Charlie Strong is not messing around in Austin

[BigTex]

Austin American Statesman:

The morning after dismissing four scholarship players for various reasons, Texas coach Charlie Strong sent another one packing Friday — running back Joe Bergeron.

A source close to the football team confirmed that Bergeron was dismissed for an undisclosed violation of team rules. This was after news broke late Thursday that backup running back Jalen Overstreet and defensive back Chevoski Collins were also dismissed.

The Texas athletic department has not officially confirmed any of these dismissals. It’s unknown if Strong will issue a statement about the dismissals.

Strong publicly suspended receivers Kendall Sanders and Montrell Meander on Thursday after they were charged with felony sexual assault, a second-degree charge that carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence if convicted.

Bergeron’s dismissal is considered stunning news considering how Strong talked about him throughout the Comin’ On Strong bus tour in April and May. Bergeron was sent home during spring football, but there was no doubt he was headed out of Strong’s doghouse this summer.

“You think about Bergeron,” Strong told the American-Statesman on Monday. “You took spring ball away from him. Joe’s back; he’s done an unbelievable job.”

The American-Statesman first reported on Tuesday that Strong had banned four players from the team’s workout facilities. Those four players, whom Strong would not identify, had to go through special workout with strength coach Pat Moorer and make themselves available for random drug checks.

Bergeron, a senior from North Mesquite, has a headstrong personality and unafraid to tell people about his talents. That may have rubbed the coaches the wrong way over time. He rushed for 1,392 yards over the last three seasons and scored 25 touchdowns.

Bergeron was expected to provide solid depth to the running back position this year with Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray, who is coming back from an Achilles injury.