Florida Gators defensive coordinator Charlie Strong has been announced as the 21st head coach of the Louisville Cardinals. Strong was named the front-runner to replace former head coach Steve Kragthrope by Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich after the regular season concluded, though Jurich waited to speak to Strong and Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley until after the Gators competed in the 2009 SEC Championship. The two first met Sunday evening in Gainesville, FL, and spoke about the job throughout the week as Jurich waited for the University of Louisville‘s Athletic Association Board of Directors to approve the hiring of Strong. That endorsement came Wednesday afternoon, and a school press conference scheduled for 4 p.m. confirmed Strong’s future with the Cardinals.

“I’ve done a lot of homework with this hire, and I was amazed how well-respected and revered Charlie Strong is throughout the country ,” Jurich said at the press conference. “He commands a lot of respect from people within the game, including ex-players and coaches around college football. However, after meeting him in person, I was even more impressed. Tony Dungy had a huge impact on me with this hire. He was passionate about Charlie as a coach and as person. I respect the opinions of Urban Meyer, who was part of our staff at Colorado State, and Jeremy Foley, who is one of the most respected athletic directors in the country. They both raved about Charlie as a football coach and his great character.”

During his first address to the Louisville faithful, Strong first paused and then cried when asked by a reporter if he thought he would ever get the chance to be a head coach. “Because you just never knew if it would happen,” he said. Strong also described the meeting when Jurich offered him the job as “very emotional” for his family. “Coaching is taking young men and making an impact and influence on their lives to make them better people,” Strong said. “I want them to know that their sole purpose here is to get a degree and to go win football games.”

Strong got his start as a graduate assistant at Florida from 1983-84 and has spent the majority of his 27-year coaching career with the Gators. He returned to the team in 1988 as outside linebackers coach for two seasons before leaving and coming back in 1991 under head coach Steve Spurrier as assistant head coach/defensive tackles coach. In 1999, he became the first African-American coordinator in Southeastern Conference history when he was hired by Lou Holtz of the South Carolina Gamecocks to coach the defense. His most recent stint with Florida began in 2002 as defensive coordinator under then-head coach Ron Zook. Strong survived the transition of the team to current head coach Urban Meyer, who eventually gave him complete control of the defense and the additional title of assistant head coach. He also served as the Gators’ interim coach (effectively the second African-American head coach in SEC history) in Florida’s 2004 Peach Bowl loss to the Miami Hurricanes.

Throughout his career, Strong has been known as a terrific recruiter who is able to connect on a personal level with his players. He has coached in 19 bowl games, including 12 in January, due in part to his installation of an aggressive, attacking scheme that puts pressure on the quarterback and forces turnovers. Strong has developed six first-round NFL Draft picks and 15 players who were drafted in the third round or higher (prior to the 2010 draft). Since 2003, Florida’s defense under Strong has intercepted 132 passes, good for No. 3 in the nation and best in the SEC. No SEC defense has forced more turnovers (139) or interceptions (95) than the Gators since 2005, and only one other school in the nation (Boston College) has picked off more passes. Florida’s defense has also paced the SEC in total rushing yards allowed and rushing yards per game allowed since 2005 while remaining at the top of the league in red zone scoring defense over the last two seasons (second in the nation – East Carolina).

Because of the recent success of the Gators under Meyer, the coach has lost a number of his assistants to promotions. Doc Holliday was with Florida from 2005-2007 as associate head coach/safeties coach/recruiting coordinator before leaving to become the West Virginia Mountaineers associate head coach while also coaching tight ends, fullbacks and running the team’s recruiting. Co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach Greg Mattison left after the 2007 season to coach linebackers for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens (he is now the team’s defensive coordinator). And most recently, former offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Dan Mullen was hired as the head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs before the 2009 BCS National Championship. Mullen took tight ends/assistant offensive line coach John Hevesy with him as his assistant coach/offensive line coach/running game coordinator.

Strong was bombarded by phone calls from assistants around the country looking to earn a spot on his Louisville staff before he was even officially interviewed for the position. Rumors are swirling that he may tap either Florida wide receivers coach/recruiting coordinator Billy Gonzales or running backs coach Kenny Carter to become his offensive coordinator. (Gonzales has since denied these rumors, though it is believed that Meyer has already spoken with Notre Dame Fighting Irish running backs coach Tony Alford about replacing Carter should Strong bring him along.) Some are also speculating that Strong could ask assistant head coach/defense/defensive line coach Dan McCarney or assistant defensive coordinator/safeties coach Chuck Heater to join him as his defensive coordinator. Either McCartney or Heater is expected to be named the Gators’ defensive coordinator in succession of Strong.

The Cardinals told Strong that he could stay with the Gators to coach in the 2010 Sugar Bowl, and according to a statement he gave the St. Petersburg Times, he will do so.

Tags: Baltimore Ravens, BCS, Billy Gonzales, Charlie Strong, Chuck Heater, Dan McCarney, Dan Mullen, Doc Holliday, Greg Mattison, Jeremy Foley, John Hevesy, Kenny Carter, Lou Holtz, Louisville Cardinals, Miami Hurricanes, Mississippi State Bulldogs, National Championship, NFL, Peach Bowl, Ron Zook, SEC, SEC Championship, South Carolina Gamecocks, Steve Kragthorpe, Steve Spurrier, Sugar Bowl, Tom Jurich, Tony Alford, University of Louisville, Urban Meyer, West Virginia Mountaineers

Welcome to the debut of OGGOA Mailbag, a new segment that will be featured every other week (or every week if it gets popular). For each edition, I will pick out the five best questions that have been submitted for publication. The remainder will be answered personally.

In regard to the uniforms, will we ever see the return of orange pants? Have we worn them since Urban Meyer became head coach? (William – Tampa, FL)
It does not look likely. The last time Florida wore the white jerseys/orange pants combination was Oct. 1, 2005, against Alabama. The Gators lost that game 31-3; perhaps that is why they are no longer worn? In fact, Florida wore them back-to-back weeks that season (Sept. 24 vs. Kentucky). That combination was used extensively the previous season in 2004, including back-to-back games vs. FSU on Nov. 20 (Ron Zook’s last game) and Miami on Dec. 31 (Peach Bowl). Meyer has only used four looks since that game in 2005: all blue, all white, blue/white and white/blue. Even more rare is the blue jersey/orange pants combo, not worn since 1999 vs. FSU.

Do you think we will be seeing more of the I-form? It looked really good last week, but that was against Mississippi State. Could it work against Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama? (Kyle – Louisville, KY)
I’m not sure if the Gators have a choice. The red zone struggles are apparent and Florida must make adjustments. Whether that is instituting more of the I-formation (which apparently was worked on all summer) or sticking to the call sheet, I fully expect to see an improvement in that area this week. As far as the I-form working against teams with better defenses – I don’t see why not. It is a standard formation. The better question is: Can the Gators be efficient in a formation that they have seemingly never rarely used since Tim Tebow became the starting quarterback?

Is it really Florida that is struggling each week, or are the SEC teams on our schedule just that good? (Jena – Sumter, SC)
It’s the Gators. Tennessee and LSU have legitimate defenses, don’t get me wrong. But there was absolutely no reason this team should have had the trouble it did with Arkansas or Mississippi State. Any SEC schedule is going to be a difficult one, and Florida plays tougher teams week-in and week-out because of their affiliation than most other programs do. The Gators are lucky they have not played a complete team while they have been struggling or else that 7-0 record would not be there.

Can the Gators actually go all the way? Do you think they can get this offense back on track sooner than later? (Shawn – Willis, TX)
There should be no doubt that this is a team that is capable of winning the National Championship. Whether they will actually get to that point is another story. Returning a two-deep defense was a good start, and the unit has been carrying the team for most of the season. But losing wide receivers Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy seem to have hurt the team more than most expected. Harvin was the key on offense, a player who could score at any time and change the course of the game with one step. The Gators do not have a player like that right now. If they can re-work the passing offense and do a well enough job putting points on the board, a title is certainly within their reach.

Is there a reason Steve Addazio is on the sidelines during games instead of up in the box like most offensive coordinators? (William – Tampa, FL)
There actually is a reason – though I don’t necessarily think you can call it a good one. Addazio is more comfortable coaching from the sideline because he was and still is an offensive line coach. He said it feels more natural for him to call plays from field level. “That’s not my personality type,” Addazio said of going upstairs. “If I’m up in the booth, I really might jump out of the window. Because of the position I coach, I gotta have my guys in between series. I’ve gotta be able to coach ‘em and talk to ‘em. I’ve got to gauge what their mindset’s like, the tempo of the game, the whole atmosphere. That’s a demeanor feel. I got a pretty good perspective on the sideline. I’m used to that. When I go up top, I don’t really feel like I can see the shades in the alignments of the front like I can see from the ground level. A great advantage is, in between series, you’ve got everybody right there. I can pull in the quarterback, the tailback, everybody. That’s a positive.” Instead of Addazio, quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler and tight ends coach Brain White are up in the booth.

Tags: Brian White, I-formation, Louis Murphy, mailbag, National Championship, Percy Harvin, Ron Zook, Scot Loeffler, SEC, Steve Addazio, Tim Tebow, uniforms, Urban Meyer

From time to time, OGGOA will come across tidbits and small news items we want to share with our readers. In those instances, we will be present a special post: Gator Bites. Enjoy.

- On behalf of Nissan, America receives one official vote in the Heisman Trophy selection process. Cast yours for Florida Gators senior quarterback Tim Tebow here.

- For their game against the Florida Gators on Nov. 14, the South Carolina Gamecocks will be supporting and honoring the United States military by wearing camouflage uniforms.

- Did you know the Gators football team has not won a game in Starkville, MS, since 1985? In four road games against the Mississippi State Bulldogs since that year, Florida is 0-4. The team’s last loss at Davis-Wade Stadium served as the nail in the coffin that was Ron Zook‘s Florida head coaching career.

- Florida basketball tips off on Sunday, Nov. 15 at home; but before that happens, the team will be hosting the inaugural Rowdy Fest on Wed., Oct. 21, in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center at 6:30 p.m. Rowdy Fest will be a tip-off party for the team that is held exclusively for UF students featuring members of the men’s basketball team and head coach Billy Donovan.

- University of Florida senior Stacey Johnson was named SEC Female Athlete of the Week for her outstanding performance in cross country at the Pre-NCAA Invitational.

- Last Thursday, OGGOA noted that the Gators would be featured on a limited edition cereal box cover that would be available for both in stores and online. The Official Online Gator Sportshop has begun selling this product now – so go purchase it if you so please.

- Coming off one of its best seasons in the program’s history, the Florida softball team has announced its 2010 schedule.

Tags: Alabama Crimson Tide, Billy Donovan, cereal, cross country, Davis-Wade Stadium, Heisman Trophy, military, Mississippi State Bulldogs, O'Connell Center, Ron Zook, Rowdy Fest, softball, South Carolina Gamecocks, Stacey Johnson, Tim Tebow, University of Florida, Women's College World Series