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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Art Briles, head football coach of the University of |
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Houston, has earned the respect and gratitude of the team's fans by |
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restoring the Cougars to gridiron glory; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2006, his fourth year at the helm, Coach Briles |
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led the Cougars to their first Conference USA championship since |
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1999 and took the team to its third bowl appearance in the past four |
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seasons; and |
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WHEREAS, Coach Briles began his successful football career as |
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a player at Rule High School, where he was an all-state quarterback |
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on the team coached by his father, Dennis; he went on to attend the |
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University of Houston from 1974 to 1977, playing wide receiver on |
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the squad that captured the Southwest Conference championship and |
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emerged victorious in the Cotton Bowl; and |
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WHEREAS, After transferring to Texas Tech University, he |
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obtained his bachelor's degree, and he later earned a master's |
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degree in education at Abilene Christian University; and |
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WHEREAS, His coaching career began at Sundown High School, |
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where he was an assistant coach for a year, and continued at |
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Sweetwater High School, where he served as an assistant coach for |
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four years; after two years as head coach and athletic director at |
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Hamlin High School and two years in the same capacity at Georgetown |
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High School, he began his tenure as head coach and athletic director |
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at Stephenville High School; and |
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WHEREAS, During his 12 years as the head coach at |
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Stephenville, he led the Yellow Jackets to four state |
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championships, including back-to-back titles in 1998 and 1999; |
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during a six-year stretch, his teams posted a sensational record of |
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90-2-1, and the 1998 squad set a then national record for total |
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offense; and |
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WHEREAS, Coach Briles, who has spent his entire coaching |
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career in Texas, served as running backs coach at Texas Tech |
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University for three years before taking the head coaching position |
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at the University of Houston in 2003; and |
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WHEREAS, In his first season as a collegiate head coach, this |
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talented leader began the process of restoring the University of |
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Houston's once dominant football program to national prominence, |
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leading the Cougars to a 7-6 record and an appearance in the |
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Sheraton Hawaii Bowl; and |
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WHEREAS, The 2006 season saw the Cougars earn a berth in the |
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Liberty Bowl after posting a 10-3 regular season record and winning |
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the Conference USA championship; for his efforts, Coach Briles was |
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honored as the conference's 2006 Coach of the Year, a fitting |
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tribute for this successful leader; and |
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WHEREAS, Art Briles has reestablished the University of |
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Houston's football team as a perennial contender for postseason |
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honors, and he is indeed worthy of special recognition for his |
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outstanding efforts as the head coach of the Cougars; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby honor Art Briles for his contributions to the success of the |
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University of Houston football team and extend best wishes for |
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continued success to Coach Briles and his players and staff; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Coach Briles, University of Houston director of |
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athletics Dave Maggard, and university president Jay Gogue as an |
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expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives and |
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Senate. |