Is Charlie Strong a great coach, or did Teddy Bridgewater just make him look great?

[aowells]

Over the last couple days I've been watching Louisville games to get a better appreciation for coach Strong. Generally, I'm impressed. It was nice to see some competent coaching after a season of being tortured by Mack and Applewhite (I've often said I could coach better than someone, this year I actually believe I could have). What scared me most though, was realizing that Teddy Bridgewater is way better than I realized and is probably single-handedly responsible for making a 7 or 8 win team into a 12 win team. Obviously Strong recruited Teddy and Louisville did an amazing job developing him, but I'm not sure that outcome is reliably repeatable.

So did we just hire a coach with the skill and staff to create the next Teddy Bridgewater for Texas? Or did we just hire a decent coach out of a weak conference that stumbled upon a phenom that made him look great?

In any case, I think Strong will address a number of our big issues and should significantly improve the culture of the program. I'm just struggling to figure out how much we can really attribute directly to him and what we can expect in the future.

 

[Texasmade]

Elements of both I would say. Louisville's defense was narly.

#1 total defense

#1 rushing defense

#5 passing defense

#2 scoring defense

#1 in sacks per game

When you pit together an elite defense with an elite QB, that's what you get. Question their schedule all you want but Louisville had a damn good football team.

He's not without flaws though. He had some questionable in game decisions and their special teams aren't great. But he's evolving as a HC, and will continue to do so. So while he's not a perfect coach, he's still a damn good one.

 

[reneg_2]

Did Teddy B play defense for Strong? That is all.

 

[monarch]

...and this too shall come to pass...

 

[HookemDTX]

Elements of both I would say. Louisville's defense was narly.
#1 total defense

#1 rushing defense

#5 passing defense

#2 scoring defense

#1 in sacks per game

When you pit together an elite defense with an elite QB, that's what you get. Question their schedule all you want but Louisville had a damn good football team.

He's not without flaws though. He had some questionable in game decisions and their special teams aren't great. But he's evolving as a HC, and will continue to do so. So while he's not a perfect coach, he's still a damn good one.

Nice to see you finally posting here, bro.

 

[aowells]

No question the Louisville D was fantastic. But I'll argue that Teddy is worth 10 extra points per game over your average AAC QB. With that assumption they're a 9-4 team without him.

 

[scooterhorn]

No question the Louisville D was fantastic. But I'll argue that Teddy is worth 10 extra points per game over your average AAC QB. With that assumption they're a 9-4 team without him.

And with an average ACC defense they barely break .500

Lots of what if games to be played.

 

[PeteA422]

Yes, but you also have to factor in the level of recruits that Louisville is able to bring in versus that of which UT will be able to bring in. If Strong can develop the players he had, Bridgewater or no, into one of the top teams in the nation, that says a lot. Now let's see what he can with all that UT has to offer in providing the best supporting staff, facilities, and the ability to pull in 5 star recruits.

He who has been shown faithful with little will be entrusted with much.

 

[HookemHorns]

The fact that strong recruited and developed teddy b is what's important. No coach can go 22-3 without a good qb. This was Mack's problem here over the last 4 years. It was Mack's own doing because he changed offensive systems after loading a roster with players suited for the spread. Regardless Mack's teams performed better when the qb was better. Vy, colt, etc. they were average when the qb play was poor even when the defense was good (2010).

 

[JerrySandusky'sCellmate]

The average AAC QB must be pretty dang good since the top 2 are expected to be #1 and #3 in this year's NFL draft.

 

[JerrySandusky'sCellmate]

Oh, yeah, and the worlds greatest football player ever and the top QB from the mighty SEC is expected to be picked 3rd behind the 2 guys from the lowly AAC.

 

[Juan]

Here is Louisville perspective from video interview with UL off lineman Jake Smith

by local paper -- about 11.5 minutes long

He is an articulate guy - worth the time if you have it

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20140105/SPORTS02/301050052

Cannot tell if embed worked, if not, use link^

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[Texaspride73]

Guess FSU and AU would suck without their QB's also?

 

[Bentgrass Horn]

Please don't take this as a smart ass reply but couldn't the same be said for Mack? If VY and Colt don't come here does he have the two conference titles and the national title?

 

[DocHorn]

No question the Louisville D was fantastic. But I'll argue that Teddy is worth 10 extra points per game over your average AAC QB. With that assumption they're a 9-4 team without him.

I wonder what they would be with case McCoy at qb

 

[lar12349]

The player interviewed in Juan Grande's link is a future coach.

 

[Juan]

#1 total defense

#1 rushing defense

#5 passing defense

#2 scoring defense

#1 in sacks per game

Gotta think he could have come up with something to stop Taysom Hill.

Even with the same players on the field.

Meanwhile Hill is prolly still running on us, somewhere, like Forrest Gump out the end zone and stadium, all the way to California, then he turned around and ran the other way.

 

[Davharjac]

I understand what you're asking, it's a fair question I suppose. My first thought was what about Mack and VY and Colt. Every coach needs at the very least solid play at the QB position to have success.

 

[Alouha27]

Please don't take this as a smart ass reply but couldn't the same be said for Mack? If VY and Colt don't come here does he have the two conference titles and the national title?

^This. Every coach lives and dies by their QB...With a few exceptions. If you have a stellar RB you can set the offense up around him, but you will need at least a decent QB to run the offense. IMO VY got by mostly on raw talent but Colt needed a little more molding.