leopold wrote:Here ya go;
http://www.baylorfans.com/forums/showth ... p?t=308960
I know many claim to have an insider's vantage point, some do it on twitter, some just throw it out here, and many are just gossiping.
But I have been privy to some insider revelations about the last month or so of Baylor football, and what isn't sensitive or detrimental to share I'd like to do so here to help some of you off of the ledge.
Here are some facts I've gathered that hopefully will squelch a few myths, you can contact me privately if you want sources, I also will not share salacious details here...nor do I know everything.
So without further ado, here I go.
WAS THE BOR VOTE TO TERMINATE BRILES 16-14?
This rumor was absolute NONSENSE.
I have it on good authority the actual numbers were 22-8, and the vote was taken TWICE with replicated vote numbers each time.
In fact, you'll note that the alleged "Big Money Donors" who lobbied for re-instatement didn't put up much of a fight once they were privately revealed the findings of the Pepper Hamilton oral report, even Drayton McLane, a good friend of Briles, didn't push the issue once facts were in his hand.
I realize we the fans are frustrated by the lack of transparency on the matter, and the post termination PR has been royally fumbled, but rest assured no conspiracy to damn Baylor football into oblivion has been hatched by the Board of Regents...though they have been rightfully chastised for allowing a disingenuous media agenda to swallow the narrative.
Art Briles settled, and for a relatively modest figure, and left quietly because he was indeed guilty of terminable offenses. That's painful to type, and it will probably be years before full details are public, but his handling of the Tevin Elliott situation was unacceptable...similarly Bob Stoops should be fired in Oklahoma, but that's not our house to sort out...though David Boren doesn't mind poking his head into ours.
WHEN WILL BAYLOR HIRE AN AD?
There is a favorite at this time, someone presently at a P5 program is going to be poached for a a considerable salary. No names have been given, but Baylor is willing to pay up to $1.5 million to secure the services of a top flight AD, a sum that dwarfs Ian McCaw's salary and is in the top tier of salaries for any AD in the entire NCAA.
Baylor means business, and fully intends to get the athletic department back on track ASAP. The university will double down and not let the existing $170 million debt on the stadium be in vain or go unpaid.
WHO WILL HIRE THE NEW COACH?
Ultimately the new AD, however the options put before him have been somewhat predetermined.
WHAT ARE THE COACHING OPTION'S FOR 2017 AND BEYOND?
Apparently Chad Morris was willing to dump SMU and come to Baylor IMMEDIATELY, as in be Baylor's coach in 2016.
The powers that be did not want to rush toward a long term hire, and Teaff used his influence to bring Jim Grobe into the fold for the interim.
Surprisingly, Grobe is very close to the Briles family, and has been a very stabilizing force with Briles' assistants staying this year...and some perhaps beyond.
It is not out of the question that Grobe is kept for 2017 as well, the thinking being floated about by the powers that be is that it would keep the Briles staff mostly in place, and Kendal Briles (someone I personally thought would most certainly be gone) would be groomed to takeover in 2018.
That is a legitimate discussion at this time, how serious it becomes will depend upon how this year unfolds.
Other than that it is confirmed that some obvious suspects are in the running: Phil Montgomery and Larry Fedora apparently top the wishlist at this time.
It is thought that a Montgomery hire would retain almost all the existing staff.
Chad Morris is also in the running, and his keen interest has been noted, Tom Herman's agent has also made it known that he is all ears.
Surprisingly to me, Dino Babers is not a name being floated about among the first choices at this time....perhaps do to his age or a large buyout, on that I can only speculate.
OUTLOOK FOR UPCOMING SEASON
Coaches and players are apparently optimistic Baylor is in a decent position to possibly even take a crack at the Big 12 title, perhaps that's the confidence competitors are supposed to default to in order to compete, but I'm glad they have it.
CONCLUSIONS:
The BOR actually did do the right thing by dismissing Art Briles, it was a painful and unwelcome decision, one that OU doesn't have the internal ethics to execute on Stoops despite having similar sins to Briles.
BUT the post termination PR has been an absolute botched nightmare, making a painful decision seem like a disaster...and our UT friends smelled some blood and were all too eager to oblige inflicting maximum damage on us while we were vulnerable.
I was surprised to learn Kendal Briles may still be at Baylor for the long haul, depending on if he is staffed with Montgomery or if groomed under Grobe in the short term to take over the whole enchilada as the top dog.
But in any event it would appear in 2017 one of five men will be on the Baylor sideline:
Phil Montgomery
Larry Fedora
Tom Herman
Jim Grobe
Chad Morris
And I would place the order of the names listed as the order of likelihood you'll see one of the above as the next Baylor coach.
I'm not a troll or an attention hound, so accuse me of stirring the rumor mill if you must, but my private conscience is clear that I speak only the truth, and have no desire to spread further allegations or rumors against our reeling program.
Bottom line is we are going to be more than ok going forward, we have good options ahead.
I NoZe and now you Noze too...
You Sir are full of [deleted] !!!
