When you’re the head football coach at the University of Texas, everything about your job is super-sized. Among the gargantuan items, fan interest and media scrutiny are perpetually present. Like the never-ending interstate stretching across West Texas, those two constants are both underfoot and always stretching to the horizon.
That’s a large part of the reason that the Big 12 holds it’s annual Media Days function – the event serves as a way to connect the league’s coaches with the media, who, in turn, relay information to fans that are starved for football. This year, for the first time in 16 seasons, the University of Texas sent a head coach other than Mack Brown.
Since being hired by UT six months ago, Charlie Strong has heard about the passion between Texans and football. Coming from a basketball-crazed state and university, Strong undoubtedly thought he he was prepared for the scrutiny. At least, hopefully he was ready, because this is the scene that awaited him at Media Days:
— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011
That’s what it looked like in front of Strong’s table…at his second press conference of the day…30 minutes before his arrival.
Undaunted by the throng of media, Strong seemed comfortable at the event. He was there to do what he does best – talk football. Why shouldn’t he be at ease?
Since his hiring, fans have read stories about UT’s new head coach being a straight-shooting, no-bull kind of man. What the media got at Media Days, was precisely that. In fact, the one thing that is capable of matching those enormous expectations mentioned in the opening is Strong’s character.
The new Longhorn coach is direct, genuine and truthful-to-a-fault.
Coaches across the country talk about the importance of academics. When Strong says, “We will make sure we graduate our young men,” there is no doubt that he means it.
Taking it a step further, Strong ventured, “We want to make sure we go compete for championships, but we want to make sure they [players] become a better person than they were when they came to the program.” And when he says something of that nature, it’s as much how he says it, as it is what he says. Even though he was talking to reporters, Strong issues those statements like a father that is daring his child to challenge him.
A big sign that these mannerisms are a glimpse into the actual man and not superficial coach-speak, is that when he talks football, the Texas head coach has the exact same style. And, fortunately for football-starved fans, Strong talked a lot about football today:
On Mack Brown…
On Tyrone Swoopes…
On winning a national championship…
On Joe Bergeron…
When Texas fans read comments like those, they sound unfiltered. For 16 seasons, Mack Brown said the right thing, the right way, at the right time. That’s an inescapable part of the reason that Strong sounds so direct – he has none of polish that Brown had in spades. Strong sounds genuinely raw because that is exactly what he is.
If you were to ask him why he is so blunt, I expect Strong would level his piercing glare at you, blink and say, “Why would you say anything other than exactly what you mean to say?“
His football players – and make no mistake, they are his players – are going to embody the character of their leader, or else look for an environment where they’re more comfortable. Moncrief Neuhaus Athletic Center is not going to be a place to relax, Strong’s persona will make sure of that.
When asked about needing to erase the “soft” label after he took the Texas job, Strong said:
If Strong carried a pistol, he’d carry a Walker Colt. After all, everything’s bigger in Texas.
