Could the remaining SEC coaching vacancy be filled soon? According to ESPN.com, multiple sources are saying that Louisville coach Charlie Strong is Tennessee’s top choice to replace Derek Dooley. The report stresses that no formal offer has been made, but the question that follows this is: Would Charlie Strong actually leave Louisville?
Many people feel that Strong, who has deep SEC roots after being a successful defensive coordinator at South Carolina and Florida, should have had an SEC head coaching gig years ago. Before Strong was hired at Louisville, Strong speculated that some southern teams may have been reluctant to give him a head coaching opportunity because his wife is white.
Louisville stepped up and hired Strong in 2010, and Strong has a record of 24-14 with the Cardinals. Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich has said that he will match any offer to Strong, but Strong has stopped short of saying that he won’t leave Louisville. If Tennessee does offer the job to Strong, it will be interesting to see if Strong turns them down in favor of a pay raise, Louisville’s imminent move to the ACC, and loyalty to the man who gave Strong his first head coaching opportunity.