Texas needs a guy like Charlie Strong to get the program back to basics. Strong also is pretty blunt with the type of players he is looking for to beef up the Longhorns.
“I’m big into linemen,” Strong said in Sunday’s Austin American-Statesman. “I tell these guys all the time, ‘I’ll find a little guy.’ I want big guys. Big guys are hard to find. And big guys beat up little guys.”
Strong’s approach to restoring pride in the Texas football program starts in the trenches. Strong admitted to having no problem loading up with offensive and defensive linemen if it means he can begin to see domination on the line. That is always a good starting point for any program looking to get to the top. Just look at how Alabama has built a powerhouse under Nick Saban, a coach believed to be at the top of the texas wish list to replace Mack Brown. Saban rebuilt Alabama in to a dominant program by stacking the odds in his favor on the line of scrimmage. Alabama’s offensive line became a wall, and his defensive line became a wrecking ball few teams could slow down. It is a simple philosophy and Texas should have the resources and potential to follow that blueprint under Strong.
Once Strong can get his lines looking the way he would like, he can then focus more on the skill-position players that will make plays on both sides of the football.
“This is what we’re striving for, but we’re never going to turn down a good player,” Strong said. “If there’s an outstanding player there at wide receiver, yes, I’m going to take him.”