Report: Charlie Strong, Louisville agree to 8-year deal

Louisville and Charlie Strong agreed to an eight-year deal that makes him the seventh-highest paid football coach in the country, reports ESPN's Brett McMurphy on Twitter.

Strong was one of the hottest candidates on the market this offseason. Tennessee reportedly offered him its head coaching position in December, but Strong turned it down to stay with Louisville.

The Cardinals upset No. 4 Florida in the Sugar Bowl, setting the stage for what could be a successful 2013 season. Louisville returns 20 starters, and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is being mentioned as a potential Heisman candidate.

In its final year in the Big East, Louisville will also face a weak schedule that makes an undefeated season look possible. SI.com's Andy Staples ranked the Cardinals seventh in his Way-Too-Early 2013 Top 25.