Louisville Cardinals: Charlie Strong For How Long?

Charlie Strong is in his third season as head coach of the Louisville Cardinals and is enjoying his best start with the UofL football program. Strong has the Cardinals undefeated at 5-0 heading into Big East Conference competition. Louisville is off to its best start since 2006 and rumors that the team’s successful head coach might not be back for a fourth season continue to circulate.

Would Charlie Strong, a Batesville, Ark. native, be a good fit as head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks? The talk concerning the Louisville head coach and the Arkansas football program has heated up in the last couple of weeks.

Strong is used to fielding questions about possibly leaving Louisville. He was linked to the Miami job after his first season at Louisville. Last year, rumors had Strong linked to the then-vacant top football post at Texas A&M.

Strong has won throughout his coaching career. As an assistant coach for 27 years, Strong helped win two national titles. In his two seasons at Louisville, prior to 2012, Strong guided Louisville to consecutive bowl appearances and the school’s first Big East title since 2006. Strong made an immediate impact on the Louisville football program, ultimately guiding the Cardinals to identical 7-6 records in 2010 and 2011. Before Strong’s arrival, Louisville had combined to win just two Big East games in 2008 and 2009.

Strong has coached in over 20 bowl games as an assistant coach, helping to guide Florida to national titles in 2007 and 2009. Strong’s outstanding coaching career includes stints as an assistant coach under former Florida coach Urban Meyer, current South Carolina mentor Steve Spurrier and former Notre Dame head coach Lou Holtz, all three of whom have won national championships.

Strong and the Louisville Cardinals have this week off.