Charlie Strong: Texas won't be in national championship game
Charlie Strong is attempting to make a culture change in the Texas football program. (AP)
Charlie Strong has been on the job at the University of Texas for three months since replacing Mack Brown -- long enough to get a read on the state of the program and how good his first Longhorns squad could be. Attempting to change the culture of the program, Strong has attacked any sense of complacency and entitlement among his players. He's also not afraid to dish out a dose of reality to UT fans, even if they're not going to like what they hear.
During a Monday bus stop tour in Fort Worth, Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman reports Strong threw cold water in the face of Longhorns boosters who expect the program to compete for a national title this season.
The Longhorns are coming off four consecutive seasons in which critics believe the program underachieved. Early preseason polls have Texas ranked among the top 20, despite expected weaknesses that include quarterback, but Strong attempted to qualify his expectations in 2014.
"We have everything available, and I don't know why we can't be successful," Strong said, "There's no reason for us not to be. Now, I can't tell you how soon it's going to be. Don't hold me to that. Don't say, 'Ooh, coach said next year we'll be in the national ...' We will not be in the national championship game.
"A lot of our guys, they feel entitled and they get a little complacent because of where we are," Strong said. "So then as a coaching staff, that's why we have to be so conscious of when the guys feel they are a little better than what they are. It's all about building their confidence, and I tell them each and every day: 'You are a good football player. Don't let anyone tell you that you're not.'"
