Big 12 Media Days | Baylor's Art Briles 'extremely proud' of former assistant, new TU coach Philip Montgomery
**Baylor coach says ex-assistant “right guy” for TU job.**
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Columnist
DALLAS — Even though new Tulsa football coach Philip Montgomery quickly plucked away former Baylor quarterback commit Chad President, Bears coach Art Briles has no need to fear his former apprentice.
Not yet, anyway.
“Whoever Tulsa can get,” Briles said. “I mean, if they’re not going to Baylor, I’m happy they’re going to Tulsa.”
Montgomery was Briles’ offensive coordinator and quarterback coach as Baylor built college football’s most prolific offense. Now Montgomery has a rebuilding project going at Tulsa, and Briles is confident his longtime assistant coach and close friend will get it done.
“He’s a great man, to begin with,” Briles said. “Trustworthy, honest, fair, considerate, compassionate — I mean, all those things that you want to know as a person. And then professionally, you know, innovative, inspirational, great motivator and a great game-day manager and great people person.
“They wouldn’t have hired him if he wasn’t the right guy for the job. Because those people that are hiring him, guess who else’s job is on the line? Theirs. So they’ve got to make the right decision, and Philip was the right decision.
“I mean, he’s a no-brainer, and I’m extremely proud of him.”
Montgomery, however, is a lifelong Texan and has impossibly deep roots in Texas high school football. He has made it clear that, even if he has to go head-to-head with Baylor and his mentor, his recruiting priority at TU will be south of the Red River.
“Well, I mean, if I was coaching at Ouachita Baptist in Arkansas or at San Jose State, that would be my priority, also — which it is, for every university in the nation. Texas is the most heavily recruited state,” Briles said. “So that’s what makes it so invigorating as a recruiter, as a football program, to keep kids here. Because it’s hard. It’s tough. They’re getting pulled a lot of different ways.
“I’ve been with coach Montgomery since ’96 or ’97, and he’s been a tremendously loyal person. He’s done it the right way. He’s never self-promoted. He stayed under the radar. He’s let his actions speak for himself. And he’s done a tremendous job, tremendous coach, very intelligent, very innovative, and very caring. So I was extremely, extremely happy for him.”
**Baylor coach says ex-assistant “right guy” for TU job.**
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Columnist
DALLAS — Even though new Tulsa football coach Philip Montgomery quickly plucked away former Baylor quarterback commit Chad President, Bears coach Art Briles has no need to fear his former apprentice.
Not yet, anyway.
“Whoever Tulsa can get,” Briles said. “I mean, if they’re not going to Baylor, I’m happy they’re going to Tulsa.”
Montgomery was Briles’ offensive coordinator and quarterback coach as Baylor built college football’s most prolific offense. Now Montgomery has a rebuilding project going at Tulsa, and Briles is confident his longtime assistant coach and close friend will get it done.
“He’s a great man, to begin with,” Briles said. “Trustworthy, honest, fair, considerate, compassionate — I mean, all those things that you want to know as a person. And then professionally, you know, innovative, inspirational, great motivator and a great game-day manager and great people person.
“They wouldn’t have hired him if he wasn’t the right guy for the job. Because those people that are hiring him, guess who else’s job is on the line? Theirs. So they’ve got to make the right decision, and Philip was the right decision.
“I mean, he’s a no-brainer, and I’m extremely proud of him.”
Montgomery, however, is a lifelong Texan and has impossibly deep roots in Texas high school football. He has made it clear that, even if he has to go head-to-head with Baylor and his mentor, his recruiting priority at TU will be south of the Red River.
“Well, I mean, if I was coaching at Ouachita Baptist in Arkansas or at San Jose State, that would be my priority, also — which it is, for every university in the nation. Texas is the most heavily recruited state,” Briles said. “So that’s what makes it so invigorating as a recruiter, as a football program, to keep kids here. Because it’s hard. It’s tough. They’re getting pulled a lot of different ways.
“I’ve been with coach Montgomery since ’96 or ’97, and he’s been a tremendously loyal person. He’s done it the right way. He’s never self-promoted. He stayed under the radar. He’s let his actions speak for himself. And he’s done a tremendous job, tremendous coach, very intelligent, very innovative, and very caring. So I was extremely, extremely happy for him.”
