Texas Tech Seeks Permission to Interview Baylor's Art Briles

Texas Tech athletic director Gerald Myers has contacted Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw to seek permission to talk with second-year coach Art Briles, two sources familiar with the situation confirmed to FanHouse Wednesday.

This comes does days after Briles reaffirmed his commitment to Baylor, and indicates Texas Tech may try and be bold in replacing Mike Leach, the winningest coach in Red Raider history.

What's still not certain is whether or not Briles will pursue the vacant Texas Tech job. When reached by FanHouse, McCaw declined to discuss whether or not Texas Tech has sought permission to speak to the Baylor coach or if Briles is a candidate for the Red Raiders' opening.

Landing Briles could be huge for Texas Tech , which wants a slam-dunk hire after upsetting a large section of the Red Raiders fan base when it fired the highly popular Leach. Briles is not only a West Texas native and a graduate of Texas Tech, but he is familiar with Leach's offense. Briles served as Leach's running backs coach from 2000-02. He runs an offense similar to the recently fired coach with quick passing and wide offensive line splits, which makes him a good fit for a Texas Tech team stocked with players suited to Leach's spread offense.

Briles quickly turned around University of Houston upon leaving Tech after the 2002 season, taking the Cougars to four bowls in five seasons before taking over the Baylor Bears. Briles hasn't been quite as successful with the worst program in the Big 12, going 8-16 in his first two seasons at Baylor. But the Bears were badly hampered this season by the injury of star quarterback Robert Griffin, who was lost for the season just two games in.

In addition to Briles, Texas Tech is also weighing the interest of interim head coach/defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill, former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville and former Clemson coach Tommy Bowden. McNeill interviewed with Tech officials Monday and Tuberville was flown into Lubbock on Tuesday and to meet with Myers and other decision makers. The interview was said to have gone well but the job obviously was not offered.

It's still unclear when, or if, Bowden will get an interview. Myers has said he hopes to make a decison by the end of the week, but that could be a little too ambitious unless it's a coach already on staff.

On the surface, Briles and McNeill seem the most natural fit because of their background and familiarity with the quirky offense, which Texas Tech fans seem to favor. McNeill, who has been a galvanizing presence among the players, fans and the coaching staff, seemed to make his case for taking over stronger with Saturday night's impressive Alamo Bowl win over Michigan State.

Texas Tech officials are also said to be interested in whoever takes over keeping most of the current football staff intact.

That could be sticking point for Briles, who has his staff at Baylor to consider with few jobs still available at this point in the hiring season. Briles also has a $4 million buyout clause in his contract, which might be a problem for Texas Tech, which not only has to pay a new coach but also could be on the hook for some of the five-year, $12.7 million contract he just signed last February.