Art Briles could return to coach the Baylor Bears for the 2017, according to rumors and unconfirmed reports out of Texas.
Briles was “suspended with intent to terminate” on May 26th by the Baylor University Board of Regents for his role in the sexual assault scandal that has rocked the Waco university. The controversy over how Baylor coaches and administrators handled, or failed to handle, sexual assault claims by female students against Baylor football players also ultimately cost school president Ken Starr and athletic director Ian McCaw their jobs.
Baylor hired former Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe as its interim head coach for the 2016 season. It had been assumed that contractual terminology was the only thing holding up Briles’ official firing. Now, Horns Digest, a Texas Longhorns blog site, and part of the Scout.com network says it has sources that there are financial donors putting pressure on the Baylor board of regents to leave Briles’ punishment at a one year suspension and reinstate him following the upcoming season. The article does not name the boosters who are leading the charge on behalf of Briles, but reports that some say they will stop donating money to Baylor if Briles is dismissed.
Briles was 65-37 in eight seasons as head coach at Baylor, taking what was once a perennial bottom feeder to a regular conference championship contender.
Two players from Briles’ tenure have been convicted of sexual assault and/or rape, and there are currently at least two active Title IX lawsuits against Baylor, alleging the university failed to properly investigate claims against football players. Since the public housecleaning in May, more alleged victims have come forward. More Title IX lawsuits are anticipated, making it all the more unlikely Baylor would reinstate Briles as the public face of the troubled program.
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