That didn’t last long.
Controversial football coach Art Briles is out as Grambling State’s offensive coordinator just four days after being hired, according reports on Monday. This was the former Baylor coach’s first job in college football since 2016 after an investigation found that he and his staff didn’t take any action against Bears players named in sexual assault allegations.
“I feel that my continued presence will be a distraction to you and your team, which is the last thing that I want,” Briles said in the statement, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN, which sounds like a resignation.
The hiring came under immediate scrutiny, including from former Washington Commanders quarterback and Grambling icon Doug Williams. He said he was “out” as far as his dealing with the program should Briles be the team’s offensive coordinator.
“I’m not a fan at all. I’m very disappointed in Grambling, I really am,” Williams told the Washington Post. “I talked to the AD a couple of times. They knew where I stood, but they did it.”
Grambling coach Hue Jackson defended the hiring on Friday, releasing a statement through his foundation.
“We also know and understand the process of identifying risks, helping others to heal, and the importance of prevention,” Jackson said. “We believe that through the hiring of Coach Briles and the well-developed programs we have in place, this hire will be instrumental in teaching others the importance of knowing how to prevent victimization, proper reporting procedures, provide adequate resources to individuals who have been victimized and develop strong law enforcement partnerships within the community.”
The 66-year-old Briles will now have to hope for a second chance in college football elsewhere after working in the Italian Football League and at Mount Vernon HS in Texas. He has admitted making mistakes for Baylor and apologized for “bad things” that happened during his tenure.
In an interview with KTAL-TV in Shreveport after being hired by Grambling, Briles said “reporting policies and procedures were not as available as they should have been” during his time at Baylor because the university did not have “a Title IX person” until the fall of 2015.
“You report what you know. We did the best we felt at the time. Apparently, it wasn’t good enough — it wasn’t good enough,” Briles said. “I’m sorry for anybody that suffered any consequences because of it.”
— with AP