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By DWAIN PRICE
dprice@star-telegram.com
It’s official. Art Briles is staying at Baylor.
Bears athletic director Ian McCaw said Briles has declined to talk to Texas Tech about its vacant head coaching position, and instead wants to finish his job at Baylor.
“We’re proud to have Art Briles as our head football coach,” McCaw said Wednesday, “and we’re looking forward to great success under his leadership.
“Basically he decided he’s going to stay at Baylor and he declined the opportunity for an interview [at Tech].’’
Meanwhile, it’s back to the drawing board for Tech, which was hoping to have a coach in place by the end of this week.
“We’ve got more work to do,’’ Tech athletic director Gerald Myers said. “It would be nice to be able to finish it up.’’
It appeared as though Briles was all set to fly to Lubbock today and possibly become the successor to coach Mike Leach, who was fired Dec. 30. But after Baylor granted Tech permission to talk with Briles, it was Briles who decided he wanted to stay at Baylor.
“I wasn’t surprised,’’ Myers said. “Baylor extended his contract, so he decided he was going to stay there.’’
Raiders interim coach/defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill and ex-Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville interviewed this week to become Leach’s successor, and now it appears as though the job will go to one of them.
Former Clemson coach Tommy Bowden and Arizona offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes could still be in the running. Meanwhile, Houston coach Kevin Sumlin is close to signing an extension with the Cougars.
Briles signed a seven-year, $12.6 million contract with Baylor on Nov. 28, 2007. In his two seasons at Baylor, he has lit a fire under the Bears.
Baylor finished with back-to-back 4-8 seasons the past two years, but enthusiasm was sky-high because of the inspiration Briles brought to the table.
Briles also coached Houston to a 34-28 record and four bowl appearances from 2003-’07, and won four state high school titles at Stephenville.
As far as Tech goes, Myers said the Raiders could still have a coach in place by this weekend.