Sep 25, 2014 02:55 PM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

Increased drug testing might well be one of the driving forces behind Charlie Strong's strict discipline in his first year as head football coach at the University of Texas.

The Austin American-Statesman reported obtaining data in an open records request that suggests drug testing this year has doubled the annual average of the past four years. Football players for the Longhorns reportedly know they are subject to random drug testing, even multiple ones in an academic year.

According to the UT records, the team administered an average 104 drug tests per year from 2010 to 2013 under Mack Brown, Strong's predecessor. The team has administered 188 drug tests in the eight months since Strong took over the team. When adjusted for the whole year, the average is twice what it was in the past four years.

Strong is facing a certain amount of scrutiny for his strict disciplinary policies and he has dismissed nine players from the team, three of whom were starters. Texas has lost two in a row to BYU and UCLA since their week one victory over North Texas. With a win-now mentality among his team's fan base, Strong is putting him in a difficult spot with a rash of dismissals and a 1-2 record.

Texas is playing Kansas on the road this Saturday in both team's Big 12 opener. A win could go a long way in justifying his strict policies.

Those policies are quite simple, but staunchly enforced. As NBC Sports noted, Strong's five principles are to be honest, treat women with respect, stay away from drugs, stay away from guns and don't steal. He has also indicated that his players get three strikes before being dropped from the team. Not held out of a game, not suspended indefinitely. Dismissed.

Facing even more scrutiny for discipline-related reasons, NFL commission Roger Goodell may or may not be traveling with NFL Players Association chief DeMaurice Smith to Austin on Sunday to meet Strong and discuss those five core values.

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