History of Charlie Strong in Timeline
"Charles Rene Strong is an American football coach who most recently worked as the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of Miami. His extensive coaching career includes a stint as the assistant head coach and inside linebackers coach for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021. Prior to that role, he served as a defensive analyst at the University of Alabama in 2020."
August 2, 1960: Birth of Charlie Strong
Charles Rene Strong was born on August 2, 1960 in Batesville, Arkansas.
1980: Start of College Football Career
Charlie Strong began his college football career as a defensive back at the University of Central Arkansas in 1980.
1983: Graduate Assistant at the University of Florida
After lettering for four years at the University of Central Arkansas, Charlie Strong became a graduate assistant at the University of Florida in 1983.
1985: Graduate Assistant at Texas A&M University
Charlie Strong served as a graduate assistant at Texas A&M University in 1985.
1986: First Full-Time Coaching Job at Southern Illinois
Charlie Strong's first full-time coaching job began in 1986, coaching wide receivers at Southern Illinois. He later transitioned to defensive coaching roles at Florida, Ole Miss, and Notre Dame.
1998: Biggest BCS Bowl Upset Since 1998
The 2013 Sugar Bowl marked the biggest upset victory in terms of point spread in any BCS bowl game since the inception of the BCS in 1998.
1999: Defensive Coordinator for the South Carolina Gamecocks
In 1999, Charlie Strong started his role as the defensive coordinator for the South Carolina Gamecocks.
2003: Defensive Coordinator for the Florida Gators
Charlie Strong started his role as the defensive coordinator for the Florida Gators in 2003.
December 2004: Interim Coach for the Florida Gators
Following the firing of Ron Zook, Charlie Strong served as the interim coach for the Florida Gators during the December 2004 Peach Bowl.
2004: Sylvester Croom Breaks SEC Color Barrier
In 2004, Sylvester Croom became the first black head coach in the SEC.
January 2009: Strong's Belief in Racial Bias
During an interview in January 2009, Charlie Strong expressed his belief that race played a significant role in his lack of head coaching offers.
December 9, 2009: Head Coach at the University of Louisville
On December 9, 2009, Charlie Strong was named the 21st head football coach at the University of Louisville.
2010: Head Coach at the University of Louisville
Charlie Strong's tenure as the head coach at the University of Louisville began in 2010.
January 23, 2013: Raise and Increased Buyout at Louisville
On January 23, 2013, Charlie Strong received a $1.4 million raise at Louisville, bringing his annual compensation to $3.7 million and increasing his buyout to $5 million.
2013: Victory at the 2013 Sugar Bowl
Charlie Strong led Louisville to a victory in the 2013 Sugar Bowl, defeating his former team, the Florida Gators.
2013: Success at the University of Louisville
In 2013, Charlie Strong led the Louisville Cardinals to a 37–15 record, reaching a bowl game every season, including the 2013 Sugar Bowl.
2013: Mack Brown's Final Season at Texas
Mack Brown, Charlie Strong's predecessor, concluded his tenure at the University of Texas with an 8-5 record in 2013.
January 5, 2014: Head Coach at the University of Texas
On January 5, 2014, Charlie Strong accepted the head coaching position at the University of Texas, replacing Mack Brown.
2014: Head Coach at the University of Texas at Austin
Charlie Strong was hired as the head coach at the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.
2015: Top Recruiting Class and Offensive Shift
Charlie Strong and his coaching staff secured a top-10 recruiting class in 2015. They also transitioned the offense to a spread offense.
November 26, 2016: Termination from the University of Texas
Charlie Strong was fired from his head coaching position at the University of Texas on November 26, 2016.
December 11, 2016: Head Coach at the University of South Florida
On December 11, 2016, Charlie Strong was appointed as the fourth head coach of the University of South Florida.
2016: End of Tenure at the University of Texas at Austin
After three seasons, Charlie Strong was fired from his position as the head coach at the University of Texas at Austin in 2016.
2016: Losing Season and a Disappointing Loss
Charlie Strong finished the 2016 season with a losing record, marking the third consecutive losing season for the University of Texas football program under his leadership. A particularly low point was the near-season-ending loss to Kansas, a team that had only won one game prior.
2016: Upset Win and Recruiting Success
In his second year at Texas, Charlie Strong achieved his first upset win against a top-10 team, defeating Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown. This victory highlighted the success of his recruiting efforts, with key contributions from players like QB Jerrod Heard and RB D'Onta Foreman.
2017: Head Coach at the University of South Florida
Charlie Strong began his tenure as the head coach at the University of South Florida in 2017.
2019: Termination from the University of South Florida
Charlie Strong was relieved from his duties as the head coach at the University of South Florida following the conclusion of the 2019 season.
2019: End of Tenure at the University of South Florida
Charlie Strong was fired from his position as head coach of the University of South Florida after the 2019 season.
2020: Charlie Strong hired as defensive analyst at the University of Alabama
After his time at South Florida ended, Charlie Strong was hired by the University of Alabama as a defensive analyst in 2020, working under head coach Nick Saban.
2020: Defensive Analyst at the University of Alabama
Charlie Strong served as a defensive analyst at the University of Alabama in 2020.
February 11, 2021: Joining the Jacksonville Jaguars
On February 11, 2021, Charlie Strong was hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an assistant to the head coach and inside linebackers coach, reuniting with Urban Meyer.
2021: Strong helps Crimson Tide win 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship
As a defensive analyst for the University of Alabama, Strong contributed to the team's success in 2021, culminating in a College Football Playoff National Championship victory.
2021: Assistant Coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars
In 2021, Charlie Strong served as the assistant head coach and inside linebackers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
March 4, 2022: Joining the University of Miami
Charlie Strong joined the University of Miami as their co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach on March 4, 2022.
February 9, 2023: Departure from the University of Miami
On February 9, 2023, Charlie Strong announced that he would not be returning to the University of Miami after being passed over for the defensive coordinator position.
March 1, 2023: University of Alabama hires Charlie Strong as Defensive Analyst
On March 1, 2023, Charlie Strong returned to the University of Alabama as a Defensive Analyst for the 2023 Football season under head coach Nick Saban.