Art Briles' new reality is anything but standard.

The former Baylor coach now lives in Florence, Italy, where he is the head coach of American football team Guelfi Firenze.

It's a far cry from the huge crowd Briles used to coach in front of, but it's a head coaching position — something he was unable to obtain in the U.S. due to him being fired in the wake of Baylor's Title IX scandal.

"I already love it," he told SportsDay. "I love the game here. It's the most humbling and rewarding experience at the same time I've ever had."

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Briles cited the lack of divas and the work ethic the players for the Italian team show. Most men hold down day jobs and go to 9 p.m. practices, since American football doesn't have the same glamour the NFL has in the U.S.

"They're playing the game for the same reason I'm coaching it," he said. "And that's because I love it. It doesn't matter to me if I'm coaching in Sundown, Texas, or Florence, Italy. If it's football, it's football. And these guys and coaches make tremendous sacrifices to do something they love to do without the rewards you get in the States.

"I hate to say it, but there is less drama."

Briles even has two former Baylor players on his team — Lynx Hawthorne and Silas Nacita. Hawthorne especially is protective over Briles and said lies were spread about in during the fallout of the Baylor scandal, which saw lawsuits pile up from women claiming many athletes, including 31 football players, assaulted them. According to the lawsuits, Briles didn't properly comply with Title IX regulations and was accused of brushing the assaults under the rug.

"One of the first things we talked about was the stuff that happened there," Hawthorne said. "The things that I saw and things I knew, he had no idea. There is no reason for him to sit across from me, look me in the eye and lie to me."

When asked if he was still affected by it, Briles replied solemnly.

"Yes, sir," he said. "Do I think it'll ever go away? Gosh, I hope. Of course, I don't know. I spend a lot of time in the present."

Briles said again he had no knowledge of any crimes his players committed, but said he would do things differently.

"Of course, certainly. I think everybody would. I'd make sure we had policies and procedures and Title IX in place across the board."