Welcome to Texas, Charlie Strong. The Longhorns' new head coach couldn't even get through his first day on the job before receiving a crash course in the political pressures that come with the flagship school in the Lone Star State.
Red McCombs, the billionaire Texas booster and former owner of the Minnesota Vikings, lashed out at athletic director Steve Patterson in a radio interview Monday, saying it was a "kick in the face" to not be included in the coaching search. McCombs also delivered a backhanded compliment to Strong, who went 37-15 in four seasons at Louisville.
"I think the whole thing is a little bit sideways," McCombs told KZDC in San Antonio. "I don't have any doubt Charlie is a fine coach. I think he would make a great position coach, maybe a coordinator."
McCombs previously endorsed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden to replace Mack Brown, who stepped down after 16 seasons leading Texas.
Not everyone agrees with McCombs' take on Strong, as evidenced by this tweet:
Strong fared much better in his introductory press conference, stressing an emphasis on toughness and defense, along with controlling the state in recruiting.
The challenge now for Strong is to be able to accomplish those goals in his program and not get sucked into the politics surrounding it.
Follow Dan Greenspan on Twitter @DanGreenspan.
