Mario Cristobal continued adding an elite staff with the report from Chris Lowe of ESPN that Charlie Strong is being hired as the linebackers coach for the Miami football program. Strong was the head coach at Louisville from 2010 through 2013, Texas from 2014 to 2016 and South Florida from 2017 through 2019.
Strong was on the assistant head coach and inside linebackers coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021. Strong began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Florida in 1983 and 1984. The first full-time on-field coaching position for Stong was wide receivers at Southern Illinois in 1986 and 1987.
The 2022 season will be the first one for Strong in an on-field assistant role in college since he was the defensive coordinator at Florida from 2003 through 2009. The majority of Strong’s career has been in the Southeast. That includes three stints in Gainesville. Strong was also the DC at South Carolina from 1999-2002.
Strong is the latest Cristobal hire who was on the Alabama staff under Nick Saban. Cristobal was an assistant at Alabama from 2013 through 2016. Strong was a defensive analyst with the Crimson Tide in 2020. Miami DC Kevin Steele and offensive coordinator Josh Gattis have also been assistants at Alabama.
Mario Cristobal continues to assemble an impressive staff at @CanesFootball. Sources tell ESPN that Charlie Strong, the former Texas, Louisville and USF head coach, is finalizing a deal to coach LBs at The U. Strong has deep recruiting ties in South Florida.
— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) February 19, 2022
Strong brings a National Championship resume to the Miami football program. Florida won two National Championships under Meyer with Strong as the DC in 2006 and 2008. In his final season with Florida in 2009, Strong was a finalist for the Broyles Award as the top assistant coach in college football.
Gattis was the Broyles Award winner in 2021. Strong had a 74–53 career record as a head coach. As the head coach at Louisville, Strong recruited South Florida well. The most high-profile signee for Strong at Louisville was quarterback Teddy Bridgewater who had recommitted from Miami after head coach Randy Shannon was fired.
According to Lowe, Louisville signed 38 players from Florida and 28 from South Florida under Strong. Cristobal has built an exceptionally strong staff of recruiters and who spent time working under Saban. The current Miami culture is clearly being built on the foundation Saban created at Alabama.