If there is more room for innovative college coaches in the NFL, Art Briles could be the man to fill it.
The Baylor coach said he would be intrigued by an NFL career move, in part because pro offenses are showing an increasing amount of creativity.
Under Briles' leadership, the Baylor offense has been nothing if not creative.
"I think it would interesting; it's kind of intriguing to me. As opposed to 20 years ago when it was a trickle-down effect (from NFL to college), it's a trickle-up effect now," Briles told FOX Sports' The Audible with Bruce Feldman. "I think everything's trickling up from high school, to college to the NFL. That's why the game's getting more open, more exciting and more diverse. To me, as a guy who deals with things on the offensive side of the ball most of the time, I think it would be very exciting to get to the NFL level with this type of scheme and see what happens."
Translation: If Briles ever does end up in the NFL, his pinball offense is coming with him.
Baylor operates a hurry-up, no-huddle offense that averaged 85 plays per game last season, as the Bears won the Big 12 title in an 11-2 season. The scheme puts pressure on defenses by creating one-on-one tackling situations in the open field and getting the ball to athletes that can win those challenges on a consistent basis. Baylor led the NCAA in total offense last season, averaging 619 yards per game. Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly, who ran a hurry-up, no-huddle offense at Oregon, brought some similar concepts to the Eagles last season, resulting in the No. 2 offense in the NFL (417 yards per game).
With a Heisman Trophy candidate returning in quarterback Bryce Petty, Briles is primed for another big season at Baylor, and his stock as an in-demand coach might hit its peak at the end of the 2014 season. If 2015 proves to be the right time for Briles to make a jump to the NFL, defensive coordinators might as well run their scouting reports on his new team through a shredder.
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