UH sends wrong message with Briles
When UH pulled the trigger and hired Kendal Briles as its new offensive coordinator, the football program sent out a clear message.
It’s willing to take a massive risk if it means winning.
Briles — a former assistant under and son of Art Briles — steps into his new role with a lot of baggage and an extremely questionable reputation.
And while he brings a top offensive mind and system to the Cougars, he also brings a lot of questions about the morals and ethics of the coaching staff.
And it isn’t because his last name is Briles.
This isn’t about his bloodline. It’s about a coach who is named in a pending lawsuit, has broken NCAA recruiting rules and has been questionable through his actions and social media practices in the past.
Kendal Briles is a controversial choice for the UH coaching staff and one they could have done without.
The fact that head coach Major Applewhite, new athletic director Chris Pezman, regent Tilman Fertitta and president Renu Khator all let this hire happen is worrisome. It sends out a message that winning is more important than morals when football is involved.
The Baylor scandal isn’t over. More information is coming. Lawsuits are still pending. More victims are coming forward.
It’s clear at this point that several members of the football staff had knowledge that players were committing illegal acts, including sexual assault.
There are text messages and emails that have surfaced and prove that Art had knowledge and helped cover up several of the acts.
Kendal was an assistant coach when the Philadelphia law firm Pepper Hamilton released their “Finding of Fact” after investigating Baylor’s practices and policies after a football player was accused of raping another student.
In the report, there are five references to “coaches” and “football staff ” engaging in behavior that stifled university and criminal investigations.
While Kendal isn’t named directly, it’s risky to assume that he wasn’t involved.
While UH made the hire with its offense in mind, bringing Kendal on will also bring a spotlight and a magnifying glass — and not a good one — to the program.
Because of his involvement at Baylor and his sordid past, Kendal will be watched closely.
Maybe UH will win more games, maybe the Cougars will be a lot better. But the character of the school’s coaching staff will now be analyzed. They’ll be watched closely and scrutiheavily. nized UH’s football team won’t be judged for its play on the field for the foreseeable future. It will be judged for hiring someone who has scandal following him.