Charlie Strong drama reportedly has some Texas players threatening a game boycott

Texas is reportedly firing head football coach Charlie Strong in a move that would reverberate around the sport quite a bit. Strong’s exit would probably create head coaching vacancies elsewhere, and whoever replaces him would have the chance to shape one of the country’s most powerful programs. The impact would reach far.

But the most immediate impact of Strong’s firing would be on the coach, his family, and his team. To that end, current and former Texas players seem devastated about Strong’s reported exit at the end of his third season in Austin. And it’s not just that a coach with a losing record would be losing his job; the way Texas is dragging this out in public doesn’t look good.

“Some of the team is threatening to boycott the TCU game,” the Austin American-Statesman reports a source said. “Older players are trying to settle things down.”

A boycott is unlikely, but it’s clear players are upset.

Linebacker Timothy Cole:

Receiver Reggie Hemphill:

Safety Brandon Jones:

Linebacker Malcolm Roach:

Defensive end Quincy Vasser:

Running back Chris Warren III:

Defensive end Charles Omenihu:

Defensive lineman Gerald Wilbon:

Offensive lineman Jean Delance:

Offensive lineman Patrick Vahe:

Former receiver/running back Daje’ Johnson:

Offensive lineman Zach Shackelford:

Former Texas cornerback Quandre Diggs:

Former Texas linebacker Peter Jinkens:

Former QB Sherrod Harris, who played under Mack Brown:

Recruits expressed some sorrow and some surprise, too.

Texas tight end commit Lagaryonn Carson said Texas would be getting a good replacement for Strong:

Cornerback commit Kobe Boyce:

Cornerback commit Josh Thompson:

And one former Texas athlete who played a different sport a few years back:

Strong was demonstrably not a successful football coach at Texas. But the reviews of him by people who know him as a man have been overwhelmingly positive. He appeared to foster great relationships with some of them, like the players who’d walk up to his office during media interviews to make fun of him.

Hang on, someone’s at the door to his office.

“Oooooh,” says 2015 quarterback Jerrod Heard, opening the door and pointing at Strong. Next to him is fellow QB Tyrone Swoopes.

“Aye man, you OLD!” Swoopes says to Strong.

Strong, 56 years old, tries not to laugh, but it overtakes him. He’s wearing a burnt orange Nike coaches polo and khaki shorts. This is the uniform for Texas’ local media day, plus a bit of personal flair: white tube socks and khaki Birkenstocks sandals.

News of this ensemble has been quickly texted around the facility. Heard and Swoopes reach for their phones.

Swoopes: “You so old.”

Heard: “Oh my goodness.”

Swoopes: “My goodness.”

Heard: “I thought you was younger.”

Strong rolls his eyes.

Strong: “I just look young. Black don’t crack.”

This sends the pair into stitches and out of the room.

“Normally, they just walk in here like that. That door is never shut,” Strong says.

This isn’t working out, but that doesn’t mean Strong failed in every way.