Alabama has hired former Texas coach Charlie Strong as a defensive analyst, Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger reported Wednesday.
Strong returns to Alabama after spending a year as a Jaguars assistant in 2021 and then serving as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of Miami last season under coach Mario Cristobal.
Strong previously served as a defensive assistant at Alabama in ’20, helping the Crimson Tide win the College Football Playoff national championship. He rejoins Nick Saban’s coaching staff to anchor a Crimson Tide defense that finished third in passing yards (187.8) allowed and fourth in rushing yards (130.4) allowed per game in the SEC in 2022.
Nationally, Alabama ranked 13th in total defense (318.2), ninth in scoring defense (18.15), 36th in rush defense and 17th in passing yards allowed per game. The news of Strong’s hiring comes nearly three weeks after he informed Miami that he would not return to the program after he was passed over to become the Hurricanes’ next defensive coordinator.
Strong’s career runs deep in the SEC. He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Florida (1983-84) and Texas A&M in (1985). However, Strong has spent several stints with the Gators over his coaching career.
From 2003-09, Strong served as a defensive assistant at Florida, ultimately as defensive coordinator. He also served as Florida’s interim head coach in the program’s ’04 bowl game following the firing of coach Ron Zook.
He also served as the Gators’ outside linebackers coach from 1988-89 and as a defensive assistant at Florida from 1991-94. From 2010-19, Strong served as a head coach at the collegiate ranks for 10 seasons with stops at Louisville, Texas and South Florida.
