Rhoades steps down as CFP chair, takes leave of absence as Baylor AD

Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades has stepped down from his role as chairman of the College Football Playoff selection committee and is taking a leave of absence from the school while it investigates allegations against him.

While not going into additional details, Baylor vice president Jason Cook said Thursday those allegations against Rhoades do not involve Title IX, student-athlete welfare or NCAA rules violations, and do not involve the football program. Cook said the university takes the allegations seriously and is in the process of conducting a thorough investigation.

The school earlier in the day released a statement that said Rhoades began his leave for “personal reasons” on Wednesday.

Rhoades didn’t respond to a message from The Associated Press. He told ESPN he initiated his leave from Baylor, but declined to explain why.

The new allegations received this week are not related to a report earlier this month of an alleged verbal and physical altercation involving Rhoades, a football player and an assistant coach. The school had previously said it reviewed and investigated that matter, and that it was closed after appropriate actions were taken.

Rhoades was in the second year of a three-year CFP appointment, and his first season as chairman of the committee.

While confirming Rhoades was stepping down, the CFP didn’t immediately say who would take over as chairman and if his vacancy would be filled by someone else. The committee chairman is the primary spokesperson for the CFP decision making process, regularly appearing on prime-time ESPN bracket reveals as the college football schedule gets closer to the postseason.

The selection committee, which has done two weekly rankings this season, was already down from its standard 13 members to 12 after Randall McDaniel last month stepped away from his role on the committee for personal reasons, though the former Arizona State guard is expected to return next year.

Rhoades has been Baylor’s athletic director since July 2016, when he took over in the wake of the revelation of a sprawling sexual assault scandal that cost two-time Big 12 champion football coach Art Briles his job. That NCAA case against the Bears wasn’t resolved until 2021, when the school was placed on four years of probation.

Before Baylor, Rhoades was the AD at Missouri (2015-16), Houston (2009-15) and Akron (2006-09).

Outkick had reported earlier this month that Rhoades approached tight end Michael Trigg before a home game Sept. 20 against Arizona State and put his hands on the player, while using an expletive in asking why he was wearing a long-sleeved yellow shirt under his uniform. Then after the game, according to the report, Rhoades was behind Trigg and some coaches when the AD allegedly grabbed one of the assistants and verbally accosted him.

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