Defense in the SEC is a lot like snow skiing at Squaw Valley.
Posted by ESPN.com’s Chris Low
It’s the best of the best.
The same goes for defensive coordinators in the SEC. They’re some of the best in all of college football, and Florida’s Charlie Strong belongs near the top.
He’s put together defensive game plans that have held Ohio State and Oklahoma to a combined 21 offensive points in the Gators’ two BCS National Championship Game wins the past three years.
The high-powered Sooners swooped into Miami last season having scored 58 or more points in six straight games, but were held to 14 by Strong’s Florida defense.
It’s a defense that listed 14 of the 22 players on its two-deep as freshmen or sophomores, and all but one are back.
Strong, one of the most unassuming coaches you’ll ever meet, is long overdue to get a shot at a head coaching job. He’s not bitter, and he’s not consumed by it.
His stance on the whole issue: If it’s to be, it will be. In the meantime, he’s focused on doing what it takes to win another title at Florida.
The Gators open spring practice later today, and Strong took some time to share his thoughts on the challenges ahead for a Florida program that really has it rolling right now.
What are your most pressing priorities on defense this spring?
Charlie Strong: We need to establish some depth. We have a number of guys coming back, and with the number of guys we do have coming back, it’s going to be good that we get a lot of competition. So if we get some injuries, we know we’re going to have guys ready to replace them.