Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
FAU coach Kiffin reportedly hires Briles as offensive coordinator
According to multiple reports, Florida Atlantic coach Lane Kiffin has hired Baylor offensive coordinator Kendal Briles for the same position at FAU. The school did not officially announce the hire.
With Briles’ hire, Kiffin’s staff is slowly becoming more complete. Kiffin has already hired his brother and Ole Miss defensive line coach Chris Kiffin as his defensive coordinator. He’s also brought on Keynodo Hudson (USC analyst) as a defensive assistant and Charlie Weis Jr. (Alabama analyst) as an offensive assistant.
There are three holdovers from the previous staff under Charlie Partridge, but their job permanence will be, in part, determined by the coordinators. Cornerbacks coach Corey Bell, offensive line coach Garin Justice and receivers coach Dan Shula remain part of the FAU staff.
Briles, the son of former Baylor coach Art Briles, was Baylor’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the past two seasons but worked the previous three seasons as the receivers coach. He spent the four seasons before that in a smaller assistant role at Baylor.
This season, Baylor averaged 34.9 points per game (35th in FBS), 523.3 yards per game (fifth) and 250.3 rushing yards per game (13th). In 2015, Baylor led the country in total offense (616.2) and ranked second in rushing yards per game (326.7).
This week, Baylor was fined $5,000 for recruiting violations committed by Briles and two other assistant coaches. Briles attempted to find a loophole in recruiting rules by attending a track meet and turning around when the prospective athlete competed, so it did not count as an official evaluation. Another evaluation would have exceeded the NCAA’s limit.
Lane Kiffin left Tennessee amid recruiting violations. Chris Kiffin was accused of committing them at Ole Miss.
Mike Locksley, an Alabama analyst and former Maryland head coach, was previously linked to the FAU offensive coordinator job last week.
According to his contract, Kiffin has $1.7 million to spend on nine assistant coaches, and a strength and conditioning coach.