Texas coach Charlie Strong has 'breathing room'

— -- Despite a 1-4 start to the season and a 7-11 record since taking over at Texas, coach Charlie Strong has ongoing support from school officials and key boosters, according to several Texas sources.

"Charlie has a lot of breathing room," one source said Monday. "There is nowhere near the pressure to remove him at this time that there was with Steve Patterson or even Mack Brown."

Patterson was removed as athletic director after a brief tenure, during which he hired Strong.

But sources insist the departure of Patterson does not hurt Strong. In fact it may help him. The task of school president Greg Fenves and interim athletic director Mike Perrin has been to pull a splintered athletic department together, not destabilize the climate further.

"Charlie has the support of the people he needs to be supported by right now," another Texas source said Sunday. "The last thing they want to do is make a change."

Fenves and Perrin have publicly and privately stated their belief in Strong's approach. They have complimented his values, how he treats people and his commitment to discipline and academics.

Of course, Strong must win.

Sources indicated that a humiliating loss to rival Oklahoma on Saturday or a disastrous finish to the season could lead to a discussion about Strong's removal after only two years.

"The boosters are supportive," one source said. "Of course, they have a push point."

The Longhorns were the subject of a pair of social media embarrassments during their 50-7 loss to TCU on Saturday. The Texas Rangers' Twitter account accidentally posted a "Fire Charlie" tweet, and Longhorns cornerback Kris Boyd had to apologize after he retweeted a fan's transfer pitch at halftime.

Money would not be a critical factor to dismissing Strong, even though he would be owed more than $15 million not to coach.

Strong is frustrated by the Longhorns' slow start, but the people who hold his fate understand that he has had only one true recruiting class, that the best players on the team are freshmen and that there is a player leadership vacuum.

Multiple sources connected to the program said the most important element for Strong's future is just to show some progress.

"They'll hang tight with him," a source said. "He is safe for now."

"They understand there are growing pains," another source said. "Barring something catastrophic, he is on solid ground to return next season."