By RALPH D. RUSSO
South Florida has fired coach Charlie Strong after three seasons in which the Bulls won fewer games each year.
USF made the move Sunday, two days after finishing a 4-8 season with a blowout loss to rival UCF. That left Strong 21-16 overall but 4-14 since starting the 2018 season with seven straight victories.
The former Texas and Louisville coach was hired by USF to replace Willie Taggart after the 2016 season. He led the Bulls to a 10-2 record in that first year behind star quarterback Quinton Flowers. After starting 7-0 in 2018, the Bulls ended the season with six straight losses, and this season has been filled with lopsided losses.
The 59-year-old Strong, who was a longtime defensive coordinator in the Southeastern Conference with plenty of recruiting ties to the state of Florida, is 74-53 overall in 10 seasons as a head coach.
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