Alabama hires former Texas, Louisville coach Charlie Strong as defensive analyst, per report

Alabama has hired former Texas and Louisville coach Charlie Strong as a defensive analyst, according to Sports Illustrated, adding yet another well-known name to take his turn through Nick Saban’s extended coaching staff. Strong, who most recently served as the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Miami under Mario Cristobal in 2022, will reunite with Alabama defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, who held the same position last year with the Hurricanes. Strong recently stepped down from his position after he was passed over for Lance Guidry to become the Hurricanes’ sole defensive coordinator. 

Strong Saban’s staff at Alabama has long served as a way station for former head coaches with plenty to offer, and this will not be Strong’s first stint with the Crimson Tide. Strong previously served as a defensive analyst for Alabama in 2020 season before leaving for his first NFL job under Urban Meyer with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Meyer lasted only a season in the NFL, at which point Strong joined Mario Cristobal’s staff at Miami. 

Strong previously served as the coach at Texas, Louisville and South Florida. His time with the Cardinals was the most successful,  with Strong going 37-15 over four seasons and leading a Sugar Bowl victory in 2012. Strong’s success with the Cardinals led to him getting the Texas job in 2014, but he didn’t have nearly as much success with the Longhorns. After he was fired following the 2016 season, Strong moved onto South Florida, where he lasted three seasons before being fired following a 4-8 2019 season.

Strong was a longtime position coach before getting his first crack as a defensive coordinator in 1999 on Lou Holtz’s staff at South Carolina. He would move on to Florida, where he served as the defensive coordinator under Ron Zook, and when Meyer replaced Zook in 2005, Strong was the only member of Zook’s staff he retained. He was promoted to assistant head coach and played a key role in Florida’s national title-winning teams in 2006 and 2008.

Alabama finished the 2022 season with an 11-2 record. It was the first time Alabama failed to win the SEC title since the 2019 season.