Former Texas head coach deemed ‘worst coaching hire of this century’ for Longhorns is exactly who fans think it is
At the time a hire which made a lot of sense, never really panned out. See which former Texas Longhorns coach made the list.
John Talty and the good folks at CBS Sports recently compiled a list of the worst coaching hires in college football in the last 25 years. There were plenty of no-brainers ranging from Ellis Johnson at Southern Miss, Mike Price at Alabama, Les Miles at Kansas, and Jeremy Pruitt at Tennessee.
But, one former Texas Longhorns head coach also made the not-so-esteemed list. Fans ranging from die-hard to devoted alum to sidewalk fans know just who it is.
Former Longhorns head man, Charlie Strong.
Before losing to a 2-10 Kansas team in overtime – sealing his fate and eventually making room for Steve Sarkisian and Texas being back in the forefront of college football, Strong seemed like a no-brainer at the time.
Prior to his time in Austin, where he finished just 16-21, Strong had Louisville really humming. The Cardinals helped launch Strong into his role as head coach at Texas with back-to-back Top 15 finishes and a dominant victory over Florida in the Sugar Bowl.
But, the success he achieved in the Big East never materialized when he took over Texas when it was in the Big 12.
Despite the success at prior stops as a head coach and dynamic assistant with a relentless recruiter reputation, Charlie Strong didn’t last at Texas.
He lost seven games three-straight seasons and was out the door quickly. There always seemed to be rumblings of disagreements and turmoil within the booster network and administration. But, regardless of rumors, Strong just could not overcome the lack of success on the field.
One thing Strong didn’t struggle with was recruiting. In his short stint on the Forty Acres, his classes finished 10th, 6th, and 26th. Nevertheless, his prowess on the trail didn’t amount to much winning on the gridiron.
At what is viewed as one of, if not the best jobs in the country, Strong could never catch his footing. College football can be a tricky beast sometimes. And Charlie Strong is a great example of it – going 10-2 the next year at South Florida after being canned in Austin.
Steve Sarkisian is a great example of it being a tough business, too. He started 5-7 in year one before going 8-5 in 2022. Then, everything clicks and now the Longhorns are 25-5 the last two seasons with a CFP semifinal appearance.
Texas might have been at its lowest with Strong at the helm, but now it looks like it might be at its strongest with Sarkisian heading into 2025.