Texas Tech should not go anywhere near Art Briles

The idea of bringing Art Briles to Texas Tech should be a non-starter.

As the Texas Tech Red Raiders prepare to wrap up a disappointing 2020 football season, a segment of the fan base that’s desperate for wins seems to be looking for love in all the wrong places, so to speak. Rumors have been flying around that a group of boosters is pushing for the school to fire head coach Matt Wells and replace him with former Baylor coach Art Briles.

First of all, even though I have had my issues with some of his in-game decisions this year, I think it’s a little soon to be trying to get rid of Wells. It’s only his second year and it’s been played in the midst of a pandemic without the benefit of spring practices. But I can understand the dissatisfaction, as watching this football program the past couple of years hasn’t exactly been fun.

But is opening the Briles can of worms really the way to go? He’s had plenty of success on the football field, to be sure, and he has ties to Texas Tech. But his reputation is completely tarnished by the Baylor sexual assault scandal that cost him his job and made him virtually unhireable. Any school that brings him aboard is going to have to deal with the stench he brings with him.

Beyond the PR nightmare, there are moral reasons to leave him alone as well. Baylor’s status as a private institution has meant that we don’t know all the gory details about what went on, but there’s no denying that multiple football players were accused of sexual and/or domestic violence during Briles’ tenure, and there’s plenty of reason to believe he chose to look the other way for the sake of winning football games. That alone is unconscionable.

It may be difficult to prove what he knew and when, but it all happened on his watch regardless. His supporters may say he’s learned his lesson and accepted his punishment, and that might even be true. But that doesn’t mean bringing in a coach with Briles’ history and reputation is worth however many wins the Texas Tech program might notch with him at the helm.

A House Divided

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What’s more, the hiring of Briles would cause a schism in the Texas Tech fan base. Most of us know just how unpleasant that can be. The controversial firing of Mike Leach did just that, and Tommy Tuberville did nothing to mend that division during his disastrous tenure. Kliff Kingsbury’s return to the South Plains thankfully helped bring everyone back together.

How bad would the divide be? I can’t speak for everyone, but I certainly wouldn’t be attending any games if Briles was part of the program. My daughter recently told me she wants to go to a Texas Tech game next year for her birthday, but I can’t do that in good conscience if someone like Briles is the head coach. If he’s affiliated with the school in any way, I certainly won’t be, and I would imagine many other fans feel the same way.

Plus, in the end, Wells was AD Kirby Hocutt’s hire. Regardless of what some misguided boosters may want, I highly doubt Hocutt is going to give up on Wells after only two seasons. Things haven’t been good, but it’s not a total disaster, and I just don’t see Hocutt giving in to these factions who obviously value wins above the safety of female students.

Again, I understand the frustration and disappointment. There’s more talent on this team than the results would indicate, and Wells probably does need to make some changes to his staff. But getting into bed with Briles for the sake of a few extra wins just isn’t worth it. Texas Tech might be a mediocre team, but at least it’s a team I can still love and support.