The writing is on the wall for Charlie Strong: the Texas Longhorns are breaking up with him.
Updated coaching carousel story: Strong to meet with Texas admins Saturday morning, expected to be fired then https://t.co/E0vPIMr3iR
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) November 26, 2016
Sources just told me Charlie Strong will be dismissed tomorrow morning. @ChipBrownHD reported a minute ago…
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 26, 2016
Charlie Strong’s dismissal from Texas appears to be inevitable at this point as the Longhorns have limped towards the finish line. He has been on the hot seat all season long but it looked like it was the end of the line for him last week following the loss to Kansas. After all, Kansas had yet to beat anyone in the conference and had registered just one win overall prior to their meeting.
There was a glimmer of hope for Strong this week rumors circulated that some boosters and members of the program – including Hollywood star and famous alum, Matthew McConaughey – wanted to keep him on for one more season but the nail was put into the coffin when Texas couldn’t even beat TCU at home in their regular season finale. That loss proved to be their overall season finale too as Texas blew a chance at being bowl eligible by finishing 5-7. He’s now 16-20 in three seasons at Texas.
While it’s clear that Strong is gone, where does he go next? He’s a coach with plenty of prowess and will still be a sought-after commodity. Here is a look at the most likely potential landing spots for Charlie Strong.
Take A Year Off
To start, there is no pressure on Strong to find a job. He’s going to earn $10 million to leave Texas, so while it’s a sad breakup, don’t feel too bad for him. His best option might be to take a year off and see what kind of openings come up. There’s no urgency for him to make a move right now.
Cincinnati Bearcats
Head Coach
Tommy Tuberville has done a decent job over the years but Cincinnati is 4-7 this season and will not be in the mix for bowl eligibility. That could be enough to convince the program’s brass to make a change – especially if they know that Strong is available. Tuberville hasn’t won a bowl game since his first season at Texas Tech back in 2010, so his job might not be as safe as some experts think it is. He’s always been a middling coach who does a good job of rebuilding programs, but he doesn’t necessarily take them to the next level.
Strong would be an excellent candidate for Cincinnati’s athletic department to consider as a potential replacement for Tuberville. For Strong, it’s a landing spot with less pressure but still in a Power 5 conference.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Head Coach
Tracy Claeys has done a solid job in his first full season as the head coach at Minnesota but the Golden Gophers have a new athletic director in place and he might want to hire his own head coach. Claeys has a buyout clause in his contract and while it might be difficult to dismiss him following a successful season, it wouldn’t be a tough sell if Strong was the man replacing him. Mark Coyle has every right to pick his own head coach and Strong might consider Strong his best bet overall.
Purdue Boilermakers
Head Coach
Purdue fired Darrell Hazell back in mid-October and they will be looking for a long-term solution following a 9-33 record over the last three-plus seasons. There has been some talk about the Boilermakers pursuing Les Miles but the more likely fit could be Strong. Purdue will not turn things around in one season regardless of who their head coach is next year, but given the time, Strong could turn the Boilermakers in to a perennial contender in the Big Ten. And at the end of the day, a Big Ten opening might be sexier than a job in the AAC.
Texas was a much more pressure-packed situation than Strong’s previous stop at Louisville so Purdue could be a strong option in terms of taking a small step back following this year’s disappointment.
Florida Gators
Defensive Coordinator
Would Strong pull a Will Muschamp?
There are some that feel Notre Dame and LSU would be reasonable destinations for Strong but the more likely fit might be a return to Florida in the defensive coordinator role. He could rehab his standing for a year and then get back to searching for a role as a head coach.
Strong has had multiple stints with the Gators including most recently as the defensive coordinator/linebackers coach during the 2008 and 2009 seasons and his familiarity could work should current Florida defensive coordinator Geoff Collins land a head coaching job somewhere else. Strong would definitely benefit from taking a small step back following this year’s struggles at Texas so the defensive coordinator role with the Gators might be the perfect scenario if there is a job opening in Gainesville.
