Tony Dungy's name came up several times at the news conference as someone who highly recommended Strong for the job.
Dungy also recently blasted the NCAA for not hiring enough black coaches. Strong is the 9th out of the 120 schools in football's top division.
And race may be a reason he hasn't been a head coach sooner.
He told an Orlando Sentinel reporter last January that another school didn't hire him because he is black and his wife is white.
In Louisville Wednesday, his wife told WHAS11 “it’s crossed our minds” that race may be the reason Strong wasn’t a head coach already.
She told WHAS11 her husband has wanted to be a head coach for about as long as she's known him and they sometimes wondered why it took so long for him to get a top job.
“We've been fortunate to be in some great places, and knew he'd be a head coach, god willing,” said Vicki Strong.
WKU recently hired Willie Taggart as head coach and the University of Kentucky's .Joker Phillips is expected to take over when Rich Brooks retires.
With only 13 minority coaches nationwide, many question why in an era where an African-American can be president, why aren't there more minorities in college football? Tell us what you think by commenting below.
