American, Sun Belt, Mountain West, MAC and Conference USA).

Oh, and he did it with what was described as the AAC's eight-highest operating budget. And he essentially did it with former coach Tony Levine's players.

Who is Tony Levine? Exactly.

"The path to a New Year's Six bowl game is easier [here] than at a mid-level Power Five school," Herman said. "It would take something ridiculous to get me out of here."

Something ridiculous like Texas or Texas A&M? Herman isn't saying, though popular thinking is that the upwardly mobile ex-Ohio State offensive coordinator is merely biding his time until one -- or both -- of those jobs come open.

Basically, what he saying is something truly ridiculous: It's possible to surpass all that and win national championship at Houston.

B.S.?

"I think it can be done here," Herman said in a private moment Wednesday after his National Signing Day press conference. "Where are we going to be ranked preseason?"

Most likely back in the top 10.

"If we win all our games, where are we going to go?"

Before you can answer, he proudly says, "We're going to the playoffs."

That is if the College Football Playoff Selection Committee breaks a glass ceiling allowing in one of the aforementioned unwashed.

Tom Herman expresses his confidence on National Signing Day. (Dennis Dodd/CBS Sports)
Tom Herman expresses his confidence on National Signing Day. (Dennis Dodd/CBS Sports)

Houston in the playoffs. Let that possibility sink in. Herman has made that goal a realistic one through a steady plan: First, transform an office, then a program.

"I promise you the desk that sat over there, Bill Yeoman sat at," Herman said while in his refurbished digs in reference to the 88-year old coaching patriarch of Houston football who retired in 1986.

"[There was] torn carpet, raggedy couch, no shelves."

It is out of that office space that Herman hatched his vision. An offense that features RPO (run-pass option) quarterback Greg Ward Jr. A defense that hangs on and a confidence and attitude that doesn't waver.

In fact, from that office space came the idea for an "Office Space" spoof celebrating the end of 2016's recruiting cycle.

"Surprised? Absolutely," said offensive coordinator Major Applewhite of Houston's 13-1 debut. "Anybody in their right mind is going to look at that schedule and say, 'That's a loss, that's a loss. That one could either way.' "

Herman has coached here less than 14 months. After a couple of them, folks wondered if he'd stay a second season.

"Every day," Herman said, "parents calling me saying, 'Hey, I've got this other coach telling me you're not going to be there. What's the truth?'

"Usually, they're not coming up with these ideas on their own."

The same reason Houston is killing it at the moment is why the entire enterprise could be unsustainable for the long term.

Tom Herman is just too damn good to stay.

"What if he gets offered $20 million to coach at Ohio State or a powerhouse anywhere? You can't blame him," said Kyle Allen, a transfer quarterback from Texas A&M.

Five years ago, Herman was Iowa State's offensive coordinator. Since then, he has collected more bling than Tiffany and Co, starting with a Big Ten and national championship at Ohio State as well as a reputation as a quarterback whisperer juggling J.T. Barrett, Braxton Miller and Cardale Jones.

He became a national coach of the year finalist after choosing Houston to further his career more than it chose him.

The hottest young coach on the planet said he didn't take South Carolina because it is "not one you're going in and it's a national championship." The same with Maryland. Virginia Tech was "the most intriguing" of all, but the school seemed to have its sights set on Memphis' Justin Fuente.

Houston had the right combination of commitment, membership (AAC) and recruiting base. Herman had spent the first 11 years of his career coaching in the state of Texas.

No wonder his staff has approximately 150 combined years recruiting the Lone Star State.

"When you're the story of the year, what is there to say?" said Houston defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, an "outsider" who came from Utah State having once played linebacker for Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin.

"Can you win a championship? Can you sustain it? … To take it seven or eight years from that point and still be in the hunt for a championship, I feel that here."

What's most amazing: Eighteen of the 19 recruits in Wednesday's class were committed prior to that first season in 2015.

"Before they even saw us play," Herman reiterated proudly.

This open letter from Katy, Texas, safety Collin Wilder begins to explain why.

Looking back at my recruiting process, to now being around the University of Houston every day, I don't know how a player, especially from Houston, can choose not come to the University of Houston. Yes, LSU has tradition and Oregon has facilities, but putting on for your city, being part of the "H-Tine" culture, and playing for the brother beside you out of genuine love, is something money can't buy. You can't buy love, you can't buy a city to be behind you, and you surely can't buy a championship mindset. The culture of U of H and what the football coaching staff is continuing to build, is something that will create a tradition to come. People and high school recruits better jump on it before it's too late.

The coach is also proud of having to board a plane twice -- twice -- to round up the class. Sixteen of the 19 players are from Texas.

"Slept in my own bed more than I did on the road," Herman said.

That speaks to something deeper, something untapped at Houston. Texas is one of the most talent-rich states but has been gerrymandered in recruiting as of late. Texas A&M has divided loyalties by moving to the SEC. Alabama's Nick Saban has a renewed interest in the state's talent.

"'I can get a real evaluation [in Texas],' that was Nick's thought, ‘I can get on the grass with them.' " said Applewhite, who was Saban's OC in 2007. "People feel like you're getting a finished product. The ceiling may be really high compared to players in other states."

Allen landed here after a tumultuous departure from College Station without setting foot on campus. He had been recruited by Herman while the coach was at Ohio State. That was enough. "He's passionate," Allen said. "He's going to coach the hell out you."

Houston stepped up to sign its coach to an unprecedented (for a Group of Five school) five-year, $15 million contract. There are plans to build an indoor practice facility and a football-only weight room. You know, just like the big boys.

Allen also had to be convinced he could reach the NFL from a non-Power Five program. "I know a lot of people in the NFL. The consensus that I got is it really doesn't matter where you're from," he said.

"Obviously, I miss going into the [A&M] players lounge, grabbing a couple of Gatorades and playing ping pong. But I think I'm more focused here. There's less distractions. There's less gimmicks."

And the move "down" to Houston cuts both ways. The Cougars have inherited the No. 1-rated quarterback from the recruiting class of 2014.

The gem of this Houston class is Ed Oliver -- a 277-pound defensive tackle from nearby Westfield High School. The school's highest-rated recruit ever -- Oliver is No. 6 overall in the 247Sports Composite -- turned down any major program you can name to stay home.

It helped that Oliver's brother, Marcus, is on the team, and his former high school coach, Corby Meekins, coaches Houston's tight ends. But Ed didn't waver after making his commitment in May.

"He saw the vision before me," said Marcus, a rising junior. "He could have gone anywhere … We grew up together, we talked about this moment. For it to be here is so amazing. When we were little, playing football in the front yard, now I get to play with him one more time."

Herman uses buzzwords to describe how it has all come together. There was an initiative to keep rival recruiters -- "bluebloods" and "poachers" -- out of Houston. With all the swag and the personality and the promise, Houston has a hint of Schnellenberger-era Miami to it.

A recruiting fence is being thrown up around Houston. It's just a question of whether Herman is around long enough to take advantage.

"It's no fun going 7-5. It stinks," Herman said. "What's really fun is what feels like the whole city of Houston rushes onto the field, you're kissing a trophy and you're going to a New Year's Six bowl game and you're playing one of the bluebloods and beating them by two touchdowns."

Florida State may live down that 38-24 Peach Bowl loss but not anytime soon. Herman has created a brand where there was none.

"We're the hometown college football team of the fourth biggest city in America," the coach said. "We changed the world. We do things very differently than most places in America."

That statement resonates like never before. A new $120 million stadium going into its third season helps but so does becoming close personal friends with J.J. Watt and Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel. Rap impresarios Paul Wall, Slim Thug and Z-ro tweeted their congratulations on signing day.

Those famous grills that Herman had installed? They broke the Internet. Now they're in a tray somewhere with his growing collection of championship rings.

"How's your pucker strength?" Yeoman said, ducking his head in Herman's door.

Houston brought home plenty of hardware to H-Town in 2015. (Dennis Dodd/CBS Sports)
Houston brought home plenty of hardware to H-Town in 2015. (Dennis Dodd/CBS Sports)

What the veteran coach lacks in tact, he makes up for in experience. Herman lost one commit this week. Ed Oliver's teammate -- No. 2 wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland -- was flipped to Florida at the last minute. Hence, the pucker reference.

"He better be careful," Yeoman said of Cleveland. "He'll find out he's not that needed. I mean this sincerely, Coach, we picked up guys off the street. There's just so many damn football players in this state, it's ridiculous."

So many, still, that Herman dismissively waves his hand at the booster luncheon.

"Of the eight players that we signed that had SEC offers, we signed seven of them," he said, "We were 7-1 against the SEC. What was once a vision became a reality."

For one more year, at least.

For all its success last season, Houston did lose to UConn. To go undefeated, it will have to improve defensively.

But none of it is B.S.

Tom Herman not only believes in AAC championships and major bowls, he believes in a national title. At Houston.

"Our first two years here, that possibility exists," Herman said. "Is it every year? No. But you piggyback a couple of good years together, and it's very real."