Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby issued an apology after ex-Baylor coach Art Briles, Lebby’s father-in-law, was spotted walking alongside him following the Sooners’ Sept. 9 home win against SMU. Lebby, in a prepared statement during his Monday press conference, called Briles’ appearance a “distraction” and vowed that the situation “will not come up again” after speaking with Sooners coach Brent Venables and athletic director Joe Castiglione.
“One, [I] just want everyone to understand, my father-in-law, his presence on the field after the game is something that created a distraction and I apologize for that,” Lebby said. “That was not the intent at all. The intent was just to celebrate with my family. I do want to correct some reports that said that he had a sideline pass, he did not have a sideline pass given out. He was only on the field when other families were down there and were present. Joe Castiglione, Coach [Brent] Venables have both expressed concerns with me, talked to me about it to make sure that everyone understands that this is something that will not come up again.”
The sight of Briles wearing OU-branded gear on the field sparked backlash among Sooners fans aware of his embattled past. Briles has not coached at the major collegiate level since he was fired from Baylor in May 2016 amid a sexual assault scandal that rattled the Bears football program.
It’s mind boggling that they didn’t talk to him when he was hired and tell him to make sure he’s not seen around the school or it’ll cause a shit storm. It feels like these assholes just keep waiting for us to forget that they’re shitty people
It should be automatically assumed by everyone that Art Briles is unwelcome on any college campus. Jeff Lebby should have known the boundaries there.
I hadn’t realized he had been coaching in America again. Last I had heard he was in Italy but it seems that was short-lived (this article didn’t even mention it)
Emphasis that he only apologized for the distraction.
