Houston offers to increase Tom Herman’s salary to $3 million

Houston is poised to make Tom Herman a very rich man — if he stays at Houston.

The University of Houston Board of Regents on Thursday approved a deal that would nearly double Herman’s salary to $3 million.

The raise would make Herman the highest paid coach from a Group of Five school and the 32^nd-highest paid coach in the country. Herman is currently making $1.35 million this season, which already is the highest for a coach in school history.

“This board is 100 percent committed to Coach Herman, and our actions today reflect our desire to retain him,” UH System Chairman Tilman Fertitta said in a statement. “The board will help raise these funds and much of it has already been raised.”

Herman has become one of the hottest names among up-and-coming coaches because in his first season, he’s led the Cougars to a 10-0 start and a No. 13 ranking. Speculation already has Herman linked to South Carolina, Maryland, Miami, Missouri and Southern Cal.

Herman originally signed a five-year deal in December worth at least $6.75 million.

The release from the school did not say whether Herman had agreed to the deal nor did it note a change in his buyout, which is $2.25 million if Herman leaves for another job before Feb. 28, 2018.