Free Article: Oregon and word on Texas Charlie Strong

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Texas wants to keep Charlie Strong. That’s the indication that industry sources and those close to the program have given 247Sports.

That position has been supported now that the Longhorns have won consecutive games to get to 5-4 (3-3 in the Big 12). Coaches and agents have felt as if eight victories would leave Strong in a safe place.

But 7-5? We’re told that would be dicey. So we’ll grant Texas the Kansas win to get to six victories, making remaining games against West Virginia and TCU vital in determining the course of the program.

Herman and Fedora, a native of the state, are the names we continue to hear the most.

UT decision-makers would ultimately like to retain Strong for two reasons. One, they genuinely like him. They’ve seen a cultural turn in the building, and they’d like to see the results follow. They want to allow patience for that.

Secondly, if there’s a move to be made, they’d prefer the permanent AD to be in charge of that transition. It’s less about pseudo-interim Mike Perrin, who is well liked, and more about there being no awkwardness when the new AD arrives not having hired the football coach. All indications are that Texas would like to have a new AD in place by summer 2017, at the latest.

The NCAA’s Oliver Luck (previously at West Virginia), Ole Miss’ Ross Bjork, Virginia Tech’s Whit Babcock, Arizona’s Greg Byrne, Oklahoma’s Joe Castiglione and Kansas State’s John Currie are among those who have been mentioned for the Texas AD job. If Scott Stricklin didn’t just leave Mississippi State for Florida, he might have been in Texas’ crosshairs.

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