Texas high school hires ex-Baylor HC Art Briles
Art Briles will make his return to coaching, as The Mt. Vernon (Texas) Independent School named the former Baylor boss its next head coach, according to CBS Sports' Barrett Sallee.
Briles will sign a two-year contract with the Texas high school.
"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."
Despite Briles' rocky past, Mount Vernon superintendent Dr. Jason McCullough was comfortable with the hiring after an extensive research process.
"We are pleased to welcome coach Briles back home to Texas," McCullough said. "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. After a thorough due diligence process and several earnest conversations, we believe our students will benefit greatly from his skills and experience."
Briles was fired by Baylor in 2016 during a sexual assault scandal that rocked the program. An investigation found that the school's football coaches failed to report complaints against players.
The 63-year-old was out of football for two years following his dismissal but was hired by the Guelfi Firenze American football team in Florence, Italy in August. He was brought in as an assistant coach for the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2017 but was quickly let go after the league and team faced criticism over the move.
Briles interviewed at Southern Miss. for its vacant offensive coordinator position in February, but the program ultimately decided not to hire him.