A national search is underway for the next head football coach
TAMPA, DEC. 1, 2019 – University of South Florida Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly today informed coach Charlie Strong of his decision to relieve the third-year coach of his duties and begin immediately a national search for a new leader for the Bulls’ football program.
“I would like to thank Coach Strong and his staff for their hard work and contributions to our program,” Kelly said. “I have tremendous respect for Coach Strong and his dedication to recruiting and developing young men of talent and character and leading them with integrity. He has represented USF with dignity and class and we wish Coach and his family the very best.
“I met with our student-athletes and staff today to inform them of my decision and to make clear USF’s commitment to a championship-caliber football program that recruits and develops student-athletes and provides the resources and support for them to achieve great success in competition, in the classroom and in the community.”
Strong was named the fourth head coach in USF history on Dec. 11, 2016 and led his first Bulls team in 2017. In three seasons, he posted a 21-16 overall record and made two bowl appearances before finishing with a 4-8 mark in his final campaign, which ended a run of four straight bowl games for the program. Strong’s first USF team went 10-2, spent the entire 2017 season ranked in the Top 25 and defeated Texas Tech in the Birmingham Bowl. His second season saw a drop to a 7-6 record and a loss to Marshall in the Gasparilla Bowl.
“I fully support the decision to reorient our football program in a new direction,” University of South Florida President Steven C. Currall said. “We are committed to excellence across all aspects of the University, including USF Athletics. I am confident that our search will result in a new head coach who will lead our student-athletes to great achievements on and off the field.”
The USF football program completed its 23rd season in 2019 and has made 10 bowl game appearances, including a most recent string of four straight between 2015-18. During that time, the Bulls posted the winningest four-year period in program history (36-15) and spent 20 consecutive weeks ranked in the top 25, finishing the 2016 and 2017 seasons in the final polls.
“We have a young and exciting football program that reached 150 wins faster than any program in the state of Florida and gained many memorable achievements in our first 23 years that helped grow our university, instilled great pride in our alumni and created a nationally recognized brand,” Kelly said. “We know our best is ahead of us. We have a passionate fan base, compete in a tremendous conference, reside in a beautiful and booming community steps away from the nation’s top football talent and have great momentum toward building a transformative football center that will enhance our impressive facilities. We remain committed to achieving excellence at the highest level.
“We are now engaged in a national search to identify the next head coach of USF football. Be assured that process will be deliberate and will move with necessary speed. I will have no public comment regarding candidates or the progress of the search until it is complete and we introduce the new leader of our program.”
About USF Athletics
USF Athletics sponsors 19 varsity men’s and women’s teams that compete in 11 different sports, 18 at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference. The Bulls’ athletic program began in 1965 and is in its 54th season in 2019-20. Nearly 500 student-athletes train and compete in the athletic district located on the east end of the campus in Tampa, Fla. The Bulls have claimed 19 American Athletic Conference team titles since joining the conference in 2013, and own 120 conference titles overall. Eleven USF programs reached national postseason competition in the 2018-19 season and six were ranked in the Top 25 nationally. The Bulls posted a combined annual grade-point average over 3.0 for the fourth straight year in 2018-19 and have posted a program record nine straight semesters with a combined GPA over 3.0. USF has had more than 250 student-athletes earn their degree in the last three years.
About USF Football
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and completed its 23rd season (20th at the FBS level) in 2019. The Bulls have posted 15 winning seasons, earned 14 All-America selections and 29 first-team all-conference selections and has seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft. USF has made 10 bowl games appearances (going 6-4 in those games) and posted a program record six straight appearances from 2005-2010. The Bulls most recently made four straight bowl appearances from 2015-18 and posted back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, logging a program-record 11-2 mark in 2016 while finishing both seasons ranked in the Top 25. USF spent a program record 20 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 during the 2016 and 2017 seasons and reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings during the 2007 season. In 2018, USF reached the program’s 150th win faster than any FBS program in state of Florida history.
Follow USF Athletics on Twitter (@USFAthletics) and Facebook for all the latest information concerning the USF Athletic program.
– #GoBulls –
