After spending a year in the National Football League with the Jacksonville Jaguars under disgraced head coach Urban Meyer, former Florida football coach Charlie Strong is returning to college football in the Sunshine State. The ex-skipper accepted a job with the Miami Hurricanes as their linebackers coach, ESPN’s Chris Lowe first reported on Friday.
Strong joins former Oregon Ducks head coach Mario Cristobal in Coral Gables as the ‘Canes look to restore their football program to its previous glory. Undoubtedly, part of his allure is his strong in-state connections that will be crucial on the recruiting trail.
The 61-year-old veteran of the gridiron sidelines’ roots run deep, as he spent time in Gainesville as a graduate assistant in 1983 and returned as outside linebackers coach in 1988-89, as well as a stint as a defensive assistant from 1991-94. He also served primarily as a defensive coordinator on the Gators’ staff from 2003-09 and, coincidentally, served as the interim coach for Florida in its loss to the Hurricanes in the 2004 Peach Bowl.
Strong has ten seasons of head coaching experience under his belt spanning across the Texas Longhorns, Louisville Cardinals and South Florida Bulls, compiling a 74–52 record over that span. There is little doubt that he brings a great deal of sage wisdom to the table for Cristobal’s new staff and hopefully finds success at his latest gig.
Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.