Most Reasonable Speculation Right Now: Got to Be Strong

[Goldenheart]

Briles and Mora publicly announce their exit from the process today. Age-old public relations move when a decision has been made that does not involve you. Louisville press says Louisville has its annual post-season team meeting Sunday evening. Strong can talk to his players then. Monday is the national title game. Perfect day to announce a new coach to get max coverage for essentially everyone interested in college football, including recruits. And Strong is part of the broadcast team in Pasadena Monday Night. It seems to me that it is remote at best that any coach who is still coaching is in the mix on this set of facts. I have never really bought the Saban hype so I am admittedly biased there. For me, these signs point to Strong, with a press conference in Austin late Tuesday or Wednesday. Rampant speculation on my part, but if it's Strong it is a home run hire. Couldn't be much more excited by a new football coach if this happens.

 

[whatthewhat]

Too much soap opera to be anybody but Saban. They're drawing fire until he can make a safe exit.

 

[whatthewhat]

P.S. I can get excited about Strong, don't get me wrong, but it seems like a loooot of drama for a hire like this. I'm not buying it.

 

[Alouha27]

Whatthewhat, both good points!

 

[abcee]

Too much soap opera to be anybody but Saban. They're drawing fire until he can make a safe exit.

Agree

 

[Goldenheart]

Saban and Franklin are the only other possibilities based on these facts. But I don't get the "hire like this" comment. Charlie Strong is a great candidate, and nationally that is well-known. He has won 23 games in the past two years and has the #1 D in the nation. How can we not be excited about that possibility? I for one hope it happens, and if it does I hope we all can get behind the new coach.

 

[Brasky]

Saban and Franklin are the only other possibilities based on these facts. But I don't get the "hire like this" comment. Charlie Strong is a great candidate, and nationally that is well-known. He has won 23 games in the past two years and has the #1 D in the nation. How can we not be excited about that possibility? I for one hope it happens, and if it does I hope we all can get behind the new coach.

i'm warming to Strong, based on Goldenheart's posts on mutltiple threads now. If the rumors are true that he has promised an elite staff then he could be pure gold.

 

[SanTexHorn]

Too much soap opera to be anybody but Saban. They're drawing fire until he can make a safe exit.

Saban would be great, but, IMO, Strong would be just as great.

 

[seahawkhorn]

i'm warming to Strong, based on Goldenheart's posts on mutltiple threads now. If the rumors are true that he has promised an elite staff then he could be pure gold.

How can he promise this, is my question

 

[Growler]

Who wouldn't promise or be promised an elite staff? I don't see this as an indicator in any direction.

 

[whatthewhat]

Saban and Franklin are the only other possibilities based on these facts. But I don't get the "hire like this" comment. Charlie Strong is a great candidate, and nationally that is well-known. He has won 23 games in the past two years and has the #1 D in the nation. How can we not be excited about that possibility? I for one hope it happens, and if it does I hope we all can get behind the new coach.

Dude, I like Charlie Strong. I've been down for a few days, I'm not saying he can't do well at Texas. But I am saying that if you fire Mack Brown, you don't bring in a virtual unknown. And not with all the mystery and secretiveness we've seen the last several weeks. And if so, then WTH? All this drama for Charlie Strong? I want the last six weeks of my life back.

 

[Topstarr]

OK it is Strong Now.

 

[Goldenheart]

I am sorry but you just aren't watching college football if you think Charlie Strong is a virtual unknown. He won 2 NCs as the DC at Florida. One more than Jimbo Fisher won as a DC at LSU. He has won 23 games in the last two years, one of which was a stomping over a heavily favored and elite Florida team. He develops talent. His defense is ranked number 1 in the country. And there are Florida Gators starring all over the NFL from his defenses. Auburn hired Gus Malzahn from Arkansas State and has them in the NC in one year. Are Strong's bona fides not as solid as Malzahn's were last year this time? Or Sumlin's when he was hired from Houston? Or Fisher when he was hired from within at an inept FSU program? Or Urban Meyer from Utah? I mean, this guy is exactly the type of candidate any elite program should be considering. Luring legends away would be great, but it is most certainly not the only approach to getting the job done from a hiring perspective and is in fact a major exception to the rule. If that weren't true, 99 percent of today's elite coaches at big time programs would have never gotten the chance in the first place. If this hire is true, we have done well. Ask the other UT, who desperately wanted Strong last year or ask a Gator, who desperately want Strong right now.

 

[whatthewhat]

Saban and Franklin are the only other possibilities based on these facts. But I don't get the "hire like this" comment. Charlie Strong is a great candidate, and nationally that is well-known. He has won 23 games in the past two years and has the #1 D in the nation. How can we not be excited about that possibility? I for one hope it happens, and if it does I hope we all can get behind the new coach.

I quit reading halfway through. I know who he is, but lets not get all 'you don't know college football' elitist here. If you ask three quarters of UT season ticket holders who Charlie Strong is, you'll get a blank stare. If you ask UT fans who love football who Charlie Strong is, three quarters will give you a blank stare. So, yeah... Virtual unknown.

I said a week ago I could get excited about Charlie Strong, but you'll have to excuse me at least twenty minutes or so while I mourn the loss of my Harbaugh dreams and eagerness to troll my Bama friends. LSU Tigers take trolling Bama fans very seriously.

Compassion. Get some.

 

[Alouha27]

I quit reading halfway through. I know who he is, but lets not get all 'you don't know college football' elitist here. If you ask three quarters of UT season ticket holders who Charlie Strong is, you'll get a blank stare. If you ask UT fans who love football who Charlie Strong is, three quarters will give you a blank stare. So, yeah... Virtual unknown.
I said a week ago I could get excited about Charlie Strong, but you'll have to excuse me at least twenty minutes or so while I mourn the loss of my Harbaugh dreams and eagerness to troll my Bama friends. LSU Tigers take trolling Bama fans very seriously.

Compassion. Get some.

Beautifully spoken!

 

[Goldenheart]

Sorry man, wasn't intending to go there. There is nothing elitist about calling out hyperbole on a fan message board. If 3/4 of our fans don't know who Charlie Strong is, then nobody should give much thought to what Longhorn fandom thinks about football coaches. Problem is it's not true. The vast majority of our fans know exactly who he is. He was the odds on favorite from the beginning for a reason, and he is the guy that dominated the Sugar Bowl last year and won 12 games this year behind the #1 D in the nation. I have all the compassion in the world for those who wanted to go in a different direction. There were lots of great possibilities. But it appears we got Strong, and in due time all our various factions will unite behind him.