Dec 04, 2015 12:30 PM EST By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

Just days before the AAC Championship football game, the University of Houston (UH) extended Tom Herman's contract and more than doubled his salary.

In his first season as the Cougars' head coach, Herman led the team 11-1 record and an appearance in the AAC title game. Winning the game will also result in a New Year's Six bowl game appearance.

"My family and I are excited to renew our commitment to the University of Houston Football program. We live in one of the greatest cities, and combined with a Tier One University and with the commitments to our program, it provides a great atmosphere for a championship culture," Herman said in a statement. "We are thrilled, and we are completely focused on tomorrow's American Championship and representing the City of Houston on the national stage once again."

The UH Board of Regents approved giving Herman a raise before the Cougars' season was even over. The new contract now extends through the 2020 season and pays about $2.8 million annually. Herman's initial contract was through the 2019 season and had an average annual value of $1.35 million, according to ESPN.

Herman took the Houston job after serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at Ohio State on Urban Meyer's staff. Herman previously held the same positions at Iowa State, Rice, and Texas State. Various reports indicated a number of Power 5 programs wanted to pluck Herman from Houston.

"As we've said in the past, we want Tom Herman to be the head football coach at the University of Houston well into the future. The Head Football Coach at the University of Houston is a destination position and not a stepping stone, and a successful coach like Coach Herman's can build and maintain a nationally relevant, championship program in the city of Houston," Hunter Yurachek, vice president for intercollegiate athletics at UH, said in the statement. "I personally want to thank President Renu Khator, our Chairman of the Board of Regents Tilman Fertitta and our Board of Regents for their counsel and support throughout this process."

See Now: Covert Team Inside Newsweek Revealed as Key Players in False Human Trafficking Lawsuit