Kenneth Starr thinks Art Briles was unfairly criticized

Despite his apparent failings off the field as head coach at Baylor, Art Briles has an ally in Kenneth Starr.

The aftermath of the sexual assault scandal at Baylor was, rightfully so, far-reaching. Athletic director Ian McCaw was suspended before he resigned, president and chancellor Kenneth Starr was demoted before he resigned and, of course, head football coach Art Briles was relieved of his duties.

The summary of the report from the law firm Pepper Hamilton cited an abject failure to respond to reports of sexual assault, with Briles’ players the subject of those complaints on many occasions. Briles thinks he will return to coaching in 2017, and as he puts his hat in the ring for jobs he might be wise to ask Starr for a letter of recommendation.

During an interview at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Starr used the platform to defend Briles.

"“Briles has devoted his life to molding the lives of young men,” Starr said. “A grave injustice was done to Art Briles. Coach Briles has been [calumniated] … it’s completely unfair.“I have great confidence to this day in Coach Briles. I believe he’s an honorable person.”"

Pepper Hamilton also cited failures by Baylor under Title IX, up to and including discouraging complainants from reporting sexual assualt. Starr refuted that idea too.

"“I disagree with the sense that there was a fundamental failure,” Starr said Saturday. “I love Title IX. It has been an instrument of great, great reform … [but] the pendulum has swung much too far in one direction.”"

And then, the money question, to Starr in regard to Briles.

"“Was Art Briles given a raw deal?”-“Yes.”"

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Painting Briles as any kind of victim of what happened at Baylor is patently naive, and frankly incredibly arrogant on Starr’s part. His involvement in a past political scandal needs to be kept in mind here, and Starr also said he intends to write a book about his experiences at Baylor. Intended or not, Starr has tried to do his part to spin the Baylor scandal away from Briles and get him back into coaching as soon as possible.