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Charlie Strong

Former Texas coach Charlie Strong is headed to South Florida

Ryan Bass
WTSP

South Florida has found its next head coach.

Texas coach Charlie Strong.

USF targeted Charlie Strong hours after Willie Taggart's departure to Oregon, and the Bulls and Strong have reached an agreement, sending the former Texas coach to Tampa. ESPN was the first to report.

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“I would like to thank President Genshaft and Mark Harlan for their confidence and belief in me,” Stong said in a statement. “I am humbled that we have a shared commitment to take this university and this football program to even greater heights.  Some of the best football talent in the country is right here in the Bay Area and throughout the state of Florida, and I feel blessed to have the opportunity to work with the young men in the USF football program and build on the strong foundation already in place.”

Strong is the fourth head coach in program history after Jim Leavitt, Skip Holtz and Taggart.

Strong was fired last month by Texas following a 5-7 season. Overall, he went 16-21 in three seasons at the helm.

The 56-year old has an impressive resume. He led Louisville to a 37-15 record from 2010-2013, which included two double-digit win seasons and a 2013 Sugar Bowl win over Florida. Prior to Louisville, Strong was a long-time assistant for the Gators, coaching a defense that won two national championships under his watch.

The two-time Big East Coach of the Year has served under Steve Spurrier, Lou Holtz and Urban Meyer.

Strong will inherit a talented USF team that returns a majority of its offensive starters, including quarterback Quinton Flowers, from a unit that broke nearly every school record this season.

Under Taggart, the Bulls won a program-record 10 games in 2016. He was officially introduced at Oregon on Thursday, signing a five-year deal worth $3.2 million annually.

Strong's contract with USF will likely be in he $2-million range, offset by a portion of his $11 million buyout from Texas.

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