If Charlie Strong had a grace period for getting the University of Texas' football program back on track, it apparently is up. Strong is 11-14 in two seasons as the Longhorns' head coach since taking over for the revered Mack Brown, and he has been given the school administration's full support as he molds the team to fit his vision.
The problem thus far has been the molding. Strong did not inherit an offense built to play in his pro-style system, he dismissed more than a few players for not living up to his standards, he changed his offensive scheme to the spread, he brought in an offensive coordinator who knows the spread and he also recruited one of the best incoming classes in the nation.
"We've been trying to piece this together for two years," Strong said. "And now I feel like we finally have the right fit."
Strong's past two seasons at Texas is proof that it is not easy to turn around a football program with an extensive history and legacy. Texas' best high school football players are no longer choosing UT because of its reputation and are instead going to schools like Baylor and TCU, or crossing over to the SEC with Texas A&M.
Even Jim Harbaugh's quick turnaround for Michigan was not possible without a superb season from graduate transfer quarterback Jake Ruddock. But whereas Harbaugh took over a talented roster with a clear identity, Strong was an awkward fit for Texas from the start.
As he is coming off his best recruiting effort yet, Strong finally seems to have the cohesiveness he needs. During two losing seasons, Texas showed glimpses of its potential with wins over West Virginia, Oklahoma and Baylor, but those kinds of moral victories will no longer matter if they come amidst another losing season.
This is Strong's make or break season, and offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert will play a big role. UT President Gregory Fenves and athletic director Mike Perrin understood what this season meant for Strong when they accompanied him to Gilbert's home in December to get him to come to Austin.
"You look up and the president, athletic director and coach Strong are sitting in your house," Gilbert said. "Those guys are committed to the program."
