Art Briles Returns to College Football: The Next Chapter at Eastern New Mexico
Art Briles is making a comeback to college football by becoming the next coach at Eastern New Mexico, a Division II program. The 69-year-old coach has not been part of a college program since his dismissal as Baylor's head coach in 2016 due to the university's handling of sexual assault allegations against football players. Briles has since coached for Guelfi Firenze in the Italian Football League and at Mount Vernon High School in Texas from 2019 to 2020.
In 2022, Grambling State considered hiring Briles as an offensive coordinator, but he declined the role after facing criticism, citing his desire not to be a distraction to the team. A similar situation occurred in 2017 when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League rescinded their offer to Briles on the same day due to backlash.
Eastern New Mexico's athletic director, Kevin Fite, previously worked with Briles at Houston, where Briles was the head coach. Known for his offensive innovations in Texas high schools and college football, Briles achieved a 99-65 record as the coach at Baylor and Houston, winning three conference titles and leading Baylor to 10 or more wins in four of his final five seasons.
Following his departure from Baylor, Briles expressed remorse for the events that occurred during his tenure, acknowledging his mistakes and apologizing for them. He emphasized his commitment to learning from his errors and striving to improve in the future.
In conclusion, Art Briles is poised to embark on a new chapter in his coaching career at Eastern New Mexico, aiming to bring his expertise and experience to the Division II program while seeking redemption and growth from past challenges.