Art Briles will not be working at the University of Southern Mississippi due to an ongoing NCAA investigation, according to Stadium.
According to a report from the Biloxi Sun Herald, the University of Southern Mississippi interviewed former Baylor head coach Art Briles for their vacant offensive coordinator position Monday.
Dr. Rodney Bennett, Southern Miss' president, announced that Briles would not be hired for the position. According to Stadium, Southern Miss Head Coach Jay Hopson said he respected Bennett's decision but disagreed with it.
"I believe [Art Briles] is a man who deserves a second chance," said Hopson in a statement to Stadium. "He is a man that seemed sincere and humble in his interview and personally he committed no crime. He may not have acted in the proper protocol, but that would be my job at Southern Miss."
In a statement to Stadium, Briles said that the ongoing NCAA investigation into Baylor and himself was the main issue on not being hired.
USM is looking to fill Shannon Dawson's spot after he left to join Dana Holgorsen at the University of Houston.
Briles coached the Bears from 2008 - 2015. During his tenure, the Bears won two Big 12 titles and appeared in five straight bowl games, but Baylor says during that time at least 17 women reported sexual or physical assault by 19 different football players.
This is not the first time a team has thought about hiring Briles post-Baylor. In 2017, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League hired Briles as an offensive assistant, but public outrage led them to rescind the job just hours later.
Guelfi Firenzi of the Italian Football League currently has Briles under contract as their head coach for the 2019 season.
In a statement to @WatchStadium, former Baylor coach Art Briles: “I appreciate the trust and support of Coach Hopson - I was informed by the Interim AD today, that the ongoing NCAA investigation with Baylor and me was the main issue (on not being hired at Southern Miss)”
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) February 6, 2019
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