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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables was unaware that former Baylor coach Art Briles had entered the field following Saturday night’s win, and said the situation is “being dealt with.”
Briles, who Baylor fired in 2016 amid a sexual assault investigation with the program, was seen talking with Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby after the Sooners’ 28-11 home win over SMU on Saturday night. Images of Briles on the field wearing an Oklahoma shirt sparked backlash from Sooners fans on social media.
“I was made aware of it, just before I came in here, that he was [on the field],” Venables told reporters. “That’s being dealt with.”
Asked about the reaction from Oklahoma fans, Venables said, “I’ve had no time to think about any of that.”
Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione later issued a statement saying: “I was just as disappointed as many of our fans when I learned of the postgame situation tonight. It shouldn’t have happened and it was my expectation it never would, based on boundaries we previously set. I’ve addressed it with the appropriate staff.”
Briles, 67, has not returned to college football since his firing. Both Grambling State University and the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats attempted to hire him, but reversed course following public backlash. Last month, he was hired to coach the Dallas franchise of the International Football Alliance, a new professional league set to debut in the spring of 2024.
Lebby said Briles had attended the game with other family members and joined them on the field afterward.
“He’s my father-in-law,” Lebby said. “That’s the grandfather to my two kids, so he was down with our entire family well after the game, but he was down there. … He’s with his entire family.”