Kendal Briles leaves Arkansas to become TCU’s offensive coordinator.
TCU officially announced the rental on Thursday.
The Razorbacks have hired Dan Enos from Maryland to replace Briles as offensive coordinator, the school announced Thursday. Enos has been at Maryland for the past two seasons and has been instrumental in the development of quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa.
Briles, 40, has served as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach for the past three seasons at Arkansas, which has seen an offensive upheaval under Briles. The Hogs finished 15th nationally in total offense last season with an average of 32.5 points per game and 30.9 points in 2021, which was the highest in Arkansas since the 2015 season. The Hogs did not averaged just 21.4 points per game in 2019, the year before Briles arrived.
Arkansas finished seventh nationally in rushing offense in 2022 (236.5 yards per game). The Hogs’ rushing 3,075 yards was their highest since the 2003 season. Briles also improved Arkansas’ passing game and balance on offense. The Hogs were one of three FBS teams in 2022 (Ole Miss and UCLA the others) to average over 230 rushing yards and 230 passing yards per game.
Briles replaces Garrett Riley at TCU. Riley left last week to be Clemson’s offensive coordinator. At TCU, Briles joins one of the nation’s top offensive-minded head coaches, Sonny Dykes, who is entering his second season in Fort Worth. Dykes took the Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff National Championship game last season; they lost 65-7 to Georgia.
Over the past two years, Briles has had the opportunity to leave Arkansas for other jobs. Miami came after him a year ago, but he stayed put. And then last month, Briles turned down overtures from Mississippi State.
This will be Briles’ sixth stint as offensive coordinator. He was with his dad, Art Briles, at Baylor as wide receivers coach, then passing play coordinator and then offensive quarterbacks coach in 2015 when he was a finalist for the Broyles award as top coach. country deputy.
Art Briles was fired ahead of the 2016 season following a sexual assault scandal at Baylor which also led to the firing and/or resignation of the school’s president and athletic director. Kendal Briles, who has not been directly implicated in any wrongdoing, remained as offensive coordinator under Jim Grobe in 2016 before heading to Florida Atlantic as offensive coordinator in 2017, Houston as offensive coordinator in 2018 and Florida State as offensive coordinator in 2019.
Art Briles and Dykes worked together on the staff of Texas Tech from 2000 to 2002 under Mike Leach.
Arkansas’ coaching staff has seen significant turnover this offseason, including the two coordinators. Barry Odom has taken over as head coach of UNLV. Arkansas coach Sam Pittman has hired UCF’s Travis Williams and Florida State’s Marcus Woodson as defensive co-coordinators after linebackers coach Michael Scherer went with Odom to be the defensive coordinator of the UNLV. Tight ends coach Dowell Loggains left to become South Carolina’s offensive coordinator, and Pittman fired his strength coach, Ben Sowders, and replaced him with Jamil Walker.
This will be Enos’ second stint as Arkansas’ offensive coordinator. He oversaw the Razorbacks’ offense from 2015-2017, while they were one of two FBS programs with a 3,000-yard passer and 1,300-yard rusher in 2015 and 2016.
