The Cards Get "Strong"er

With apologies to UK fans everywhere, the human punchline that was Steve Kragthorpe has been replaced. That Krags was out is no breaking news, but as of 4pm today, former University of Tebow Defensive Coordinator Charlie Strong has taken over the sinking ship that is Louisville football.

I hate Florida. I hate Florida basketball. I hate Florida football. The gator chomp is a sin.
Here is a brief list of people that I hate from Florida: Matt Walsh, Gloria Estefan, Ray Lewis, Emmitt Smith, David Lee, Janet Reno, Vince Carter, David Duval, JOAKIM F*CKING NOAH.

The only good thing to come out of Florida is Chad Johnson, ahem, Ochocinco. And now Charlie Strong. Regardless of who you are a fan of you have to respect this man. Starting as a graduate assistant in 1983 at Florida he worked his way up through the ranks at schools including Texas A&M, Southern Illinois, Notre Dame, Florida, and South Carolina. When Ron Zook was fired from Florida and replaced by Urban Meyer, the entire coaching staff was released. Meyer cleaned house. He removed anything touched by Zook. Except for Strong. Thats how highly Charlie Strong is thought of within the coaching ranks.

This is a 100% absolute grand slam hire for Jurich who really needed to nail this one after the catastrophe that was the Steve Kragthorpe era. That hire was done hastily, and for personal reasons. Kragthorpe had no where near the resume to deserve a position leading a BCS program that had just won an Orange Bowl. Strong does. He will deliver discipline and structure that is desperately needed in the program right now.

Off the football field I also look for Strong to set a great example for the city. He is proof that if you work hard enough you can reach your goals, and as an African-American he has the ability and responsibility to be a shining example for the large African-American population in the Louisville area.

Louisville fans need to be patient with this man though. He will have UofL football on top of the Big East in 3 years maximum, but unlike when Kragthorpe came in, the talent pool on the team right now is dry. Bone dry. There are several promising players, and a star in the making in Victor Anderson, but to expect this squad to compete next season is unreasonable. The man will recruit the south. Former UofL coach Bobby Petrino showed that players from Florida and Georgia will come to Louisville to play football. Strong will pick up right where he left off three years ago.

UofL wanted a winner, and they got one. Charlie Strong is a professional, a disciplinarian, a recruiter, and one hell of a football coach. UofL is in good hands.

Brian "Charlie bit me!" Reinhart