Charlie Strong Press Conference Set For Thursday Morning

Charlie Strong will address the media Thursday morning at 8 a.m. inside the Howard Schnellenberger Complex, U of L has confirmed.

Though no official word has been given, Strong is expected to announce that he has signed a contract extension (or will sign a contract extension) and will remain the head football coach at Louisville.

The press conference should provide closure to a tumultuous stretch for both Strong and Cardinal fans.

After being widely-labeled as a top candidate for multiple SEC programs in need of a new head coach, Strong drew the ire of some members of Card Nation on Monday when would not say definitively that he would be back to coach the team in 2013. He also criticized the fan base for not showing up in large enough numbers at U of L's final home game, or being well-represented at the team's pregame "Card March" festivities.

On Tuesday, multiple media outlets including ESPN reported that Strong had emerged as the top candidate to replace Derek Dooley at Tennessee. This led to wide-spread speculation and numerous reports from Louisville, Tennessee and national media folks alike, which varied mightily in both content and accuracy. The situation took its biggest turn on Wednesday night when Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel became the first to report that Strong had been offered a lucrative contract by Tennessee, but that he had chosen to turn it down in favor of returning to Louisville.

We'll hear all about it (or at least some about it) from the man himself in about eight hours.

No, I don't think it's wrong to start tailgating now for a Thursday morning press conference. I'll sign school/work/spouse notes for all of you.