Art Briles is no longer there, but the scandal he left behind remains on the Baylor campus.
A lawsuit emerged in January that claimed a total of 52 rapes committed by 31 players over a 4-year period from 2011-15, and on Wednesday the Texas Rangers -- the law enforcement organization, not the baseball team -- announced a preliminary investigation into Baylor's handling of the sexual assault claims.
In response to those news items, Briles released a 1-page letter on Thursday, obtained KWTX-TV:
“Let me be clear. I did not cover up sexual violence,” the letter reads. “Anyone well-versed in my work as a coach knows that I strove to promote excellence, but never at the sacrifice or safety for anyone. …
“Despite the insistence of certain people, I can remain silent no longer. There is an onslaught of information coming out in the press that is inaccurate, misleading, and unfair to Baylor, its amazing students, its strong faculty, the administration, and its athletic programs. …
“I did not obstruct justice on campus or off. When I was alerted that there might have been an assault, my response was clear: the alleged victims should go to police, report it and it should be prosecuted.”
Briles originally sued Baylor for libel upon his termination, but dropped the lawsuit shortly after news of the January lawsuit against Baylor went public.