Why this former Texas Longhorns coach was named as one of the worst college football hires of the last century
Steve Sarkisian has revitalized the Texas Longhorns, guiding them to the College Football Playoff semifinals in each of the last two seasons, restoring their status as a national powerhouse. Prior to Sarkisian's tenure, the program endured a challenging period, with coaches facing intense scrutiny from fans and media alike. One of those coaches was Charlie […]
Steve Sarkisian has revitalized the Texas Longhorns, guiding them to the College Football Playoff semifinals in each of the last two seasons, restoring their status as a national powerhouse.
Prior to Sarkisian's tenure, the program endured a challenging period, with coaches facing intense scrutiny from fans and media alike.
One of those coaches was Charlie Strong, who compiled a 16-21 record from 2014 to 2016, with only one bowl game appearance and no winning seasons. Despite his successful stint at Louisville, where he achieved a 23-3 record over two seasons with two top-15 finishes, Strong's time at Texas fell short of expectations—a significant understatement.
CBS Sports’ John Taulty ranked Texas’ hiring of Strong as the 20th-worst head coaching hire of the 21st century, a harsh critique of the decision.
"The initial hire made sense on paper after Strong took Louisville to a Sugar Bowl and back-to-back top 15 finishes. But Strong couldn't capitalize on what could be the best job in the country with every advantage and resource at his disposal," Taulty wrote. "Strong lost at least seven games in each of his three seasons at Texas, with the worst coming in an overtime loss that sealed his fate to a 2-10 Kansas team that had lost 19 consecutive games to Big 12 opponents."
"With the way Steve Sarkisian has Texas rolling right now, it's still hard to believe it got that bad under Strong."
There were bright spots during Strong’s tenure, including upset victories over Oklahoma in 2015 and Notre Dame in 2016, the latter sparking the viral “Texas is back” meme. Overall, though, his time in Austin was a major letdown.
After Texas, Strong, now 64, moved to South Florida, where he led the Bulls to a 10-2 record in his first season. However, the team’s performance declined over the next two years, culminating in a 4-8 record in 2019 and his subsequent dismissal. He now serves as the defensive line coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
While Strong’s era was a low point for Texas, Sarkisian’s leadership has turned the program around, positioning the Longhorns as legitimate national championship contenders once again.
