H.R. No. 631

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Art Briles, the head football coach at Baylor
	University, has earned the heartfelt appreciation of the team's
	loyal fans by restoring the Bears to national prominence; and
	WHEREAS, During his five years at the university, Coach
	Briles has led his team to a historic 10-win season and its best
	poll ranking since 1986, and he has produced Baylor's first bowl
	victories in two decades; in addition, the guidance he provided to
	Robert Griffin III helped the quarterback to become the first
	Heisman Trophy winner in the program's history; and
	WHEREAS, An all-state quarterback at Rule High School, Art
	Briles went on to play wide receiver for the University of Houston;
	he graduated with a bachelor's degree from Texas Tech University
	and later earned a master's degree from Abilene Christian
	University; and
	WHEREAS, He began his coaching career in 1979 at the high
	school level and worked at several campuses before taking the head
	coaching job at Stephenville High School in 1988; during his
	12-year tenure with the Yellow Jackets, Coach Briles led the team to
	four state championships, including back-to-back titles in 1998 and
	1999; his accomplishments were honored with his induction into the
	Texas High School Football Hall of Fame and the Big Country Athletic
	Hall of Fame; and
	WHEREAS, Moving to the college ranks, he coached running
	backs at Texas Tech for three years before taking the top job at the
	University of Houston in 2003; this talented mentor brought about
	dramatic improvements for the Cougars, and he was selected as the
	Conference USA Coach of the Year in 2006 after steering the team to
	the conference championship; and
	WHEREAS, On November 28, 2007, Coach Briles took charge of
	the Baylor University football program, and he led his first Bears
	squad onto the field the following year; as part of his rebuilding
	effort, he has used his superb recruiting skills to bring in
	numerous top-flight players, and the athletes who have accepted
	scholarships since 2009 have been the school's highest-ranked
	signing classes in the Big 12 era; and
	WHEREAS, After three seasons of dedicated work, Baylor burst
	into the national spotlight in 2011; paced by the phenomenal
	performance of Robert Griffin III, the Bears compiled a six-game
	winning streak on their way to a 10-3 overall record, and they
	defeated Oklahoma for the first time ever; the season concluded
	with a thrilling 67-56 triumph over Washington in the Alamo Bowl,
	which helped the team to claim the number 12 ranking in the final
	USA Today Coaches Poll; as a result of Baylor's fine showing, Coach
	Briles was selected as a finalist for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach
	of the Year Award; and
	WHEREAS, In 2012, the Bears continued their momentum,
	establishing an 8-5 record and closing out the year with four
	consecutive wins, including a commanding 49-26 defeat of UCLA in
	the Holiday Bowl; and
	WHEREAS, Through his expertise and commitment to excellence,
	Art Briles has engineered the remarkable gridiron resurgence of the
	Bears, and his teams are sure to be a source of excitement for
	members of the Baylor Nation in the years ahead; now, therefore, be
	it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
	Legislature hereby honor Art Briles for his noteworthy coaching
	achievements at Baylor University and extend to him sincere best
	wishes for continued success; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
	prepared for Coach Briles as an expression of high regard by the
	Texas House of Representatives.
	Sanford
	Leach
	Straus M. Gonzalez of El Paso Oliveira
	Allen N. Gonzalez of El Paso Orr
	Alonzo Gooden Otto
	Alvarado Guerra Paddie
	Anchia Guillen Parker
	Anderson Gutierrez Patrick
	Ashby Harless Perez
	Aycock Harper-Brown Perry
	Bell Hernandez Luna Phillips
	Bohac Herrero Pickett
	Bonnen of Brazoria Hilderbran Pitts
	Bonnen of Galveston Howard Price
	Branch Huberty Raney
	Burkett Hughes Ratliff
	Burnam Hunter Raymond
	Button Isaac Reynolds
	Callegari Johnson Riddle
	Canales Kacal Ritter
	Capriglione Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar
	Carter King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis
	Clardy King of Parker Rose
	Coleman King of Taylor Sanford
	Collier King of Zavala Schaefer
	Cook Kleinschmidt Sheets
	Cortez Klick Sheffield of Bell
	Craddick Kolkhorst Sheffield of Coryell
	Creighton Krause Simmons
	Crownover Kuempel Simpson
	Dale Larson Smith
	Darby Laubenberg Smithee
	Davis of Dallas Lavender Springer
	J. Davis of Harris Leach Stephenson
	S. Davis of Harris Lewis Stickland
	Deshotel Longoria Strama
	Dukes Lozano Taylor
	Dutton Lucio III Thompson of Brazoria
	Eiland Marquez Thompson of Harris
	Elkins Martinez Toth
	Fallon Martinez Fischer Turner of Collin
	Farias McClendon Turner of Harris
	Farney Menendez Turner of Tarrant
	Farrar Miles Villalba
	Fletcher Miller of Comal Villarreal
	Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo
	Frank Moody Walle
	Frullo Morrison White
	Geren Munoz, Jr. Workman
	Giddings Murphy Wu
	Goldman Naishtat Zedler
	Gonzales Nevarez Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 631 was adopted by the House on February
	27, 2013, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House