Exclusive Q&A with Mack Rhoades on Dave Aranda, the CFB Coaching Carousel & more
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David Smoak: Don't take offense to how I ask this question, but is college football drunk?
Baylor AD Mack Rhoades: There's been a lot of activity over the last 48 hours, hasn't there? It's been crazy when you when you think of the of the coaching carousel.
David Smoak: It really has. I guess at all of what I've watched, and everybody can have an opinion, and these are shocking, because of the blue bloods who are either open, or now others that are now blue bloods that are open because they fill other jobs with Lincoln Riley at USC and now Kelly leaves Notre Dame for LSU. How do you look at it as an AD Mack? Because I know you have Dave, he feels -- and he has said this multiple times, no matter what anyone wants to think -- that he wants to remain at Baylor and is going to remain at Baylor. About the money 10 million, 15 million. I know that everyone has their own budget, and who pays for that our donors, whatever. But does that scare you a little bit?
Baylor AD Mack Rhoades: I guess yes and no. If that's the reality, and that's where we're headed, there's 10 institutions, 15 institutions in the country that can afford to pay head coaches that amount of money. That's not the ballpark that we're probably going to going to play in. For us, I think it's even more critical, more important that you hire somebody that is really a great fit, really feels aligned with your values. And maybe isn't completely completely driven by monetary gain, etc. The part that I have peace in is this is a great job. We have a great job, you can win here. Think about this, we're going to play in the champ game, conference championship game, in two of the last three years with two different head coaches. We we may not be able to pay you $15 million a year, but we can provide, and do provide, a lot of other things including the opportunity to win, including a national platform where you can be ranked in the top 10 of the CFP. You can have an opportunity to go play for a national championship.
David Smoak: What does that say, Mack, if you look back, Art Briles took over a team that had not been to a bowl game in what including his first two years, like 16 or 17 years, they get that done. And then they get to two straight, win two Big 12 titles. And then Matt (Rhule) does what he does. Dave (Aranda) does what he does. What does that say?
Baylor AD Mack Rhoades:There's a lot of variables and things that you can say and one I think this institution made a made a commitment to football. The beautiful stadium, McLane stadium on I 35, that really signifies it, and it is really the cornerstone of it. Then I think there's been just a lot of work since then. You think about location, such a such a big, big part of it. State of Texas, and no disrespect to Florida or California or Ohio, but I certainly believe the State of Texas has the best high school talent in the United States. I truly believe we have the best high school coaches by far in all the United States. So this access to talent and again the commitment to infrastructure, I think that's why it's so important that we're going to break ground on a football operations building. We're the only one of the Big 12 that doesn't have one. We need to continue to be aggressive and do all we can to make sure that we always stay relevant and in that top percent when we think about infrastructure for football, but but also beyond football, for all of our sport programs and student athletes.
David Smoak: Obviously, Dave Aranda is as unique as you could possibly imagine. You knew that probably from the beginning and probably something that maybe even got you guys even closer together when you are in the middle of that search to find a new coach. Is even more unique than you could ever imagine? And what are some of the other people maybe in your profession, do they ever say to you, "My God, you have a homerun, Grand Slam hire?”
Baylor AD Mack Rhoades: It's a great question. I go back to when I first talked to Coach Aranda on the phone, and it was the first time that we had ever had a conversation with one another. We didn't know each other. I just remember getting off that that phone call, and I think it was probably about an hour. He was he was prepping for the National Championship game, I was in that little airport outside of Riodosa, New Mexico. And I remember just getting off and just saying, 'Wow, this guy could be our next head coach. The uniqueness just, quite frankly, really probably drew me to him, and certainly the committee. Not just to be different, but it was refreshing and it certainly aligned with my beliefs, my philosophy, our institutions core values. And when we hired him, there were a lot of people that, uhhh, let's, let's wait and see because he'll tell you this, he's he's an introvert rather than an extrovert. Can you be a leader? Can you be a successful head coach if by nature you are more of an introvert? And people were really curious and wondering about that. Obviously, we had a strong belief that you can be. And look, he's done a great job. Colleagues and people across the country have the utmost respect for him. As a person, the way he treats people, the way he's interacted with folks throughout his journey in college football, and then I think they have unbelievable respect for him as the football mind and how he does it, how he teaches, how he leads. We're blessed that he's our head coach and we made the decision, I made the decision, because just thought there was great, great upside there. And there's still so much, so much growth for him and I mean that in a really, really positive way. He's got such a high ceiling and hopefully all of us, including myself, we're growing every day, because the minute the minute we stop, we're gonna end up getting beat.
David Smoak: In fact, one of his commandments is do not allow outside noise into the program. But when he has felt it a little bit, he has actually addressed it with the players, the staff, and obviously, I'm sure with commitments. He also said that even if I was to say something right now, no one's gonna believe me. And how many coaches would actually even admit that? Because a lot of times they just talk. Have you found in those meetings you have with him at six o'clock in the morning or whenever they are, that he is, I'm not saying perfect, but he is almost as real as you've ever dealt with?
Baylor AD Mack Rhoades: Yeah. I've been blessed to deal with and work with, work alongside some really great, great coaches and administrators, people that are genuine and real, but he certainly stands out as one of the most genuine, most most real. I think it's hard for people on the outside, and I get and I know and I understand that. I've got great peace about it because of the conversations that him and I have had and those those conversations didn't start after the Oklahoma win and all of a sudden everybody's writing articles about him. And literally for that moment in time, whether it was a week or 10 days or two weeks, I don't even remember, he may have been the hottest name out there. We've had conversations about him and fit and staying at Baylor before that time and I trust him and I think he trusts me. He wants to be here, and when he talks about walking across campus and just feeling like he belongs, that's real. Obviously there's the monetary side of this and taking care of your family and thinking about longevity, all of those things certainly play into it, but where I think he's, unique is that's not the main driver for him. Those two things are not and probably, in fact I know, it drives his agents crazy. Iit's about fit, and it's about being at a place where he enjoys the relationships and the work being done togethe and the purpose behind it. So again, I think we're in a good place. He's 100% focused right now on the Big 12 champ game and trying to also balance the the recruiting piece because everybody else that's not playing in a champ game is out recruiting and trying to prepare as best they can for the early signing period.
David Smoak: Obviously he one time mentioned that as long as his players, his staff, the administration and his commitments know, then that's most important. But he also does understand that Baylor football fans have probably had a little bit of PTSD, because of from Briles to Rhule, and then all of a sudden you've got this hot commodity. And I gotta ask you as an AD. So you had the LSU opening, we understand the ties. USC we understand that's where he's from, and they may both fill. To me, this is not even an issue. And I said that a week ago, Tuesday I said that he's not going anywhere. And again, some still want to hear it from him himself. He explained that to me yesterday, but then Oklahoma and Notre Dame, a couple of big names whether there's ties that or not. But with USC and LSU, even though you are secure and knowing he stayed, but when those two were still there and open, is that a little bit more peace for you that they're both closed?
Baylor AD Mack Rhoades: No. And I say that with all sincerity. It's a great question, but no because of the conversations him and I had. He told me he wasn't interested in USC abd he told me he wasn't interested in LSU. And when I say that, again, I want to be really, really thoughtful and careful, not because he doesn't have great respect for both of those programs. He does. It's because of his belief in Baylor. And the relationships and the purpose behind what we do and how we do it, and his feel, his comfort here, the fit, his family. So I wasn't worried about about SC or LSU because of one on one conversations that him and I've had. He told his players that he would be here and told them twice. A that's hard for him to do and the reason why it's hard for him to do is because, and I think you know this, he never wants it to be about him. He does not like being the center of attention. And I think it's one of his greatest qualities. You don't see his name or his picture on poster cards or posters or schedule cards or any of that stuff. He never wants it to be about him, he always wants it to be about our student athletes about the staff. Organically he just has a hard time having to address stuff that's about him. And I appreciate that. We have a collective group of coaches now that -- and I think this is why we're having so much success at this point in time — we've got a collective group of coaches that have all bought in, that all understand no one person is bigger than this institution. All completely, absolutely believe it's about our young people, it's about preparing champions for life, it's about servant leadership, and Dave is the epitome of that, and we're really blessed to have some really special, special people here.
David Smoak: Wrapping up with this. The Big 12 Championship has Oklahoma State and Baylor, and you mentioned second time in three years for you. Is it a little bit more special, because of how all hell broke loose at the end of July? That it's Oklahoma State-Baylor. And it's one of the eight teams that were almost left outside, like some orphanage that survived all of what happened in late in the summer?
Baylor AD Mack Rhoades: I like the way — hard for me to answer — the way you position that. And I mean this in a sincere way, not in a vindictive way at all. Look, Oklahoma, Texas made the decision that they made, they're gonna move on after '25. I wish them the best, but it is special in the sense, Smoak, that this conference has been and will be better, greater about the sum, rather than just an individual institution, or two. It speaks to without those institutions, we're still really, really good. We're still extremely viable in the college football, in the college athletic space and this conference, has a bright, bright, bright future.