Art Briles Agrees to Settlement with Baylor
Baylor University and football coach Art Briles have parted ways with a settlement after the school received increased scrutiny over its handling of alleged sexual assault cases. It is uncertain if and when Briles will be able to coach again at the NCAA level.
Continue for updates.
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Briles, Baylor Agree to Settlement
Friday, June 17
Baylor has agreed to a contract settlement with Briles, according to Bleacher Report's Jason King.
KWTX in Waco also reported the news, adding:
"The developments Friday came a day after an attorney for Briles filed an emergency motion in federal court in Waco, claiming that the lawyers who represent the school and Briles jointly in a suit filed by a woman who was raped by a football player are in violation of State Bar rules because they also represent the university in Briles’ termination.
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Briles' Attorney Comments on Settling Lawsuit
Thursday, June 16
The Associated Press' Jim Vertuno reported that according to Briles' attorney, Ernest Cannon, "Briles does not wish to settle the [lawsuit] and does not consent to any settlement in that case or any other case in which [Briles] is jointly named as a defendant and currently outstanding or filed in the future." Vertuno continued:
"Briles is ripping his former employer, accusing the school of wrongful termination and indicating he has no interest in settling a federal lawsuit filed against him and the university by a woman who was raped by a football player.
In a motion filed Thursday as part of the lawsuit, Briles said he wants a judge to assign him new counsel and his personal attorney Ernest Cannon, said the school was using the coach as a scapegoat for its failings in handling allegations of sexual assault.
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Chip Brown of HornsDigest.com, citing "two sources close to the situation," reported Wednesday that Briles will not return as head coach and that the two sides are working on a contract settlement:
"The sources said attempts to get the regents to rethink Briles' future and bring him back in 2017 - after a one-year suspension - were unsuccessful during a regents meeting Monday night to the point where an anticipated vote on the subject never took place, according to a Baylor spokeswoman.
Mediation has begun on how to settle Briles' contract, which had eight years and nearly $40 million in guaranteed money remaining, sources told HD.
One source close to the situation said, "It will land in the middle, probably in the neighborhood of $20 million."
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On Tuesday, Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com spoke to a Baylor spokesperson who said there was "no vote" on a potential suspension for Briles. On Monday, KWTX.com, citing sources, reported that "Baylor regents talked Monday night [about] whether to bring [Briles] back for the 2017 season" and added that a preliminary vote on the matter was "very close."
Brown, citing multiple sources, first reported Monday that "the Baylor board of regents on Monday will consider a one-year suspension" for Briles. King confirmed Brown's report. Brown continued:
"Briles has just less than $40 million guaranteed on the remaining eight years of his contract, sources told HD. A settlement between $15 million and $25 million with Briles would be likely if Briles was terminated, sources said.
The push to have the regents consider a one-year suspension for Briles on Monday is being driven by some of the biggest big-money donors at the school - many of whom helped fund BU's $300 million football stadium that opened in 2014, sources told HD.
Sources said Briles met with some key figures associated with the school last Thursday about the possibility of a one-year suspension as the Bears' football coach. It's unclear how Briles would feel about the move, sources said.
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Jim Hice of KCENTV.com reported the station's Nikki Laurenzo was informed by a source that players were being told of plans to suspend Briles.
However, USA Today's Dan Wolken reported, "While a small minority of Baylor donors have been pushing behind the scenes to bring back [Briles] in 2017—effectively giving him a one-year suspension—it is unlikely to result in any action." Wolken added:
"A person with knowledge of the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the discussions, said there is indeed a faction of voices within the school’s Board of Regents still supporting Briles and urging the school to bring him back. But those voices, the person said, were few in number at this point and considered to be on the margins.
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Briles Comments on Baylor's Decision
Thursday, June 2
Julie Hays of KWTX News 10 provided Briles' statement:
"Baylor Nation,
My heart goes out to the victims for the pain that they have endured. Sexual assault has no place on our campus or in our society. As a father of two daughters, a grandfather, and a husband, my prayers are with the victims of this type of abuse, wherever they are. After 38 years of coaching, I have certainly made mistakes and, in hindsight, I would have done certain things differently. I always strive to be a better coach, a better father and husband, and a better person.
Keep in mind, the complete scope of what happened here has not been disclosed and unfortunately at this time I am contractually obligated to remain silent on the matter. The report prepared by Pepper Hamilton, the law firm hired and paid for by Baylor's Board of Regents, has not been shared with me directly, despite my full cooperation with the investigation. I can only assume that the report, which is not independent, supports the conclusions that the Board has already drawn. I hope to share with you what I was aware of as soon as I can so Baylor Nation can begin the healing process.
I have the utmost admiration for Baylor University, its community, and its important mission. I am truly grateful for having had the chance to coach hundreds of young student-athletes at this University. I am deeply humbled for having had the opportunity to be a part of Baylor Nation.
Coach Art Briles
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Baylor Announces Briles Decision
Thursday, May 26
Baylor announced that Briles was suspended with the intent to terminate. Richard Willis, chair of the Baylor Board of Regents, said:
"We were horrified by the extent of these acts of sexual violence on our campus. This investigation revealed the University's mishandling of reports in what should have been a supportive, responsive and caring environment for students. The depth to which these acts occurred shocked and outraged us. Our students and their families deserve more, and we have committed our full attention to improving our processes, establishing accountability and ensuring appropriate actions are taken to support former, current and future students.
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Details Surface Surrounding Baylor's Sexual Assault Allegations
Wednesday, May 18
Paula Lavigne and Mark Schlabach delivered a report on ESPN's Outside the Lines detailing how university administrators and coaches failed to respond when assault allegations against football players arose: "According to the police documents, at least some Baylor officials, including coaches, knew about many of the incidents, and most players did not miss playing time for disciplinary reasons. None of the incidents has been widely reported in the media."
In one case involving three football players in 2011, Lavigne and Schlabach found police in Waco, Texas, made attempts to keep the incident away from the public eye, with an investigating officer asking a commander to remove the case from the computer system.
Lavigne and Schlabach found another case in which police kept the investigation open for years, which meant the case wouldn't fall under Texas' open records laws and thus wouldn't be available to view by the public.
In one incident, both Briles and Baylor president Ken Starr were made aware of sexual assault allegations against a football player in April 2014. The player received no disciplinary action.
Baylor came under the microscope starting in August 2015 after Jessica Luther and Dan Solomon reported for Texas Monthly on the sexual assault case against then-Bears football player Sam Ukwuachu.
Last June, Baylor defensive coordinator Phil Bennett said he was under the assumption Ukwuachu would be available to play in the 2015 season, per Shehan Jeyarajah of the Dallas Morning News. Luther and Solomon explained that Ukwuachu was due to stand trial on two counts of sexual assault when Bennett went on the record.
Ukwuachu was found guilty and sentenced to 180 days in jail and 10 years of felony probation.
In September 2015, Baylor's Board of Regents announced the school would retain the services of Pepper Hamilton to conduct an investigation into how Baylor handles sexual assault cases, and the firm released its report in May.
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