Former three-time head coach Charlie Strong is leaving Miami after just one season after being passed over for defensive coordinator.
Strong, 62, who was co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Hurricanes in 2022, told ESPN on Thursday he would not return in 2023.
“Coach (Mario) Cristobal and the program made a decision to go in a different direction. It’s time for me to go in a different direction,” Strong told ESPN.
Miami reportedly hired Lance Guidry on Tuesday to replace Kevin Steele as DC, who left the program after one season to return to Alabama as its defensive coordinator.
Strong told ESPN he was not interviewed for the DC post, learned of Guidry’s hire Tuesday and informed Cristobal on Wednesday that he would not return.
Strong is the fourth coach to leave Cristobal’s staff after just one season. In addition to Steele’s exit, offensive coordinator Josh Gattis was fired and quarterbacks coach Frank Ponce is not returning.
Strong went 74-53 as head coach at Louisville (2010-13), Texas (2014-16) and South Florida (2017-19). He also coached a game on an interim basis at Florida in 2004.
He was assistant head coach and linebackers coach under Urban Meyer with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021 before joining Cristobal at Miami.
