Art Briles has been one of the names floating around for the soon-to-be-vacant Texas job ever since word started to surface that Mack Brown was considering stepping down at the end of 2013. After #1 choice Nick Saban signed an extension with Alabama, the possibility of Briles coming to Austin drastically increased, and Briles is said to be one of the top names on the Texas list if they can't get one of their reach candidates from the NFL.
Why Texas Wants Him:
Briles is an offensive mastermind, and what he's accomplished at Baylor in the last few years is nothing short of miraculous. When he took over in 2008, Baylor hadn't been to a bowl game since 1994, and the Bears are currently headed to their fourth Bowl appearance in Briles' tenure.
His tactical wizardry is impressive on its own, but Briles can also recruit with the best of them. Heisman winner Robert Griffin III was impressive, but Briles proved he wasn't an anomaly by turning the unheralded Bryce Petty into a Heisman contender. Baylor went from a throwaway game to a force to be reckoned with in the Big 12, and reportedly, other coaches in the conference aren't at all thrilled about the idea:
Big 12 coaches I have spoken w fear that Art Briles will get the job, "He'd crush everyone if he gets the job" "Might never lose".
— FootballScoop Staff (@footballscoop) December 15, 2013
Why He'd Be Interested:
A Texas native with roots in the state that go back to day one, Briles wouldn't have to move across the country or abandon a program in the middle of a national title run like some of the other contenders for the job.
The Texas job would be a significant step up for Briles, a guy who's never had the chance to work with the kind of resources Texas would provide. While his current contract with Baylor is nothing to sneer at, Texas could easily offer something much more lucrative.
What Could Get in the Way:
That contract? It runs until 2023. An old-school guy like Briles isn't going to be a fan of walking away from a contract that still has ten years to run, and if he's going to leave Baylor, that's a major stumbling block. Briles has also repeatedly stressed his commitment to his current employer, something other candidates for the Texas job (coughMALZAHNcough) haven't done.
Chance He'll Be Hired:
5-10%
Briles would be excellent for Texas, but the timing just feels wrong. Briles' contract situation makes him a real stretch, but with the Texas coaching search just getting started, we wouldn't rule anything out.
--
Additional Reading:
How Awful QB Recruiting Led to Mack Brown's Downfall At Texas
Back to the Texas Longhorns Newsfeed