Charlie Strong’s former pupil Teddy Bridgewater has seen this before
Charlie Strong’s former pupil Teddy Bridgewater has seen this before
SAN FRANCISCO — Teddy Bridgewater sees similarities between the program Charlie Strong built at Louisville and the one he’s creating at Texas.
While in town for Super Bowl 50, the Minnesota Vikings quarterback — who was Strong’s star pupil at Louisville and part of the coach’s first full recruiting class in 2011 — explained that what’s happening in Austin mirrors what happened in Louisville.
“He’s doing great,” Bridgewater said. “You know it takes time. He’s laid a foundation and now he’s gotta build on that.
“It reminds me of our days at Louisville. It took him two years. Our first two years I think we finished 7-6 and then over the next two years we only lost three football games.”
Strong was hired at Louisville in Dec. 2009 and as Bridgewater correctly recalls, the Cardinals went 7-6 in 2010 and 2011 after consecutive losing seasons under Steve Kragthorope. But over the next two years, they went a combined 23-3, with two bowl victories, including a Sugar Bowl win against Florida in 2012.
In two years at Texas, fans have been impatient as the Longhorns have gone 11-14 following subpar seasons under Mack Brown. But on Wednesday’s National Signing Day, Texas finished with the strongest class in the Big 12. The Longhorns entered the day with the nation’s No. 35 class and finished No. 11.
Strong flipped commitments from Texas A&M, LSU and Michigan, which is something he also did while at Louisville. Bridgewater, for example, had been verbally committed to Miami, but ultimately signed with Louisville.
“You know it’s a process,” Bridgewater said. “You have to trust it and buy into it.”
SAN FRANCISCO — Teddy Bridgewater sees similarities between the program Charlie Strong built at Louisville and the one he’s creating at Texas.