Art Briles Named New Eastern New Mexico Head Coach

Eastern New Mexico University has officially hired Art Briles as its new head football coach, stepping in after the school moved on from Kelley Lee in November. The Greyhounds finished the 2025 season with a 3–8 record, and the program is hoping Briles can help turn things around.

Art Briles Returns to College Coaching

This hiring is a big moment for Briles, who has not coached at the college level in almost 10 years. His long career has taken him through high school football, major college programs, and even coaching overseas.

Briles began his coaching career back in 1979 at Sundown High School in Texas. He later became well-known at Stephenville High, where he coached from 1988 to 1999. During that time, he won four state championships and built one of the best high school programs in Texas. He also took Stephenville to the playoffs for the first time since 1952. His final record there was an impressive 135-29-2.

In 2000, Briles moved to college football, joining Texas Tech as the running backs coach. He helped develop running back Ricky A. Williams and played a part in recruiting future NFL receiver Wes Welker. His work at Texas Tech led to his first college head-coaching job at Houston in 2003. Briles quickly made an impact, taking a team that had gone winless for two straight seasons and leading it to a 7–5 record in his first year.

His biggest coaching opportunity came at Baylor, where he won back-to-back Big 12 championships. But in 2016, Baylor fired him after a sexual assault scandal involving players during his time there. After his dismissal, Briles coached briefly in Italy, returned to high school football, and had short-lived opportunities in the CFL and at Grambling State. He later settled with Baylor for $15.1 million after suing the university.

Now 69 years old, Briles is back in the college game, and Eastern New Mexico hopes he can help rebuild the program.

Art Briles’ Net Worth

Art Briles has earned a significant amount of money throughout his career. Celebrity Net Worth estimates him at around $11 million. He made more than $16.7 million during his eight years at Baylor and earned another $1.4 million during his final two seasons at Houston. There isn’t much public information about his pay from other jobs.

Early Life and Background

Art Briles was born on the 3rd of December, 1955, in Rule, Texas. He played high school football there under his father, Dennis Briles. In 1976, tragedy struck when his parents and aunt were killed in a car accident on their way to watch him play. The loss deeply affected him and led him to transfer from the University of Houston to Texas Tech, where he finished his playing career and earned his bachelor’s degree. He later earned a master’s degree from Abilene Christian University.

Art Briles’ Family

Art Briles is married to his high-school sweetheart, Jan. The couple met again at Texas Tech during their college years. They have two children, Kendal and Jancy. Kendal Briles is currently the offensive coordinator at TCU, and Jancy previously worked with the Dallas Cowboys in media relations. She is married to Jeff Lebby, who is now the head coach at Mississippi State.

What’s Ahead for the Greyhounds?

Eastern New Mexico is hoping Briles can bring the same turnaround success he has shown at other stops in his career. With the program looking to bounce back from a tough stretch, his arrival brings a fresh start and a lot of attention as the Greyhounds prepare for next season.

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