Baylor University Athletic Director Mack Rhoades Takes Leave of Absence for Personal Reasons
Baylor University's athletic director, Mack Rhoades, has decided to take a leave of absence from his responsibilities for personal reasons. The announcement was made by Yahoo! Sports insider Ross Dellenger, who reported that Rhoades initiated this move on Wednesday. Baylor later confirmed Rhoades' leave of absence in a statement but did not provide further details.
The university's statement mentioned that Mack Rhoades, the Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Baylor, is on a leave of absence for personal reasons starting on November 12. Baylor University declined to offer additional comments on the matter at this time. This decision follows a recent report by OutKick alleging that Rhoades is being investigated for his interactions with Baylor tight end Michael Trigg and an unnamed assistant coach during a game against Arizona State on September 20.
It remains uncertain how Rhoades' absence will impact his role as the chairman of the College Football Playoff selection committee. The committee had already lost a member earlier in the season when Randall McDaniel, an Arizona State alum, stepped away for personal reasons in mid-October. Mack Rhoades, who is 60 years old, has been Baylor's athletic director since 2016 and has held similar positions at other FBS institutions over the past two decades, including Missouri, Houston, and Akron.
As more information becomes available, this report will be updated.