Baylor’s weird season took one other unusual activate Thursday as athletic director Mack Rhoades took a private depart of absence. Sources confirmed to CBS Sports activities that Rhoades is below investigation for a second time after the athletic division obtained new allegations on Monday.
There are not any particulars accessible on the investigation, apart from that it doesn’t contain Title IX points or interplay with a participant. The allegations are separate from the earlier investigation into his alleged accosting of tight finish Michael Trigg, which occurred in September.
Regardless, the brand new developments solely provides one other layer of complication to the standing of Baylor soccer coach Dave Aranda.
Lackluster season
The sixth-year coach got here into the 12 months with Massive 12 championship aspirations after ending final season on a six-game common season profitable streak. The Bears returned high quarterback Sawyer Robertson and operating again Bryson Washington, each of whom ranked among the many finest within the Massive 12 final season. As an alternative, Baylor has been wildly disappointing.
The Bears sit at 5-4 with troublesome video games towards No. 13 Utah, Arizona and Houston remaining. If Baylor finishes with a shedding report, it will likely be 4 such seasons in six years below Aranda. That may be the worst run since 2009, relationship again to the Man Morriss period and darkest on-field days of Baylor soccer.
The standing has left Aranda on one of many hottest seats in school soccer. Actually, CBS Sports activities consultants rated him as having the third-hottest seat within the sport at a 4.5 out of 5.0 of their midseason test in. Throwing the athletic director state of affairs into turmoil makes every little thing harder.
Aranda is well-liked within the athletic division, however this system has plateaued below his watch. If Aranda was fired, he would grow to be the tenth Energy 4 coach fired in 2025.
After one other lackluster begin, it is tougher than ever to make excuses for Baylor’s Dave Aranda
Shehan Jeyarajah
Tied on the hip
Rhoades was employed in 2016, on the heels of Baylor’s Title IX scandal below former head coach Artwork Briles. He employed soccer coach Matt Rhule, who constructed a Massive 12 finalist. Two years later, Aranda led the Bears to the very best season in program historical past, together with a Massive 12 championship. Beneath his watch, Baylor additionally gained nationwide titles in males’s and ladies’s basketball, becoming a member of UConn as the one college to perform each up to now decade.
Rhoades invested closely in Aranda after the 2021 season, giving him a contract extending by way of 2029. Even when the Bears fell to 3-9 in 2023, Rhoades doubled down on his help of Aranda, revamping NIL and pushing him to spend money on the switch portal.
Early outcomes have been stable. Aranda’s group completed the 2024 season with eight wins. The 2026 recruiting class is on observe to be among the best in program historical past. The Bears rank No. 26 within the Top247 rankings, with three gamers ranked within the high 100 of the Top247.
However now, this system is tanking as soon as once more and followers are revolting. A decent win towards Kansas State featured a depressing attendance of 35,596, the worst within the historical past of McLane Stadium. Rhoades signed a serious contract extension in 2022, framed as a retirement deal. However after the slippage and new points, his standing turns into rather more sophisticated.
Who’s in cost?
As of publication, Rhoades has not been fired as athletic director. A college spokesman advised KWTX that his absence is anticipated to be 4 weeks. COO Jovan Overshown and CFO Cody Corridor are serving as interim co-athletic administrators presently. If Rhoades is out of the image, it makes the choice way more sophisticated.
The timing of Rhoades’ depart is a sophisticated one because the college prepares to decide on Aranda. Baylor’s remaining recreation is on Nov. 29. Whereas Aranda’s contract just isn’t accessible attributable to being at a non-public establishment, many teaching contracts have buyouts that drop on Dec. 1.
However even when a choice maker on campus decides to fireside Aranda, the search will include further problems. Can the college get a brand new athletic director within the door earlier than a choice is made? Would a high-level athletic director be all in favour of coming once they cannot choose their new coach? Who would spearhead the choice on campus: the interim ADs, college president Linda Livingstone or the college’s giant board of regents?
On Saturday, Baylor soccer faces one in every of its greatest checks in years as No. 13 Utah involves city. The Bears are 7.5-point underdogs within the matchup, and are prone to lose one more house recreation by a number of scores. With all of the chaos circling across the athletic division, it might show a rock-bottom second for the Aranda period.
