HEADLINE

Disgraced ex-Baylor coach Briles lands Texas HS job

Field Level Media

May 25, 2019 at 2:05 am.

Former Baylor head coach Art Briles, who was fired in 2016 as part of a sexual assault scandal at the university, was hired as head coach at Mount Vernon High School, the school announced Friday night.

According to a statement, the 63-year-old Briles was approved to receive a two-year contract by the Mount Vernon ISD Board of Trustees.

“We are pleased to welcome Coach Briles back home to Texas,” Mount Vernon ISD superintendent Jason McCullough said in the press release. “He brings with him a wealth of not only football experience but also life experience. He is passionate about investing in the lives of young people and helping them to succeed both on the field and in life.”

Briles started his head-coaching career in high school at age 28 in 1984 and remained entrenched in the state’s football coaching scene at five high schools over two decades before he jumped to the college level as an assistant with Mike Leach at Texas Tech in 2000. He won four state titles at Stephenville High school in a seven-year span from 1993-99.

“I began my coaching career in the Friday night lights of Texas high school football, and I’m looking forward to returning to my roots,” Briles said in a statement. “I have learned many lessons during my time as a coach. Some lessons are born out of success and others out of failure. But they all present opportunities to grow, to learn, and to teach, as we strive for excellence both on and off the field.”

After three years as the running backs coach for the Red Raiders, Briles was hired at the University of Houston as head coach in 2003. Following five successful seasons and three bowl games with the Cougars, Baylor tabbed Briles as head coach.

Briles’ teams finished in the top 20 four times in his eight seasons at Baylor, where he went 65-37 with six bowl appearances. He was considered one of the rising coaches in Division I until Baylor terminated Briles three years ago following a widespread sexual assault scandal in the Bears’ football program.

Briles was close to being hired for the offensive coordinator job at Southern Miss, until negative backlash followed a Biloxi Sun Herald report that Briles was on the Hattiesburg campus for an interview. The school quickly reversed course amid criticism.

Overall, Briles compiled a 99-65 record in 13 seasons as a head coach at Houston (2003-07) and Baylor (2008-15), leading the Bears to Big 12 championships in 2013 and 2014.

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