That didn't take very long. That looks like a great situation for Strong. He's inheriting a solid team and he'll coach in Tampa.
OT: Charlie Strong new HC at South Florida
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good. Now I don't have to hear anyone saying UTEP should hire him
UTEP should've went after him and if they could've got him, then yes, hired him. There's nothing wrong with Strong as a coach. He took a dormant Louisville team and made them uber competitive. That's a testament to his coaching and recruiting ability. People tend to readily dismiss how an environment plays a part in anything you do. Louisville welcomed him and supported him and he thrived. Texas on the other hand, what did they do? Texas' biggest donor came out and flayed him in public after he was hired. That sent a ripple effect to other boosters, not to mention crippling Strong's hiring ability before he even got started. No A category assistant coach is going to leave his job to work with, or for a coach who's already on the hot seat. Strong was on the hot seat as soon as he got there. Those folks who think Mack Brown left a treasure trove of talent at UT are delusional. Brown's fate was sealed when he rolled over on his assistants in public. His recruiting classes weren't anything to jump out of your chair to clap over. Let's pivot that booster's comments to parents of players and HS coaches everywhere that suddenly wonder if you're going to be coaching at the school that long. All the boosters did was make his job that much harder, ie harder to coach, harder to focus, harder to recruit. Ef Texas.
Everything in recruiting is connected, fore and aft. You can't throw your coach under the bus as soon as he gets there and not think you're gonna pay for that on the other end (recruiting). As much as I like Tom Herman, I wish Texas all of the failure the universe can provide.
As for UTEP, Strong would and is a better coach than the name I've seen mentioned; Petrino (Idaho).
You don't know what you're talking about.
Strong had full support at Texas. He had a blank checkbook to hire the best assistants in the country. Instead, he brought Watson and Bedford with him -- both were complete failures. The president of the university then went and personally closed his replacement OC hire, Gilbert. If Strong hadn't lost to Kansas, he might still have his job at Texas.
Strong never would have come to UTEP -- he has ties to the state of Florida that make it a natural landing spot for him.
We'll agree to disagree. I do know what I'm talking about and when it comes to that school, I'm about as locked in as locked in can be.
First, he did not have the full support of "Texas." He had administrative support, but not alumni or boosters. That's what I focused my scribble on; alumni and boosters (which are two different categories) and that was the support that mattered. In that program (as with most), checks count, not back slaps and handshakes.
Second. It doesn't matter if he had a blank check or not. I didn't say Texas wouldn't spend the money, I said A-rated assistant coaches wouldn't (and don't) come to a program where a coach is on the bubble. Strong walked into an environment where the biggest booster flayed him in public. You think that was only broadcast in Texas?? The coaching community may seem large, but it's not. It's a small fraternity and coaches talk - as well as watch the news. The ripple effect of that was other boosters chimed in and did the same thing. Coaches heard that. And so what if Watson and Bedford came with him. They didn't work and he took action. That's what counts.
Third. No one said Strong would come to UTEP and I certainly didn't say that either. I said if UTEP had a chance to offer him, then you make the offer and if they had the chance to hire him, then hire him. That's serves a dual purpose. No, you're probably not going to get him (or any other heavyweight that isn't a burnout), but it tells the coaching community you're serious about improving the program. It tells high school coaches you're serious. It tells that 17 year old, you're trying and lastly, it tells your own alumni and boosters you're trying to change the level of the program. I don't think in bubble when it comes to coaching, players, schemes, or development. There's always a bigger picture that has a ripple effect.
Anyone who knows Strong or has followed his career isn't surprised he opted to go back to a Florida school. That was obvious. But we exist in a "what if" in this post.
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How are you locked in to UT?
Strong had full support for at least his first two years. I would agree that support started to waver in year three, but after being paid $15M for three losing seasons, why wouldn't it?
Blaming his lack of on field success on fans or boosters is absurd.
I wont say how, but I know about them pursuing Saban, the coach at UCLA a few years ago, and a few others they talked to - even the ones they didn't make public. I know what stalled those discussions as well. We'll end it at that.
Again, Strong had administrative support. Boosters were and are completely different. Three of their biggest boosters, that I know of, were very vocal about not wanting him there and made their feelings known. Again, checks count.
No one blamed his lack of on field success on fans or boosters. I said the lack of support from boosters and alumni didn't help.
It's a big job. The only way you're going to get 100% support there is winning big.
That wasn't the point of the exercise Cube. It was a what-if question posted by another poster. But given your line about "...UTEP had as much chance to hire him as they did Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer, Tom Osborne, Bobby Bowden, Lou Holtz or even Woody Hayes or Joe Paterno..." does that mean you don't say hello? That's like passing on recruiting a five star athlete, or even a four star. Yeah, you're probably not going to get them unless you got something great to sell. But "what-if-you-do?" What if they do say, "yeah I'm interested." Geez, how does anyone even get a date with a woman if you're too afraid to say hello? Saying hello is free. And before you say something to the effect of, "...some people are out of [our] league..." Why think small? Big big, be bold, be brave! LOL
Eh... been married for 11 years so that point is moot. I hear Knute Rockne is currently not coaching. We should talk to him.
haha! Let's dig him up and give him a whistle.
Congrats on the 11 years. You're exceeding the current trend!
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