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Art Briles Resigns As Grambling OC Under Hue Jackson After Criticism
Art Briles will not be Grambling's offensive coordinator after all.
A school spokesperson confirmed to Chris Vannini of The Athletic that Briles resigned from head coach Hue Jackson's staff on Monday. Pete Thamel of ESPN had previously reported Briles would not be the offensive coordinator.
Grambling's initial decision to hire Briles drew plenty of criticism.
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After all, it was set to be his first collegiate coaching job since Baylor fired him in 2016 following an independent investigation from the Pepper Hamilton law firm that determined there was a "fundamental failure" by the university to handle allegations of sexual violence and intimate partner violence by football players.
"Unfortunately, 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 a statement, per Thamel. "I have the utmost respect (for) the university, and your players."
On Saturday, Koki Riley of the Monroe News-Star reported there still remained "hurdles to clear" before Briles was officially the offensive coordinator, including a majority approval during a vote from the 16-member board.
Mark Schlabach of ESPN reported Jackson defended the decision to hire Briles before the latter's resignation in a statement released under the letterhead of the former Cleveland Browns coach's foundation:
"The Hue Jackson Foundation has been dedicated to fighting against ALL forms of sexual abuse and exploitation as well as other forms of racial and social bias. We have a clear understanding of the role that coaches and others who have a position of trust play in the lives of those they meet."
"We also know and understand the process of identifying risks, helping others to heal, and the importance of prevention. 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."
Briles coached at Houston from 2003 through 2007 and Baylor from 2008 through 2015. He finished with a combined 99-65 record during those two stops.
In August, the NCAA announced penalties that included four years of probation for Baylor for various violations that included impermissible benefits for student-athletes. However, it explained the more serious allegations fell outside of its jurisdiction.
"Baylor admitted to moral and ethical failings in its handling of sexual and interpersonal violence on campus but argued those failings, however egregious, did not constitute violations of NCAA rules," the Division I Committee on Infractions hearing panel said. "Ultimately, and with tremendous reluctance, this panel agrees. To arrive at a different outcome would require the [committee] to ignore the rules the Association's membership has adopted—rules under which the [committee] is required to adjudicate. Such an outcome would be antithetical to the integrity of the infractions process."
Briles' lawyer, Scott Tompsett, released a statement saying that ruling "completely exonerated" the coach and "clears the way" for him to return to a college job.
As for the Grambling program, it made headlines when it hired Jackson in December considering the former NFL coach was on the sidelines for the Browns from 2016 to 2018 and the Oakland Raiders in 2011.
Grambling went 0-4 during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season and 4-7 in 2021.
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