Charlie Strong becoming the next defensive coordinator at Ole Miss was always a long shot given the abundance of opportunities elsewhere and the shadow cast by the NCAA investigation in Oxford. That dream, which had been harbored by Rebel fans since Dave Wommack announced his retirement before the Egg Bowl, seems likely to die now that South Florida is poised to hire Strong as its next head coach.
Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated reports that the two sides are closing in on a five-year deal. Strong, who was fired as the head coach of Texas after three disappointing seasons, traveled to Tampa on Friday to meet with USF officials.