Baylor's Briles opts to stay quiet after TCU's Patterson fires shot

Baylor coach Art Briles can be feisty when he wants to be, but this time he decided not to acknowledge a shot fired by rival TCU coach Gary Patterson.

Patterson was defending the character of senior defensive end Mike Tuaua, who was arrested on Monday, along with sophomore backup wide receiver Andres Petties-Wilson, on felony robbery and bodily injury charges.

The two players were accused of punching and kicking fellow TCU students and stealing a case of Keystone Light. Patterson told reporters at his weekly press conference that all the facts of the case were not yet public, and that when they became public he hopes the media reports those facts with the same vigor as it did the arrest.

Then Patterson said, "Because it’s not even close to what happened south of here."

It was a not-so-veiled shot at Baylor and former Baylor defensive end Sam Ukwuachu, who was convicted Aug. 20 of sexual assault of a former Baylor soccer player.

According to the Waco Tribune-Herald, Briles said he "casually" heard of Patterson's comment. When asked directly about it, Briles directed the conversation to Saturday's game against Rice.

"Did (Rice coach) David Bailiff say something?” Briles said. “I’m worried about Rice.”

Briles was asked if recent incidents that also include the one-game suspensions of his son and offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, and receivers coach Tate Wallis for recruiting violations, along with this week's announced first-half suspension of assistant Jeff Lebby for a scouting violation, makes it easier for outsiders to take shots at the program.

"We’re playing football," Briles said. "That’s where we take our shots, on the football field.”

(h/t Waco Tribune-Herald)