Charlie Strong says troubled players need more than justice system

ByJoe Schad ESPN logo

Thursday, July 23, 2015

BRISTOL, Conn. --Texas Longhorns coach Charlie Strong said Wednesday that when it comes to acts of violence by football players against women he is tired of hearing "excuses" about why it's happening and said too many coaches are suggesting they can "save" players with criminal charges.

"A lot of times (coaches) think, 'Well I can help him.' But are they helping him?" Strong said in an interview with ESPN while visiting the network's main campus. "If you see a young man with issues, you have to surround him with enough people to help change his life. If you can't surround him with enough people to help change his life, you can say all you want, but the kid is never going to change."

Strong has taken a hard stance on discipline since taking over at Texas last season.

"There is no way a guy should hit a woman," he said. "There is no reason for it. If it happens you need to find somewhere else to play. It isn't hard. Sometimes people think it's hard. You have values. Treat women with respect. No drugs. No weapons. How hard is that? I don't get it."

In college football and the NFL there have been multiple instances over the past year where a player has been accused of, charged, or found guilty of assault of a woman. In some occasions, those players have been given an opportunity to return or transferred to another school to play.

Strong said he has spoken with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell about the responsibility of college coaches.

"I said, 'Part of the problem is, if we allow it to happen in college, when they make it to the NFL there is not much we can do because we have allowed it to happen,'" Strong said. "So now, their hands are tied. I look at it like this. Some of the things we allow to happen just baffle me."

Strong said he's tired of hearing "excuses" as to why there is an increase in these types of incidents.

"I think a lot of coaches coach to avoid confrontation," Strong said. "They don't want to discipline. But kids are looking for discipline. They need it."