Did Charlie Strong just one-up HCSS?

[Millhouse]

Absolutely. Strong basically cashed in and secured his entire financial future with Texas, if he gets fired he goes to a lower P5 school, recruits the shite out of Florida and does just fine. I don't think he was going to wait a year for Florida. Texas job is still better and in an easier conference. No guarantees that Florida hires him either, their new hire is a good old boy and I think UF was looking for offense as well.

You seriously wonder if the AD along with a few 7 figure boosters might have helped Charlie with this decision, seems very odd he would do something like this after game 1.

i'd roll the dice that he learns from watching stoops and patterson. run the program, teach the defense, and hand over the keys to one of the million guys who can run a college spread. strong running the air raid in the dome recruiting against dinosaurs like pitt and bc and hot messes like rutgers with PSU struggling.

 

[Pyle]

Strong had a good thing going at Louisville; that program basically became his, in my opinion. What would convince someone to move from a place he pretty much built to a place that essentially had been crushed by a wrecking ball? Even if it is Texas?

Because it was Louisville pt2. Let's not forget that only 4 years before he took over at UL they were crushing it with Petrino and Brohm. Kragthorpe messed things up really good, he came in and rebuilt it. To me that's basically the exact same thing Texas needed and his D1 sized ego made him jump.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Because it was Louisville pt2. Let's not forget that only 4 years before he took over at UL they were crushing it with Petrino and Brohm. Kragthorpe messed things up really good, he came in and rebuilt it. To me that's basically the exact same thing Texas needed and his D1 sized ego made him jump.

The money didn't hurt either. Would also be tougher to win in the ACC than Big East, may be tougher to win versus Clemson and FSU at Lville than it is at Texas versus Oklahoma and Baylor long term if you consider the product one is selling. Biggest problem in for Texas right now is A&M being in the SEC, and Baylor and TCU can sell an exciting brand of offense, etc. Strong needs to recruit Texas better or I agree he will struggle. Texas is figuring out that they might not be the biggest show in town right now or should I say the only show. You can't sit back and pound your chest and tell everyone how good you were 10 years ago, kids even from Texas don't much care. If you were a 4 star receiver from Texas, would you go to A&M, TCU, Baylor or Texas right now?

 

[Macky44]

Strong should never have left Louisville. Sometimes, the grass isn't greener, and "opportunities" aren't.

Couldn't agree more. Louisville is a pretty cush job.

 

[dasher]

Why do defensive head coaches have such a hard time deciding what they want to do on offense?

They aren't as smart as you.

 

[Millhouse]

They aren't as smart as you.

that's true but there's more to it than just that

 

[dollarbill44]

This really reflects badly on Strong IMO. The guy he had calling plays was doing so the last 3 years with Strong. If the guy wasn't good at his job the change should have been made in the off season. So what could possibly change after 1 game?

Unhappy boosters make unhappy ADs. Unhappy ADs fire coaches. Without knowing what went on behind the scenes, I would think this was purely to appease the big $$$ at Texas.

 

[orange_in_VA]

Unhappy boosters make unhappy ADs. Unhappy ADs fire coaches. Without knowing what went on behind the scenes, I would think this was purely to appease the big $$$ at Texas.

I dont know if I've ever told you, but I love your avi. "I'm old Greg!"

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Unhappy boosters make unhappy ADs. Unhappy ADs fire coaches. Without knowing what went on behind the scenes, I would think this was purely to appease the big $$$ at Texas.

I agree 100%, if they were 4-5 games in I could see something being changed by Strong, but not after week 1 on the road versus a very good ND defense. More to the story than just Strong making the change. There isn't a lot of laid back boosters with a ton of money, they give because they want to win and when they don't they expect to have influence, another reason why coaching college sports sucks

 

[OrangePA]

teddy bridgewater was so good that strong actually believed that pro style was the way to go. it probably held louisville back a little but bridgewater has a way of making you really confident that your offensive approach is the right one

Even though we beat them that year, he was one of the most impressive QBs I have ever seen in the Dome.

 

[Scooch]

He should have known Florida was 1 bad year away from firing Muschamp. He had connections to Florida. Louisville was paying him handsomely and if you read his family life he appreciated Jurich sitting his neck out for him in South and had a loyalty to the guy.

Texas might slightly be better than Florida as a job but he had no connections to the state. The cited above Rich Rod to Michigan was the perfect example. Rich Rod can coach but was a bad fit for Michigan. Strong will be fine for now but Texas is a different beast than most schools.

Eh, bird in hand. He could have waited on Florida, but no one knows how things are going to pan out.

I get that the UL gig was cushy, but we're also talking about football head coaches, 99% of whom are cravenly driven by an unsettling mix of ego and ambition. I mean, we have some experience with that here!

Maybe it was a bad decision but I also understand why someone swings for the fences. You only go around the crazy world once.

 

[Chip]

Many in the AD at Florida are not fans of his ... at all. Strong may have been a "candidate" but he never would have landed that gig.

I don't think he was ever getting the Florida job. All because of one thing. He's from the wrong side of the...ball. They were never going to follow up a failed defensive guy with a defensive guy.

Spurrier, Zook, Meyer, Muschamp. Two of those things aren't like the others. I can't imagine how that fanbase would have reacted to another D guy.

 

[K Otto XLIV]

that's true but there's more to it than just that

O coaches ask themselves which type of D gives me problems. D coaches ask themselves which type of O can make it easier on the D.

A D coach's dream is the GA Tech O. That way the D faces less plays per game and gets full rest. A D coach's nightmare is Washington State's O because you will face more plays and be on the field all day.

 

[Alsacs]

If the Florida AD or Florida major boosters had any problem with Strong beyond his coaching style it is sad. We are in 2015 if they can't hire somebody because of the elephant in the room that is wrong.
However I don't think race had anything to do with it because when Billy Donovan was leaving for the Orlando Magic Foley was going to hire Anthony Grant to replace him.
Strong I think will turn around Texas.

 

[TheCusian]

O coaches ask themselves which type of D gives me problems. D coaches ask themselves which type of O can make it easier on the D. A D coach's dream is the GA Tech O. That way the D faces less plays per game and gets full rest. A D coach's nightmare is Washington State's O because you will face more plays and be on the field all day.

I don't think this is remotely true. They may not be asking the right questions - but it's not "what makes it easier on the D"

 

[Millhouse]

O coaches ask themselves which type of D gives me problems. D coaches ask themselves which type of O can make it easier on the D. A D coach's dream is the GA Tech O. That way the D faces less plays per game and gets full rest. A D coach's nightmare is Washington State's O because you will face more plays and be on the field all day.

d coaches care a lot about practicing against an offense that gives them a taste of everything too

 

[Full_Rebar]

So taking the HC job at Texas is a bad move? I think the AD there needs to go, but if Strong gets the4-5 years every new HC needs he'll get them back on track.

 

[rocklloyd]

Maybe we can get Charlie strong to coach at SU

 

[Briancuse]

Strong should have waited one more year at Louisville and then taken the Florida job. His Florida recruiting is amazing and he had a connection to UF from his days as Urban Meyer's DC. Dumb decision to go Texas even though Texas is a top 5 job in CFB. He would have been a better fit at Florida after Muschamp.

I respectfully disagree, Texas is one of the great jobs in college football, you don't pass up Texas.

 

[TheCusian]

d coaches care a lot about practicing against an offense that gives them a taste of everything too

I think Shafer wanted the spread because it was what Mcit liked and it was popular. I don't think he has a ton of respect for Holgorson's O. He pretty much has his head in his trophy case next to Geno's.

 

[wfschrec]

If the Florida AD or Florida major boosters had any problem with Strong beyond his coaching style it is sad. We are in 2015 if they can't hire somebody because of the elephant in the room that is wrong.
However I don't think race had anything to do with it because when Billy Donovan was leaving for the Orlando Magic Foley was going to hire Anthony Grant to replace him.
Strong I think will turn around Texas.

Again it had nothing to do with color ...

 

[Millhouse]

I think Shafer wanted the spread because it was what Mc. . . . it liked and it was popular. I don't think he has a ton of respect for Holgorson's O. He pretty much has his head in his trophy case next to Geno's.

I agree. It sure seems like a lot of that disrespect was picked up on by the players, which sucks for McDonald (boohoo, i know)

holgorson has an orange bowl trophy in his case so I doubt he's too worried about it

 

[Chip]

I respectfully disagree, Texas is one of the great jobs in college football, you don't pass up Texas.

Agree.

But it's also arguably one of the most challenging times to have taken the Texas job. I don't know that they've ever had regional competition like they do now.

aTm, Baylor, TCU, they've all become destination schools for the same kids Texas recruits. They have great coaches and at least the first two have top shelf facilities now. These things usually happen in cycles, question is how long will it take Texas to ride this one out and take back their place in the state.

 

[syr02esq]

I agree 100%, if they were 4-5 games in I could see something being changed by Strong, but not after week 1 on the road versus a very good ND defense. More to the story than just Strong making the change. There isn't a lot of laid back boosters with a ton of money, they give because they want to win and when they don't they expect to have influence, another reason why coaching college sports sucks

There is something going on at Texas. Eric Cuffee, a national 4 star DB recruit, just tweeted that Texas did NOT want him to make his official at the Cal game. Texas un-invited him. This is completely unheard of. I guess Texas is waiting for a bye week to have all the recruits over.

And I don't think Strong's job is safe this season even if it's only the second season. Texas alumni have A LOT of pride. They can only stomach a few more debacles like the ND game. I think the Rice game is a trap game and Cal will be tough even if the game is in Austin. I looked at Texas' schedule and 6-6 looks to be reasonable. That may not cut it for Strong at the end of the season especially if Baylor puts a whoop ass on them to end the regular season.