By Steve Habel, Senior Editor
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas football head coach Charlie Strong said Monday that he will coach the Longhorns’ regular-season finale Friday against TCU, and that he believes his future is still up for determination, as he said he was told by school officials that it would be.
Strong’s statements came before an overflow press conference and in the wake of myriad reports that the school already has decided to fire him. The fire that had been simmering all season as the Longhorns have struggled to win just five games increased after Texas lost Saturday to hapless Kansas for the first time since 1938.
Some news outlets have reported that Strong [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]would be fired Monday, but the Longhorns’ coach — in the third year of a five-year contract on which he’s owed $10.7 million over the next two seasons — was steadfast when he said the job is still his until he’s told differently.
“I spoke yesterday with [Texas athletic director] Mike [Perrin] and he told me that we would be evaluated at the end of the season,” Strong said. “That’s when the decision will be made. We have one game to play and need to win.”
Texas still can make a bowl game — which would be its first since 2014’s Texas Bowl loss to Arkansas — if it beats TCU Friday in Austin.
“I hope the decision hasn’t been made yet,” Strong said. “I don’t really know what (Texas officials) are thinking, but I have to think winning this game will help.”
Perrin, who was not at Monday’s press availability, released a statement late Sunday night that echoed Strong’s.
“There are a number of rumors out there about the status of coach Strong,” Perrin said in his statement. “I’ve said it all along: we will evaluate the body of work after the regular season. We have a game to get ready for against TCU on Friday, and I hope our fans will come out and support our team. We’ll discuss where things stand after that.”
The speculation about Strong’s future — or lack of a future — in Austin intensified in the wake of Saturday’s shocking 24-21 overtime loss to Kansas, a team that had lost 19 straight Big 12 games and had not beaten an FBS opponent in almost three seasons.
Strong is 16-20 in three seasons with the Longhorns and currently has the lowest winning percentage of any coach in Texas football history. If UT loses to TCU — which, at 5-7 with two games to play, also is fighting to earn a bowl invitation — Strong will become the first coach to oversee three consecutive losing seasons for Texas since 1936-38.
“I know the wins and losses don’t stack up,” Strong said. “But the program is on a solid foundation now, all our players are on track to graduate and we’ve set a standard in this program. We are focused on building a total person with the players we have here.”
More than 50 Longhorns players stood at the back of the room in a show of support for their beleaguered coach.
“Not many people look at this from a player’s point of view,” Strong said. “I told them a few weeks ago ‘don’t give up on me, I won’t give up on you.’ I think this is a group of players that will win the national championship — I’m really convinced that’s true.”
News reports earlier Monday claimed that several Texas players were considering a boycott of Friday’s game if Strong was fired. Both Strong and several of his players refuted those reports.
“That was never going to happen,” said Texas senior defensive tackle Paul Boyette. Jr., who spent the majority of his time Monday with the press fighting back tears. “We are going to finish as a team and work together and hard to get this win, for the seniors, for a bowl game and for Coach Strong.”
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