Ex-Baylor football coach Art Briles hired at D-II Eastern New Mexico

Former Baylor football coach Art Briles has been appointed as the head coach of Eastern New Mexico University, a Division II school in Portales, New Mexico. This marks Briles' return to college football after being dismissed from Baylor in 2016 due to a sexual assault scandal involving some players. The announcement was made by Eastern New Mexico's athletic director, Kevin Fite, who previously worked with Briles at the University of Houston.

Briles, 69, has not coached at the collegiate level since his tenure at Baylor, where he led the team to two consecutive Big 12 championships in 2013 and 2014. His previous attempts to re-enter coaching, including positions with Grambling State in 2022 and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2017, faced significant backlash and were ultimately unsuccessful.

The hiring was announced alongside plans for an introductory news conference scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET on November 24. Briles is linked to college football through family connections