After spending 2020 as a defensive analyst at Alabama, Charlie Strong could return to an on-field coaching role next season. But it may end up being with a different SEC school.

According to John Brice of Football Scoop, Strong is one of the candidates being considered to become the safeties coach on Dan Mullen’s Florida staff. Mullen is looking to make a hire for the job (as well as its cornerbacks coach opening) in the coming days, per Brice.

Strong has worked for the Gators numerous times before, serving in the following roles: graduate assistant (1983-84), outside linebackers coach (1988-89), defensive ends coach (1991-93), assistant head coach/defensive tackles coach (1994), defensive coordinator/defensive ends coach (2003-04), interim head coach (2004), assistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach (2005-07) and defensive coordinator/linebackers coach (2008-09). Mullen was Florida’s offensive coordinator from 2005-08, as he and Strong were assistants on Urban Meyer’s staff.

Strong’s one game as Florida’s interim head coach was a loss to Miami in the 2004 Peach Bowl.

After his last stint at Florida, Strong was the head coach at Louisville from 2010-13. He was the head coach at Texas from 2014-16, then served as the head coach at South Florida from 2017-19. Strong was fired by South Florida after going 4-8 in the 2019 season, which led to him getting hired in an analyst role by Alabama head coach Nick Saban.

Although Strong joined the Crimson Tide, there were rumors last offseason of him potentially returning to Florida to join Mullen’s staff. That may have never materialized, but things could potentially be different this offseason.

Brice reported that Texas defensive coordinator Chris Ash (who may not be retained by the Longhorns) and Pittsburgh safeties coach Cory Sanders are also candidates for Florida’s safeties coach opening, along with Strong.