USF Football Gets 3 Years Probation, $10K Fine for Violations Under Charlie Strong

The NCAA announced Friday that USF will be on three years probation and fined $10,000 for failing to monitor the football program under Charlie Strong, per Brett McMurphy of the Action Network. 

Strong, who is now an assistant for the Jacksonville Jaguars, will also face a one-game suspension if he returns to college football. 

The university was reported to have seven then-noncoaching football staff participate in on- and off-field instruction during practices over a period of three years. By doing so, USF was beyond the allowed number of countable coaches. 

"In one case, a then-noncoaching football staff member provided skills instruction to student-athletes and led film assessments and instruction," a press release stated. 

The NCAA also said the USF compliance department learned of the football violations and educated the football staff, including Strong, on the matter, but nothing changed.

The USF football program continued to allow the seven noncoaching football staff to instruct. They even had equipment managers use headsets to "alert noncoaching staff members when compliance staff were attending football practices, so the additional violations of countable coaches rules were not discovered."

The women's basketball program also exceeded the allowable number of coaches and is accused of exceeding the allowed number of hours per week for athletic activities. 

Here are all of the penalties the school is facing:

• Three years probation
• A $10,000 fine and 0.5 percent of both the football and women's basketball program's budgets
• Initial football scholarships for 2022-2023 will be reduced by two
• A one-game suspension for Strong if he should return to coaching at the collegiate level
• A one-year "show-cause" for the women's basketball coach that includes a 15-hour suspension from regular-season practices

Strong coached the football program from 2017 to '19, going 21-16 in that span. The Bulls' best season under Strong came in his first year as head coach when they finished 10-2 and won the Birmingham Bowl. 

Jeff Scott has been USF's head coach since 2020. He previously served as Clemson's co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach from 2015 to '19.