A college football coach quickly establishing a reputation for being a tough disciplinarian, Charlie Strong believes the sport can do more to send student-athletes to the pros as responsible young adults.

According to the Associated Press, the first year football coach at the University of Texas (UT) hosted a meeting with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell Sunday. They discussed Strong's "Core Values," which are five simple rules the Longhorns' coach staunchly enforces with a three-strike policy.

They are:

  • Honesty
  • Treat women with respect
  • No drugs
  • No guns
  • No stealing

Goodell and the NFL are in crisis mode after the commissioner admitted to mishandling the initial punishment of former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, who was caught on surveillance footage punching his then-fiancé and knocking her out. Shortly after, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was indicted on child abuse charges.

"(It) was not so much about our core values, but also we just talked about the character of athletes," Strong told the AP of his meeting with Goodell. "I said to him what is happening in the NFL is we're sending you some players that have questionable character, and I said you're giving them a lot of money.

"You give somebody who has bad character a lot of money, that's a situation probably you want to avoid," he said. "We have to do a better job in college of just preparing young men and doing a better job with their character."

While Goodell has faced harsh criticism for not doing enough to punish his employees, Strong comes in on the other end of the spectrum. He has dismissed nine players in the eight months since he took over the program for rules violations.

Goodell has not spoken about the meeting, but Troy Vincent, the NFL's executive vice president, discussed it from the other side of the table.

"We discussed setting standards, and taking a stand on who we are as football leaders," he told the AP. "Charlie Strong is doing that. It is a difficult process changing culture, not for the light-hearted. But, as we know at the NFL, it is a process that must be endured with the goals of high standards, excellence and accountability."