Judge Dismisses Art Briles, Ian McCaw From Title IX Suit As Ex-Baylor Coach Continues To Shed Scapegoat Status

For the past seven years, Art Briles has argued that Baylor used him as a scapegoat. Now, a judge agrees — saying the former football coach was not negligent in the case involving a former female student who reported physical assault by one of his players.

U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman dismissed the gross negligence claims against Briles, former athletic director Ian McCaw and Baylor University. Judge Pitman declared "no reasonable jury can conclude" that the defendants were "grossly negligent" based on the evidence presented at trial.

"I am happy for Coach Briles. He did nothing wrong," Briles' attorney, Reed Simpson, said.

Briles was infamously fired from Baylor in 2016 after accusations that he and other members of the athletic department failed to take action regarding sexual assault and sexual misconduct committed by members of the football team.

Briles has steadfastly denied that he knew anything about Baylor's sexual assault scandal that reportedly involved more than 30 players and approximately 50 rapes.

And in 2021, the NCAA cleared the former coach of any wrongdoing. But he still had to fight a legal battle.

Art Briles Dismissed From Court Case

The plaintiff, former Baylor student Dolores Lozano, reported her first assault in March 2014. The negligence of Briles, McCaw and the university, she claimed, subjected her to further abuse by football player Devin Chafin.

But in court Thursday, Briles and McCaw had the opportunity to set the record straight.

McCaw said he knew of Lozano's allegations in 2014 and he took appropriate action to further report the incident. Briles, on the other hand, didn't know anything about Lozano or her reports against Chafin until she filed her lawsuit in 2016.

That's when Briles accused Baylor of using him and the football program as "camouflage" for its institutional failure to comply with Title IX regulations.

(Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

But since then, Briles has been treated like a villain by the college football world.

When asked if Friday's ruling would help Briles' overall reputation, his lawyer simply said, "I hope it helps."

With Briles and McCaw cleared, the Title IX and simple negligence claims against Baylor University stand. A jury will begin deliberation after closing arguments Friday.

Follow Amber on X at @TheAmberHarding or email her at Amber.Harding@OutKick.com.