Baylor University head coach Art Briles reacts against the University of Oklahoma in the first half of their NCAA Big 12 football game at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas, United States on November 19, 2011. (REUTERS/Mike Stone/File Photo)
Former Baylor head coach Art Briles has been hired to lead an East Texas high school football program, nearly three years to the day after his public firing from Baylor amid a sexual assault scandal.
Briles was given a two-year contract by Mount Vernon High School in Mount Vernon, Texas, on Friday, his first coaching opportunity in the U.S. since his glory days at Baylor. At Baylor, he was named Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2013, and led the team to an 32-7 record from 2013-2015.
He "brings with him a wealth of not only football experience but also life experience," Mount Vernon ISD superintendent Jason McCullough said in a statement, according to SI.com "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."
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In 2016, an investigation found that Baylor had mishandled allegations of sexual misconduct and violence against players on the football team. The report uncovered a “fundamental failure by Baylor to implement Title IX." The investigation team reported that 19 football players had sexually assaulted at least 17 women during while Briles was head coach, with a lawsuit alleging 52 rapes occurring during that time period.
"In certain instances, including reports of a sexual assault by multiple football players, athletics and football personnel affirmatively chose not to report sexual violence and dating violence to an appropriate administrator outside of athletics,” the school's report said.
The move has already triggered a backlash on Twitter.
He did receive a warm welcome from his former player Robert Griffin III.
Briles is heading to where his coaching career began, and says he learned from his previous failures. He was a coach for a number of Texas high schools from 1979-1999 and got his start as an assistant coach for Sundown High in Texas.
"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 from Mount Vernon. "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."
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Since the scandal, Briles has struggled to find a coaching job or team that was willing to deal with the backlash from hiring him.
He spent a few hours as assistant head coach for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League back in 2017, before the team decided to rescind the offer.
In 2018, he served as head coach for Estra Guelfi Firenze American Football Team in Florence, Italy. His team had a 6-2 record.
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