The Baylor Bears' athletic program was hit by another big blow on Thursday afternoon. After leaving his post as the chair of the College Football Playoff committee, athletic director Mack Rhoades will now leave his role as the head of Baylor's athletic department. College football insider Pete Thamel broke the news of Rhoades' impending departure via X, formerly Twitter.
“Sources: Baylor is expected to soon announce the departure of Athletic Director Mack Rhoades,” Thamel broke on Thursday afternoon. “He’s on leave from the school for personal reasons, and the sides are planning to announce he’s stepping away immediately.”
Rhoades helped lift the Baylor athletics program back up from the depths of the Big 12. Following a scandal-ridden exit from former Baylor football head coach Art Briles, Rhoades hired current Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule to turn the program around. Rhule did just that, then left for the Carolina Panthers' head coaching role. After his departure, Dave Aranda was hired after an outstanding run as LSU's defensive coordinator. With Rhoades now leaving the athletic department he saved, what will the future of Aranda, men's basketball coach Scott Drew, and others look like moving forward?
Baylor Athletics is heading into a pivotal stretch of time
Under Aranda this season, the Baylor football program is 5-5, including 3-4 in the Big 12. Meanwhile, Drew is starting his 23rd season at the helm of the Baylor men's basketball team. The Bears have started this season undefeated, currently sitting at 3-0 with wins over UT Rio Grande Valley, Washington, and Tarleton State.
Whomever replaces Rhoades will likely not only evaluate the performances of Aranda and Drew, but the rest of the Baylor athletics program as well. The Big 12 is one of the most wide-open conferences in college football. Meanwhile, the basketball team under Drew has backslid a bit following a national title win to cap off the 2020-21 season. Will a new athletic director inject as much life into the sleeping giant of an athletics program that the Bears possess? If so, Rhoades will have left Baylor in great hands.
