Charlie Strong Reportedly "Very Close" to Losing Texas Job
By Kyle Koster
Things have gone terribly wrong for Charlie Strong and Texas after a season-opening win over Notre Dame. The Longhorns were beaten handily by Oklahoma State on Saturday leading athletic director Mike Perrine to “evaluate everything.” Strong’s first move on a hotter seat was to take over defensive play-calling duties from Vance Bedford.
Any additional misstep could prove fatal for Strong’s job security, according to a report from Sports Illustrated’s Pete Thamel.
"A month later, Strong finds himself in a perilous situation for his future at Texas. A high-ranking Texas official said on Sunday night that Strong is “very close” to losing his job at the end of the season after back-to-back road losses to Cal and Oklahoma State. The official said that there will be no move made during the year on Strong. Part of that comes from the fact that there’s no logical candidate on the staff to take over the program."
It’s tough to reconcile “very close” with the knowledge that a decision won’t be made until after the season. It’s no secret that Strong’s future in Austin is tenuous. He’s gone 13-16 since taking the job — and that’s just not good enough at Texas. But the fact that statements like this are leaking can’t make him feel like he has much room for error.
Texas has its three toughest games down the stretch at home (Oklahoma, Baylor and TCU). One would think an 8-4 year would be enough to earn Strong more time whereas a 6-6 mark could spell the end of a three-year tenure.