Baylor and athletics director Mack Rhoades are parting ways, according to multiple reports on Thursday. An announcement from the university is expected soon.
Rhoades has been on a leave of absence over the past week-plus due to what was termed "personal reasons," but he was also the subject of a human resources investigation after Outkick reported Rhoades got into a confrontation with Bears tight end Michael Trigg and an assistant coach on the sidelines before Baylor's Sept. 20 game with Arizona State.
Rhoades was also the chairman of the College Football Playoff selection committee, and has since stepped down from that role.
With Rhoades leaving, the immediate question now becomes what happens with the future of head coach Dave Aranda.
Sources told FootballScoop that Aranda was likely to be fired if Baylor lost its Nov. 1 homecoming game to UCF, a game the Bears won with ease. The Bears were blown out at home by No. 12 Utah last Saturday, 55-28, and now sit at 5-5 with two games remaining in their regular season.
Baylor must now turn its attention to identifying a person to run the athletics department, and also identifying a person (or persons) with the influence to make a call on Aranda's future, and those may not be the same people.
Update: Baylor has announced Rhoades's resignation. Co-ADs Jovan Overshown and Cody Hall will continue leading the department in interim roles as the school identifies its next AD "in the weeks ahead."
"I am certain that we will find a new AD who shares in this competitive commitment, aligns with and supports Baylor's Christian mission, and can lead us into this next era of intercollegiate athletics," Baylor president Linda Livingstone said.