BU Players tweet support of Rhule, express thanks to Briles

Baylor football players are taking to twitter to welcome newly hired Baylor head football coach Matt Rhule while one former Baylor star posted a heartfelt tribute to ousted coach Art Briles.

Rhule was introduced to an excited crowd as the new head coach of the Bears in a press conference Wednesday afternoon at the Ferrell Center on the Baylor Campus.

Rhule, 41, was hired more than six months after Briles was fired in late May following the scathing report from Pepper Hamilton about the school’s response to sexual assault.

Rhule said he took the job at Baylor because he felt “called to come.”

Rhule’s hire has been widely praised by fans from Temple University, where he won an AAC Championship this last year, and by media from around the country.

Baylor freshman quarterback Zach Smith, who started under center for Baylor after Seth Russell’s season-ending ankle injury, tweeted “Welcome to the family Coach Rhule.”

Baylor Offensive Tackle Kyle Fuller also tweeted a welcome to Rhule and followed it by saying:

Baylor Wide Receiver Quan Jones joined in as well.

Meanwhile, former Baylor and NFL running back Terrance Ganaway posted a 1:36-long video to twitter with the hashtag #THANKYOU.

Ganaway spent the time thanking Briles and the expected outgoing staff at Baylor.

“We built something special in Waco and we held each other accountable and that’s because Art Briles made it that way,” he said.

Ganaway talked about following Briles from the University Houston in 2008, where Briles coached before joining the Bears.

Ganaway holds several single season and single game records at Baylor, including single-season rushing yards (1,547) and single-season rushing TDs (21).

Ganaway took time to thank the wives of the current coaching staff, including Briles wife, Jan, and daughter Staley, who is married to Baylor assistant coach, Jeff Lebby.

“Polly, Ashley, Staley, Jan, thank y’all for being moms away from home, during all the holidays and Thanksgivings and Christmas holidays,” Ganaway said.

“Thank you for loving us like we’re your own kids.”

Ganaway ended his video with a message to Briles letting the fired coach how much he loved him.

“I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for all you’ve done for Baylor, “Ganaway said.

“Thank you for what you’ve done for me and my family and countless other athletes out there. You’ll be missed. I will always love you. Thank you again, Sic ‘Em.”