Over the past six-plus seasons, the Texas Longhorns haven’t really performed like the Texas Longhorns are supposed to perform. Since losing the BCS Championship Game following the 2009 season, the team from Austin boasts a mediocre 43-37 record, and with recent rumblings that Texas could be moving on from head coach Charlie Strong in the near future, ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit went in on the program and the culture surrounding it on Saturday’s College GameDay broadcast.
Here is what Herbstreit had to say:
“I think if you’re Charlie Strong, you have to have peace of mind, because if they ask you to leave, you’re going to get paid well and you’re going to get released. When I say released, you’re going to get released from the cesspool of being in Austin, Texas, and the attitude that comes with being the head coach at Texas. … Who would want the job at Texas?”
There is certainly something to be said for peace of mind, especially given the fact that Strong has never been on solid footing since arriving at the program. Alumni, fans and, especially, local boosters do not appear to have a basis in reality when it comes to football results for the Longhorns, but in the same breath, Herbstreit asking “Who would want the job at Texas?” is more aggressive than most would expect.
Texas will almost certainly be able to hire a high-profile head coach if the program elects to part ways with Charlie Strong, but Herbstreit’s point rings true in that this may not be quite as attractive of a job as it may seem given the unique circumstances.
