The underbelly of success is always going to be deference to the greater good.
Texas dropped Notre Dame 50-47 in fitting fashion on a quarterback who lost his job to a freshman, relegated to a glorified running back, obviously coming in to stick it right between a tackles and still doing it.
This team has Charlie Strong’s fingerprints all over it, at long last, and this is why he was hired.
A year ago at this time, Texas was limping off the field to the tune of a 38-3 backside kicking, where that aforementioned quarterback, Tyrone Swoopes, was coming off of a 7-22 passing day for an anemic 93 yards supplemented by an equally meager 1.7 yard per carry average.
Texas was being mocked. The program was done and wasn’t coming back, so they said. Strong wasn’t the right guy, and it was just a matter of time before the next big name was going to come in and resurrect mighty Texas football. Oh, and Texas A&M? They just had knocked off Arizona State in a high profile early season tilt.
What a difference a year makes, as Strong probably enjoyed answering questions after being lifted up by his players on the field this season rather than after a 35-point drubbing. Oh, and Texas started a true freshman quarterback in Shane Buechele, so maybe the future is looking okay, too.
But the story of this is in the details, and the details are that Swoopes guy who scored the final touchdown after accepting being relegated to second fiddle at his position.
That’s where coaching comes in … where big time tough decisions get accepted by senior leadership within the locker room, and when that happens, he sky is obviously the limit.
Strong and Texas brought Sterlin Gilbert in after a much publicized affair where he went from not being Texas’ first choice, to turning them down, to giving them another meeting, and eventually taking the job. Texas was raked over the coals for the optics of the hire, which had a look of no one actually wanting the job without mob-level coercion.
At any rate, the near $900,000 they’re on the hook for and whatever it costed to woo him such that $900,000 alone couldn’t do it appears well worth it, as the Texas offense was immediately better, bull dozing the Notre Dame defensive line and giving Buechele time to look elite on his down field passing.
But where Strong has taken apropos criticism following an 11-14 start at Texas, it’s important to note that in year three, the culture change is evident. As amazing as it may sound considering how Texas recruits, Strong wasn’t left with the typical powerhouse roster you’d think someone stepping into that role would have.
The culture was an issue, and it wasn’t going to be easy to turn it around. It never is when it comes to encouraging benevolence for the greater good of wins over losses.
Swoopes is a perfect example of this, because as a veteran leader, it’s easy to fold tent and say that the program is forgetting the older guys and just looking towards the future rather than embrace the decisions made. Swoopes clearly did that, understanding that he lost the starting job, but will get on the field to showcase himself all the same.
Strong quickly turned Louisville around and way up with his no-nonsense, easy to like style. It was never going to be that easy at Texas, because the program was in a different place.
But after a win against a top 10 Irish squad, the fingerprints of patience are starting to make themselves clear in the form of football wins, and that’s on Strong and Texas giving him a shot by surrounding him with the guys he needs.
The Longhorns figured to be an improved outfit, but this is a shot across the bow to anyone who thinks it’s going to take a long time. Strong has a team playing for the greater good, so far, and that’s a very dangerous team, but also, the doings of a very great coach.
