Texas Tech Coaching Candidate Says No
By: Bryan Mudd
Updated: December 12, 2012
Of the four candidates that immediately seemed to be the favorites to
replace the departed Tommy Tuberville, Baylor coach Art Briles is the
first to take his name off the list.
A source tells KAMC's Red Raider Nation that Briles says will remain in Waco and not return to his alma mater, where he coached running backs under Mike Leach from 2000-2002.
Specific reasons were not announced, but sources told KAMC Briles was a viable candidate for the Tech job, after donors raised the necessary money to buy out Briles' contract in Waco. We're told that buy out price was in excess of $4 million.
Briles is a native of Rule, Texas and was a successful high school coach before moving into the college coaching ranks, developing six Division One quarterbacks.
Known as a sharp Texas recruiter, Briles coached quarterbacks Case Keenum and Kevin Kolb to record setting careers at Houston. In his five seasons at Baylor, Briles has returned the Bears program to national prominence, including a Heisman Trophy for quarterback Robert Griffin III in 2011.
Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt travelled for three interviews on Tuesday, speaking with former Tech quarterback Kliff Kingsbury, Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris, and Lubbock native and Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray. Hocutt has cited the need for his new coach to have west Texas ties and all three would fit the bill, as Morris is a former Texas high school coach and native of the Lone Star State.
A source tells KAMC's Red Raider Nation that Briles says will remain in Waco and not return to his alma mater, where he coached running backs under Mike Leach from 2000-2002.
Specific reasons were not announced, but sources told KAMC Briles was a viable candidate for the Tech job, after donors raised the necessary money to buy out Briles' contract in Waco. We're told that buy out price was in excess of $4 million.
Briles is a native of Rule, Texas and was a successful high school coach before moving into the college coaching ranks, developing six Division One quarterbacks.
Known as a sharp Texas recruiter, Briles coached quarterbacks Case Keenum and Kevin Kolb to record setting careers at Houston. In his five seasons at Baylor, Briles has returned the Bears program to national prominence, including a Heisman Trophy for quarterback Robert Griffin III in 2011.
Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt travelled for three interviews on Tuesday, speaking with former Tech quarterback Kliff Kingsbury, Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris, and Lubbock native and Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray. Hocutt has cited the need for his new coach to have west Texas ties and all three would fit the bill, as Morris is a former Texas high school coach and native of the Lone Star State.
