Former Baylor football coach Art Briles yells to his team in the second quarter during Oklahoma State game

Former Baylor football coach Art Briles, who was fired in 2016 amid a sexual assault scandal at the university that included some of his players, is returning to college football.

Briles on Monday, Nov. 24, was announced as head coach of Eastern New Mexico, a Division II school in Portales, New Mexico. The 69-year-old hasn't coached at a college program since he was fired at Baylor.

"I am excited to welcome Art (Briles) to Eastern New Mexico University," athletic director Kevin Fite wrote in the announcement. "He is an excellent coach, and I look forward to the future of Greyhound football."

Fite, who announced Briles' hiring, served as the associate athletic director for compliance and eligibility at Houston when Briles was the Cougars' football coach from 2003-07.

Grambling State previously tried hiring Briles as offensive coordinator in 2022, although Briles backed out soon after due to backlash. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League also tried hiring Briles in 2017, although his offer was later pulled.

Briles' son-in-law, Jeff Lebby, is the head coach at Mississippi State. Briles appeared on the sideline at an Oklahoma game during Lebby's tenure as offensive coordinator with the Sooners, and Briles also was at a Mississippi State preseason practice earlier this year.

Eastern New Mexico is holding an introductory news conference for Briles at 4:30 p.m. ET on Monday, Nov. 24, according to the new release.

Briles led Baylor to back-to-back Big 12 championships in 2013 and 2014 after rebuilding the Bears into an offensive powerhouse. He went 65-37 in eight seasons at Baylor, including double digit-win seasons in 2011 and 2013-15.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ex-Baylor football coach Art Briles hired as head coach at Division II school

Reporting by Austin Curtright, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY

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