Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades has taken a leave of absence from his position with the university and is stepping down as chair of the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection committee.
The move, effective November 12, was confirmed by the school, which cited personal reasons for his leave: “Baylor Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mack Rhoades is on a leave of absence for personal reasons, effective November 12. The University will decline to comment further at this time.”
Rhoades took over as Baylor’s athletic director in 2016 following stints at Missouri, Houston, and Akron. During his absence, deputy athletic director and COO Jovan Overshown, along with executive senior associate AD and CFO Cody Hall, will oversee the athletic department’s day-to-day operations. It remains unclear how long Rhoades will remain on leave or whether he will return to his role following the university’s review.
Multiple outlets, including CBS Sports and ESPN, report that Rhoades’s departure follows new allegations received by Baylor earlier this week. The university has launched an internal review, though officials emphasized the allegations do not involve Title IX issues, student welfare, NCAA violations, or the football program.
According to Yahoo Sports, the new allegations are separate from an earlier sideline incident involving Rhoades and tight end Michael Trigg during Baylor’s Sept. 20 game against Arizona State. Reports from The Athletic claim Rhoades confronted Trigg over his gold undershirt, which differed from the team’s uniform, and allegedly grabbed the player while using an expletive. Head coach Dave Aranda later exchanged “heated” words with Rhoades about the matter.
Baylor previously addressed that incident, stating, “More than a month ago, Baylor University received reports of an incident involving vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics Mack Rhoades. These reports were thoroughly reviewed and investigated in accordance with university policies, appropriate actions were taken, and the matter is now closed. Mr. Rhoades has expressed regret over his emotions and recognizes his conduct at that moment was not reflective of our Christian mission and values. Mr. Rhoades is an important part of our Baylor family, and we look forward to his continued leadership of our athletics department. We remain committed to ensuring a respectful and accountable environment for all of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff.”
Rhoades’s leave comes at a critical juncture in the college football season. The final CFP rankings will be revealed on December 7, and Rhoades had been leading the committee responsible for determining the playoff field. Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek is expected to be nominated to replace Rhoades as chair, while the Big 12 has recommended Utah AD Mark Harlan to fill his seat on the 13-member selection committee. Both nominations await approval from the CFP governing board.
Editorial credit: davisdeatonphotography / Shutterstock.com