Almost exactly a year ago, Tom Herman was sitting in his office as the offensive coordinator at Ohio State, preparing to face Alabama in the inaugural College Football Playoff -- a game plan he worked on diligently -- until he put on his red Houston hat.
Literally.
It had the U of H logo on it, and whenever Herman wore it -- even at his desk in Columbus -- he was working as the new head coach of Houston. He usually played that role from 6-7 a.m., before heading into the Buckeyes' offensive staff room to break down film of Alabama and prepare for practice.