Oklahoma coach Brent Venables, AD address Art Briles’ on-field appearance: ‘That’s being dealt with’

Oklahoma put away SMU down the stretch in a 28-11 house victory on Saturday, however a stir was once brought about postgame on social media when a photograph emerged of ex-Baylor coach Art Briles, the daddy in-law of Sooners offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, strolling along Lebby at the box whilst dressed in an “OU” brand blouse. Sooners coach Brent Venables, requested in regards to the subject postgame, stated he was once blind to the location till moments sooner than taking the rostrum.

“I was made aware of it, just before I came in here, that [Briles] was [on the field],” Venables told reporters postgame. “That’s being dealt with.”

The sight of Briles dressed in Oklahoma-branded equipment at the box sparked backlash amongst Sooners enthusiasts conscious about his embattled previous. Briles has no longer coached on the main collegiate stage since he was once fired from Baylor in May 2016 amid a sexual attack scandal that rattled the Bears soccer program. Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione condemned Briles in a commentary for being allowed onto the sphere whilst wearing such clothes, He stated the subject was once addressed with Oklahoma workforce contributors. 

“I was just as disappointed as many of our fans when I learned of the postgame situation tonight,” Castiglione wrote. “It shouldn’t have happened and it was my expectation it never would, based on boundaries we previously set. I’ve addressed it with the appropriate staff.”

Briles, 67, compiled a 99-65 document as a school coach between stops at Houston (2003-07) and Baylor (2008-15) sooner than his dismissal as Bears coach forward of the 2016 season. Briles returned to the state of Texas as a highschool coach at Mount Vernon from 2019-20. He was once set to go back to the varsity ranks in 2022 because the offensive coordinator at Grambling State however resigned in a while after accepting the activity amid intense backlash. 

Lebby isn’t Briles’ lone circle of relatives connection to a present Big 12 soccer training workforce. Briles’ son, Kendal, is in his first season as TCU’s offensive coordinator. Each of the 2 frolicked running for Briles all the way through his training tenure at Baylor.