Baylor coach Art Briles reportedly would accept the coaching job at Texas if offered by the Longhorns. With Mack Brown stepping down, Texas has already interviewed Louisville coach Charlie Strong as a potential candidate, the Austin American-Statesman reports.
Although Longhorns athletic director Steve Patterson hasn't yet interviewed Briles, a source close to the Baylor coach told the newspaper Briles would accept the job at Texas if it were offered.
"Two sources, including one close to Briles, (have) told the Stateman that Briles would accept the Texas if offered," Kirk Bohls and Brian Davis of the Statesman wrote on Wednesday.
Briles signed a 10-year contract extension with Baylor in November, and his reported buyout could cost Texas more than $4 million.
Chip Brown of Orangebloods.com also reported Briles as the next target for Texas, which hasn't yet contacted Baylor for permission to speak with the coach.
"(Texas) is interested in interviewing Baylor coach Art Briles this week - possibly as early as Thursday, two sources close to the situation told Orangebloods.com," Brown wrote on Thursday.
The 58-year-old coach, in his sixth year at Baylor, is coming off a 52-42 loss on Wednesday in the Fiesta Bowl against UCF. Baylor finished the season with a 12-2 record.
The Statesman also confirmed Strong has already interviewed for the job.
"...Louisville's Charlie Strong has officially interviewed with Patterson at an undisclosed location. But Patterson told Strong that the athletic director planned to visit with other candidates to replace Mack Brown as well," Bohls and Davis wrote. "The Statesman source said it was unknown how Strong's interview with Patterson went."
Strong finished the season on Saturday with a 36-9 rout of Miami in the Russell Athletic Bowl, giving the Cardinals a 12-1 record for the year.
