Overlooking Gator Coach Makes Racism Claims Strong

There has been much written and said lately about the lack of black head coaches in college football.  After the firings and resignations stopped this week, only three black head coaches remained in the 119 team FBS. 

While claims of racism abound, the reality is that both Notre Dame and Washington fired Ty Willingham  because he liked to golf more than he liked to recruit and Ron Prince succumb to the same fate as Ron Zook at Florida and Frank Solich at Nebraska—the curse of following a legend. 

If Willingham or Prince were white, they’d still be looking for jobs right now. Their race had nothing to do with it. 

For Charlie Strong, the Florida Gators first and only black defensive coordinator, it might not be the same.

Of all the assistant coaches floating through the college ranks, it’s difficult to find one better than Strong.  Just this past week, Strong was named a finalist for the 2008 BroylesAward, given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach.  It is Strong’s second nomination for this prestigious award, having been nominated in 2000 while the defensive coordinator with the South Carolina Gamecocks. 

Despite the recognition, however, Strong has not been given much head coaching consideration lately.  He was on the short list of some colleges following the Lou Holtz to Steve Spurrier changeover in South Carolina.  He had been rumored to have interviewed for as many as six positions after the 2000 season but never made the final cut. 

In 2007, after Floridawon the national championship, Strong did not interview for a single head coaching position.  During that off-season, 23 new coaches were named in the FBS. 

After Florida defeated Alabama this weekend and found itself playing for another national championship, several Florida assistants were rumored to be the target of several colleges. 

ESPN reported that defensive line coach Dan McCarneyand offensive coordinator Dan Mullen were candidates for both the Mississippi State and New Mexicohead coaching gigs.  Sports Illustrated reported that offensive line coach Steve Addazio is in position for the Syracusejob if Skip Holtz decides to pass on it. 

For only the purposes of this article, it should be noted that McCarney, Mullen, and Addazio are white.

No reports linked Strong to any school. 

While no one can ever definitively tell if an assistant coach can make the transition to a head coach, Strong’s on-the-field resume makes a good case that he is most deserving of the opportunity.

This season, Strong’s defense ranked in the top three in all defensive categories in the SEC this season and give up a scant 12.3 points per game.  They have ranked second in the nation in rushing defense the past three seasons.

Since 2003, when Strong took over as defensive coordinator, the Gators have intercepted 108 passes, third most in college football during that span.  In that same time, Florida has scored points off of turnovers in 41 of the 64 games Strong has operated as defensive coordinator.

As defensive coordinator with South Carolina, the Gamecocks ranked 20th, 16th, and 27th in total defense during the 1999, 2000, and 2001 seasons, respectively.  Serving as defensive line coach with Notre Dame in 1997, he helped the Irish record 41.5 sacks, a school record. 

When the Gators face the Oklahoma Sooners this season for the national championship, it will mark Strong’s twentieth Bowl Game, twelfth January Bowl Game, and second National Championship Game. 

Strong’s talents appear to extend off of the field and into the homes of recruits as well.  In 2007, he was named one of the nation’s Top 25 Best Recruiters by Rivals.com/Yahoo! for his part in bringing Florida a No. 1 recruiting class. 

Some speculate that Strong’s interview skills leave a lot to be desired.  No one can know that for sure, other than those who interview him, and they remain tight lipped.  But unless Strong starts chewing on the table during the interview, I can’t imagine his interview performance being so horrendous as to continuously overlook him and his resume. 

Interviewing abilities aside, once again, despite the defensive credentials, the recruiting accolades, the years of learning under Hall of Famers and future Hall of Famers Lou Holtz, Steve Spurrier, and Urban Meyer, Strong has not been mentioned as a candidate for any of the recently opened coaching positions. 

Tennessee, where Strong could have conceivably been a candidate, was given to 33-year-old Lane Kiffin, who had won just five of the twenty games he coached with the Oakland Raiders, his only previous head coaching experience. 

Kiffin and Strong have more differences than just their fifteen-year age gap.  Kiffin, a white man, is offensive-minded, with most of his assistant coaching experience coming on the west coast withUSC, while Strong is defensive-minded withmost of his assistant coaching experience coming on the east coast with Florida.  Both men, however, share one thing in common:  they have a white wife. 

And it is that last point that begins to lend the racism claim some significant weight.  Spencer Tillman of CBS claims that the Strong’s interracial marriage could be the biggest hurdle keeping him from becoming a head coach.  Tillman claims that a former dean of an SEC school said that “in no uncertain terms, Strong’s marital status is a difficult sell at any Southern university.” 

If you read through just a handful of message boards of Auburn, Clemson, or Tennessee fans, you’ll see that a black man with a white wife is not the face they would want for their schools.  

Perhaps a lot of athletic directors, or at the very least, a handful of wealthy donors to those athletic departments, might just feel the same way.  

Today, Strong remains the longest tenured defensive coordinator in Florida Gator history.  Five of the school’s seven past defensive coordinators went on to become head coaches in college while the remaining two became assistants in the NFL.