Timeline: The rise and fall of Baylor’s Art Briles

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On Nov. 28, 2007, Baylor introduced Art Briles as its new head coach. The offensive genius from West Texas had his work cut out for him, taking over a program that had gone 35-101 in the Big 12 era, with zero bowl game appearances since 1994.

The longtime high school coach had worked wonders at Houston from 2003 to ’07, his first college head-coaching job, and he signed a seven-year contract to do the same in Waco.

“My charge to director of athletics Ian McCaw was to locate a championship-caliber head football coach who embraced Baylor’s Christian mission and could lead, inspire and win with integrity,” Baylor president John Lilley said. “Ian has done an outstanding job and brings forward in Art Briles a person who can begin a new era for Baylor University football.”

But after a damning report from law firm Pepper Hamilton to the Board of Regents on May 13 that outlined a litany of sexual assaults and violent incidents involving players, Baylor fired the 60-year-old Briles on Thursday.

Here’s a timeline of his nine-plus years in Waco:

Art Briles took over a perennial loser at Baylor and turned the Bears into a national title contender. AP Photo/Duane A. Laverty

Feb. 6, 2008: Briles signs his first recruiting class at Baylor. The gem of the group is Copperas Cove quarterback Robert Griffin III, who’d previously committed to Briles at Houston. He’s joined in the class by future All-America receivers Terrance Williams and Kendall Wright.

Sept. 26, 2009: Griffin suffers a torn ACL in his right knee, ending his promising sophomore season after three games. The Bears struggle the rest of the way, finishing 4-8 for a second consecutive season.

Oct. 30, 2010: With a healthy Griffin, Baylor clinches its first winning season since 1995 with a 30-22 road win at Texas, improving to 7-2. Another feat: Baylor enters the AP Top 25 for the first time since 1993. The Bears would go on to lose their final four games but ended the season with another milestone: their first bowl game in 16 years.

Nov. 19, 2011: The night that put Baylor football on the national radar. Griffin connects with Williams for a 34-yard game-winning touchdown with 8 seconds left to pull off a stunning 45-38 upset of No. 5 Oklahoma. It’s the signature victory for both Briles and Griffin. The Bears finish off the 2011 season on a six-game winning streak, including a wild 67-56 Alamo Bowl victory over Washington.

Dec. 11, 2011: Griffin becomes the first Heisman Trophy winner in Baylor history. He’d leave Baylor after his junior season and become the No. 2 pick in the 2012 NFL draft.

The crown jewel of Briles’ first recruiting class, Robert Griffin III catapulted the Bears into the national spotlight, winning the 2011 Heisman Trophy. Manny Flores/CSM

Sept. 15, 2012: Baylor breaks ground on McLane Stadium, its new 45,000-seat, on-campus stadium. The long-overdue upgrade would replace dilapidated Floyd Casey Stadium, Baylor football’s home since 1950.

Nov. 14, 2013: Briles agrees to a new 10-year contract through 2023. Financial terms aren’t released, since Baylor is a private university. USA Today later reveals Briles made more than $5.3 million in base pay — and nearly $6 million in total compensation — in 2014, according the university’s federal tax return.

Dec. 7, 2013: In their final game at Floyd Casey Stadium, the Bears defeat Texas 30-10 to clinch their first conference championship since 1980. Though they would lose to UCF in the Fiesta Bowl, the 11-2 season still goes down as arguably the greatest in Baylor …

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