After lettering for four years at the University of Central Arkansas, Strong joined the Gators coaching staff as a graduate assistant in 1984. He later served as a graduate assistant at Texas A&M in 1985. His first full-time coaching job was at Southern Illinois in 1986, where he coached wide receivers. He later assumed defensive coaching duties at Florida, Ole Miss, and Notre Dame. 

In 1999, Strong joined the South Carolina Gamecocks as defensive coordinator, becoming the first African American coordinator in Southeastern Conference (SEC) history. Strong was hired as defensive coordinator for the Florida Gators before the 2003 season. 

He became the 21st head football coach at the University of Louisville on December 9, 2009. He had a very successful coaching career at Louisville and was named the head coach of the Univeristy of Texas in January 2014. He replaces Mack Brown as coach.