PORTALES, N.M. (AP) — Art Briles was hired as football coach at Eastern New Mexico on Monday, getting his first college head coaching job since Baylor fired the two-time Big 12 champion more than nine years ago amid a sexual assault scandal at the world's largest Baptist university.
“Very excited, very grateful, very happy,” Briles said during his introduction at the NCAA Division II school that plays in the Lone Star Conference. “It’s a great moment for me, I hope it’s a great moment for this university. I’m extremely excited to start this journey, this new chapter, in our lives.”
An external investigation revealed in May 2016 that Baylor had for years mishandled numerous sexual assault allegations by students, including some against football players. Briles has said that he didn't cover up reports of assaults by his players. An NCAA infractions report in 2021 ripped him for failing to look into horrific and potentially criminal allegations, but he wasn't found guilty of any NCAA violations.
When asked how different his perspective is 10 years after his last college season, Briles responded, “I think I’m certainly a lot more knowledgeable about every situation.”
“Really, I’m just more concerned about the next chapter and not the last chapter,” he said. “I’ve kind of learned through the process that a lot of times less said is best said, because a lot of times if you say stuff it can be construed however anybody wants to look at it.”
Briles, who turns 70 next month, was hired as offensive coordinator at Grambling State in 2022, but stepped down less than a week later, saying he didn't want to be a distraction at the prominent HBCU. Southern Miss coach Jay Hopson had attempted to hire Briles as the program’s OC in 2019, but university administration eventually vetoed the move.
After coaching professional football in Italy, Briles return to Texas and was the head coach at Mount Vernon High School for two seasons (2019-20).
The athletic director at Eastern New Mexico is Kevin Fite, who was the associate AD for compliance and eligibility at Houston when Briles was coach there before going to Baylor. Briles had a 34-28 record at Houston from 2003-07, then was 65-37 with the Bears from 2008-15.
Fite said he and Briles are committed to working together to create the best possible experience for players and the entire student and university community.
"That will involve winning,” Fite said. “That winning will do a lot for this campus and its students. I understand that this is a unique and surprising hire.”
Eastern New Mexico just completed its second consecutive 3-8 season. The Greyhounds fired coach Kelley Lee, who was 32-34 in his six seasons over two stints (2017-19 and 2023-25).
Fite said he heard from many current and former coaches and ADs, and even pastors, in support of Briles.
“I trust him to lead this football program with a high amount of integrity,” he said. “What I would want our university community to understand is that I know Art Biles. I know his family. I know his commitment to impacting the lives of young people. I know he is a tremendous leader. I know that he has changed the lives of many of his players in a very positive way. I know his former players and co-workers love him. I know he is a winner.”
The university is located about 250 miles from Briles' hometown of Rule, Texas.
Baylor paid Briles more than $15 million after firing him. He later acknowledged making mistakes and apologized for “some bad things” that happened under his watch.
Briles' son-in-law, Jeff Lebby, is Mississippi State's head coach. His son, Kendal, is the offensive coordinator at TCU.
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FILE - Baylor coach Art Briles stands in the tunnel before the team's NCAA college football game against Texas Dec. 5, 2025, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation likely remained elevated last month as the cost of electricity, groceries, and clothing may have jumped and continued to pressure consumers' wallets.
The Labor Department is expected to report that consumer prices rose 2.6% in December compared with a year earlier, according to economists' estimates compiled by data provider FactSet. The yearly rate would be down from 2.7% in November. Monthly prices, however, are expected to rise 0.3% in December, faster than is consistent with the Federal Reserve's 2% inflation goal.
The figures are harder to predict this month, however, because the six-week government shutdown last fall suspended the collection of price data used to compile the inflation rate. Some economists expect the December figures will show a bigger jump in inflation as the data collection process gets back to normal.
Core prices, which exclude the volatile food and energy categories, are also expected to rise 0.3% in December from the previous month, and 2.7% from a year earlier. The yearly core figure would be an increase from 2.6% in November.
In November, annual inflation fell from 3% in September to 2.7%, in part because of quirks in November's data. (The government never calculated a yearly figure for October). Most prices were collected in the second half of November, after the government reopened, when holiday discounts kicked in, which may have biased November inflation lower.
And since rental prices weren't fully collected in October, the agency that prepares the inflation reports used placeholder estimates that may have biased prices lower, economists said.
Inflation has come down significantly from the four-decade peak of 9.1% that it reached in June 2022, but it has been stubbornly close to 3% since late 2023. The cost of necessities such as groceries is about 25% higher than it was before the pandemic, and other necessities such as rent and clothing have also gotten more expensive, fueling dissatisfaction with the economy that both President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden have sought to address, though with limited success.
The Federal Reserve has struggled to balance its goal of fighting inflation by keeping borrowing costs high, while also supporting hiring by cutting interest rates when unemployment worsens. As long as inflation remains above its target of 2%, the Fed will likely be reluctant to cut rates much more.
The Fed reduced its key rate by a quarter-point in December, but Chair Jerome Powell, at a press conference explaining its decision, said the Fed would probably hold off on further cuts to see how the economy evolves.
The 19 members of the Fed’s interest-rate setting committee have been sharply divided for months over whether to cut its rate further, or keep it at its curent level of about 3.6% to combat inflation.
Trump, meanwhile, has harshly criticized the Fed for not cutting its key short-term rate more sharply, a move he has said would reduce mortgage rates and the government's borrowing costs for its huge debt pile. Yet the Fed doesn't directly control mortgage rates, which are set by financial markets.
In a move that cast a shadow over the ability of the Fed to fight inflation in the future, the Department of Justice served the central bank last Friday with subpoenas related to Powell's congressional testimony in June about a $2.5 billion renovation of two Fed office buildings. Trump administration officials have suggested that Powell either lied about changes to the building or altered plans in ways that are inconsistent with those approved by planning commissions.
In a blunt response, Powell said Sunday those claims were “pretexts” for an effort by the White House to assert more control over the Fed.
“The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the President,” Powell said. “This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions—or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation.”
FILE -American Giant clothing is displayed at the company's showroom in San Francisco, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
FILE -A cashier rings up groceries in Dallas, Aug. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)
