The Texas Longhorns have fired Tom Herman, according to a school press release. 

Herman went 32-18 in four seasons at Texas, including a 7-3 record in 2020, a season that many expected Herman's program to compete for a Big 12 championship.

"With our football season coming to a close, our vice president and athletics director, Chris Del Conte, has evaluated the UT program's strengths and weaknesses and where the program is relative to our goals," the university said in a statement issued Saturday. "While we have made measured progress during the past several years under Tom Herman's leadership, Chris has recommended to the university president, Jay Hartzell, that UT make a coaching change to get us on track to achieving our ambitious goals.

"President Hartzell and the chair of our Board of Regents, Kevin Eltife, concur with this recommendation and have approved the change. We thank Coach Herman for his service and dedication to our student-athletes, our program and our university."

The decision comes just weeks after Del Conte put out a statement that Herman was still the program's head coach following a failed pursuit of former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer. The Statesman reported that the statement was an indication that Herman would return in 2021. 

Herman took over the program after the Longhorns posted three straight losing seasons and led the Longhorns to four straight bowl wins. The Longhorns finished with a 7-3 record, which trailed only Herman's 2018 season as the best winning percentage at Texas since Colt McCoy's national title game run. 

However, Texas fans grew wary of Herman due to his inability to win a Big 12 championship. The Longhorns earned a trip to the Big 12 title game and won a Sugar Bowl in 2018, but failed to replicate the feat over the past two seasons. Texas has won just three Big 12 championships in the Big 12 era, while rival Oklahoma has won six straight. 

The decision could come as an expensive one. Multiple sources are reporting that firing Herman and his staff could cost as much as $25 million. That doesn't include the cost of hiring a new staff.