HOUSTON, TX - NOVEMBER 14: Houston Cougars prepare to take on the Memphis Tigers on November 14, 2015 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Houston releases statement after Art Briles reportedly on short list for interview

Phew. That was a close call.

There were reports that former Baylor coach Art Briles had a chance to become the next head coach at Houston and was scheduled for an interview. However, Houston has now made it clear that Briles was never an option and will not be interviewed.

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But it sounds like there was at least one important person at Houston who wanted to interview Briles to give him a chance.

Good thing Fertitta doesn't make all the decisions or else Houston could have gotten itself into a bad situation with a coach who really shouldn't be heading up a program so soon after being dismissed for a sexual assault scandal. And Fertitta seems to be disputing McMurphy's report as well:

Fertitta might be a booster, but he is definitely the AD or the school president so to think he has that kind of power might be ridiculous. The only person in college football who has that kind of power is probably Phil Knight for Oregon.