Charlie Strong already on the hot seat?

[PhDeac]

That's a bit of a stretch. A guy can have the opinion that the HC job at Texas is larger than some personalities can handle. I'm sure Red thinks they need another dog and pony guy like Brown. Charlie certainly knows more football than Mack but handling the circus that is Texas football takes a top shelf carnival barker. The job requires a politicians slickness and a willingness to kiss ugly babies. I am sure Red has the same opinion of Pelini at Nebraska....

I am of the opinion that Jason Garrett is more an OC than HC. Does that make me a bigot?

Garrett isn't a successful HC. Strong has been a successful DC at programs on par with Texas and has been a successful HC at Louisville. Saying Strong is lower on the ladder than Major Applewhite is an insult.

 

[liveanddiedeac]

Garrett isn't a successful HC. Strong has been a successful DC at programs on par with Texas and has been a successful HC at Louisville. Saying Strong is lower on the ladder than Major Applewhite is an insult.

That's the part that really got me. McCombs basically said that Strong was only qualified as a position coach and maybe at best a coordinator at a program like the great U. of Texas, which is a complete slap in the face of someone as qualified as Strong.

 

[pourdeac]

I think that's a decent point, but who out there that was available fit that bill?

Al Golden, Mike Leach, Mark Dantonio, Mike Gundy, Mark Richt.......maybe not the number of schools, but they all had longer good track records as a HC.

 

[liveanddiedeac]

Al Golden, Mike Leach, Mark Dantonio, Mike Gundy, Mark Richt.......maybe not the number of schools, but they all had longer good track records as a HC.

Al Golden 2 years at Miami where they underachieved this year and his time at Temple? Not really sure that would make him more qualified than Strong. Mike Leach certainly doesn't seem to fit Texas. Dantonio would've been someone to look at maybe. Mike Gundy, I always think it's tough to hire a conference foe. Mark Richt is a good coach, but I doubt he would've left UGa for Texas.

 

[pourdeac]

That's the part that really got me. McCombs basically said that Strong was only qualified as a position coach and maybe at best a coordinator at a program like the great U. of Texas, which is a complete slap in the face of someone as qualified as Strong.

That was an odd comment, but that said, Strong remained a position coach for 24 years, not getting a HC shot until age 49 (now 53). It's unfortunate, but that sort of rep sticks with people. Mack Brown started HC at Texas at 47. I think Strong will do OK, but he'll have to adjust to the style of play quickly. If he doesn't, it'll be a short tenure.

 

[pourdeac]

Al Golden 2 years at Miami where they underachieved this year and his time at Temple? Not really sure that would make him more qualified than Strong. Mike Leach certainly doesn't seem to fit Texas. Dantonio would've been someone to look at maybe. Mike Gundy, I always think it's tough to hire a conference foe. Mark Richt is a good coach, but I doubt he would've left UGa for Texas.

Golden...maybe a push. Leach knows Texas so that may have made sense, but his personality may not be "Texas"...is Strong's? Dantonio, Gundy, Richt....all no doubt. It could be many of these turned Texas down when feelers went out, but I don't really get why. Texas is billed as a pressure cooker, but it seems less so than many of the other top spots. Maybe Mack was just good at dealing with it though. He's sort of the "deputy dog" of football coaches.

 

[liveanddiedeac]

Golden...maybe a push. Leach knows Texas so that may have made sense, but his personality may not be "Texas"...is Strong's? Dantonio, Gundy, Richt....all no doubt. It could be many of these turned Texas down when feelers went out, but I don't really get why. Texas is billed as a pressure cooker, but it seems less so than many of the other top spots. Maybe Mack was just good at dealing with it though. He's sort of the "deputy dog" of football coaches.

I just can't see Mike Leach dealing well with the Red McComb types at Texas. It would be interesting to know how far down the Texas list Strong was, but I think he was probably near the top of the realistic candidates on that list. Honestly I really don't have a feel for how Strong will do at Texas, but I certainly don't think anyone should label it as a bad hire and I hope he does well for no other reason to show ole'Red he was wrong.

 

[Brangus]

Richt would have been a good fit at Texas charisma wise. He has underachieved at UGA, though. He should have at least one National Title in his tenure there...the talent he recruited there through his tenure is insane. The equal of any other program.

 

[KidA23]

D'Antonio would've made the most sense to me, as he's actually a tad younger than Strong and is originally from El Paso, TX. Gundy is an Okie St. alum and obviously coaches at another Big 12 school, so I doubt UT would've gotten very far with him.

Assuming the Leach and Richt suggestions weren't sarcastic, each are pretty much unhireable. Leach hasn't won anything relevant in years, was out of coaching entirely for 3 of the last 5 years, is basically toxic vis-a-vis ESPN's sports coverage, and was widely rumored to be more or less allergic to the 'political' and 'public persona' aspects of the TT job, which obviously is a massive consideration for someone taking over a job with its own sports network (LHN) and the most rigorous media commitments of any school in college football. Richt seems just sort of like a younger, discount version of Mack Brown who also hasn't ever taken Georgia to the top level despite ridiculous recruiting classes and with the benefit of recent downturns by Georgia's divisional rivals Tennessee and UF.

All in all, Strong seems like as good a hire as Texas could reasonably have done, if you assume Saban wasn't an option.

 

[Pilchard]

Obviously, winning cures all; so, if Strong wins lots of games and has Texas in the NC mix with regularity none of this matters. The problem with Strong and Texas is that the Texas head coach has to devote a ton of his time to dealing with the media, and chatting it up with Red McCombs types. Charlie Strong does not play that game. He is a recluse. He does almost no media interviews (e.g., Pat Forde is one of the leading college sports reporters and analysts; Pat Forde lives in Louisville; despite continuous requests, Charlie Strong never agreed to a sit down interview with Pat Forde during his 4 years in Louisville; it was not an anti-Pat Forde thing; Strong hates dealing with the media and does not like glad handing either). You can get away with that at Louisville, but you can't get away with that at Texas unless you win so much that no one cares. That is a high bar.

I like Charlie Strong, and would love it if his record tells Red McCombs and all others that question the hire to suck on it and like it, but I would not be surprised to see this end badly.

 

[Tobacco Road]

I was just going to make that point. While it's tempting to claim "racist" because he's an old southern white male, I think that's more about the person claiming racism's stereotyping than anything else. Strong had 2 OK years at Louisville (winning but barely), and then 2 great years after recruiting heavily from Miami. That's really all he has on record as a head coach. It's a great story so far, but for a position like Texas you'd expect to hire someone with more of a track record. His style of play doesn't really fit well either. It's seems to be an unnecessary risk.

Mack Brown had 14 years of head coaching experience at 3 schools.....and many more successful years. That's what I would have expected.

I think the bolded comment is an important one to consider. I am not saying McCombs isn't racist. I am not saying he is. I don't know the guy so I am in no position to know. i don't think anyone else here knows him either. Does he have a history of demonstrating racist behavior? Until he says something that is actually racist, I am not going to make any assumptions. I also recognize that Texas fans and boosters tend to hold that program in VERY esteem and anyone shy of Lombardi would be susceptible to criticism of not being worthy. If someone felt bitter about not having the say they felt they deserved, their comments might be a bit more biting and condescending, more a reflection of their hurt feelings on the process than the person selected.

Pourdeac's comment reminds me of my experience first moving to California. As I got to know people, I soon learned that several of them assumed that, as a white North Carolinian, I was going to hold racist and homophobic (and antiquated) views on people and the world. I was surprised how many of them seemed to take that as a given. I was also somewhat amused by the look of confusion on their faces when I pointed out the irony of prejudging a huge region of the country and lumping everyone in the group into that same preconceived notion.

 

[CHillDeac]

Obviously, winning cures all; so, if Strong wins lots of games and has Texas in the NC mix with regularity none of this matters. The problem with Strong and Texas is that the Texas head coach has to devote a ton of his time to dealing with the media, and chatting it up with Red McCombs types. Charlie Strong does not play that game. He is a recluse. He does almost no media interviews (e.g., Pat Forde is one of the leading college sports reporters and analysts; Pat Forde lives in Louisville; despite continuous requests, Charlie Strong never agreed to a sit down interview with Pat Forde during his 4 years in Louisville; it was not an anti-Pat Forde thing; Strong hates dealing with the media and does not like glad handing either). You can get away with that at Louisville, but you can't get away with that at Texas unless you win so much that no one cares. That is a high bar.

I like Charlie Strong, and would love it if his record tells Red McCombs and all others that question the hire to suck on it and like it, but I would not be surprised to see this end badly.

No longer a recluse. Interviewed with Dan Patrick a short while ago.

 

[Demonbeck]

Richt was never going anywhere. Why leave one of the best jobs in college football for the same? That sounds like a move just for the sake of moving.

 

[CumberlandDeac]

Strong was also on Mike & Mike the other morning.

 

[pourdeac]

Richt was never going anywhere. Why leave one of the best jobs in college football for the same? That sounds like a move just for the sake of moving.

I dunno. Strong is reportedly getting 0.5m more per year (3.7m vs 3.2m). Richt hasn't won an SEC title since before we won the ACC and lost 3 of the last 4 bowl games. He's been there 14 years and was on the hot seat in 2011. The fans there are going to get restless sometime soon if he doesn't produce in the post-season, especially with a rising South Carolina in the division.

 

[Lectro]

That's the part that really got me. McCombs basically said that Strong was only qualified as a position coach and maybe at best a coordinator at a program like the great U. of Texas, which is a complete slap in the face of someone as qualified as Strong.

Ahhhh, I don't know...Texas alums, fans and boosters live in their own world. Red is just as unrealistic as as any of them...I mean some fans have skin in the game and then you have a guy like this...I mean Red is the "hog" in the bacon and eggs equation -- the chicken just lays an egg, the pig is committed.

If this guy truly gave 100 million then I am sure he has a similarly delusional take on who is "qualified" to lead his "baby".