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Kendal Briles has spent two seasons running the offense for Sam Pittman and Arkansas. Things were so good in 2021, his name has come up as one destined for an eventual head coaching gig.
Not a word has been bandied, publicly, about when that could be, but 247Sports released its list of 10 of the most likely assistants for whom other programs will come knocking about regarding promotions.
Briles was on it.
Sam Pittman made Kendal Briles a priority when he took over at Arkansas ahead of the 2020 season and two years into the marriage. The Razorbacks made substantial strides in the right direction. Briles helped developed K.J. Jefferson into one of the SEC’s top quarterbacks this fall, and the Texas native is credited with helping to land several of the program’s top players during his tenure. The son of former Baylor coach Art Briles, Kendal learned from one of the best offensive masterminds the college game has seen and his early success on offense as a play-caller should lead to a bright future.
Arkansas’ 441 yards a game this season ranked the Razorbacks 29th in FBS. It was their highest ranking since 2015 when they hit the same standing.
Jefferson developed from a run-first quarterback with a shoddy release to a dangerous two-way player that proved himself one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the nation.
Briles is due much of that credit. And given his pedigree, other programs are all but guaranteed to come knocking sooner rather than later.