When Rhule signed the dotted line in December to take the reins at Baylor, not only did he agree to work on Saturday afternoons, he was agreeing to be the face of a university sitting in a dark shadow- agreeing to be the role model the nation felt Baylor isn’t worthy of.
Rhule’s official title is head football coach and he’s already exceeded expectations in just two months in that role. Top 40 recruiting classes don’t come from nowhere. His impact has gone beyond potential X’s and O’s. To some players, he’s taken on a more unwritten role: Matt Rhule the father figure, turning followers into leaders.
Sophomore cornerback Grayland Arnold is one of those players quickly growing under Rhule’s wing.
It’s easy to see why Arnold has taken a shine to Rhule. From Rhule’s first words at his his introductory press conference, there was a sense he’d mold the program around himself. From a freudian slip mentioning the “Empire Strikes Back” instead of the Empire State Building to talking up his ping pong game (which has been repeatedly praised by players on Twitter), he was every bit the players coach he was advertised.
His players at Temple could attest to as much, becoming part of the Rhule family in Philadelphia.
It was moments like Dion Dawkins playing with Rhule’s daughter Vivie or Rhule’s ping pong prowess that made it difficult for Temple players to say goodbye to their coach that turned them into conference champions.
“When I walked in, all the kids stood up, the way they did the whole time I was head coach. I was just taken aback,” Rhule said after telling his team he was moving south. “I wasn’t going to be their head coach anymore, but they still showed me that love and respect. It was so, so powerful.”
Now it’s players like Arnold that are showing that love and respect. But part of Rhule’s infection goes beyond the players. He has embraced and elevated the Baylor experience as a whole. It probably wouldn’t surprise any student if Rhule was casually walking around Memorial handing out Ms. Mei’s cookies.
Rhule’s been spotted at just about every Baylor athletic event. From rubbing shoulders in the Bear Pit to going to Baylor baseball and softball games, he’s been a constant basketball supporter. He even made the road trip to Austin to support Kim Mulkey and the Lady Bears.
He has taken the job by the horns (something fans can only hope he does to Texas for years to come), leading by example, the players have also shown a new sense of pride. That is one of the tricks that helped Baylor land as strong a recruiting class this year. With all the high school conference he's been attending, as well, recruiting can only go up from here.
"See, what people don't understand is that high school coaches all across the country, everywhere, no one does more for young people now than high school coaches," Rhule said. "They develop them. They love them. They coach them. They invest their time in them. They pick them up when they're down. They help them when they need help."
Rhule has a clear understanding of that bond high school coaches have, advertising not just a new brand of football for Baylor, but a new lifestyle players and parents flock to.
During Rhule’s National Signing Day press conference, he said he’s not a coach that pulls out all the stops for recruits. He’s just his genuine himself showing what the program stands for, something that parents understandably have questions about regarding the sex scandal. Rhule said he addressed those concerns head on and in turn created a family atmosphere with complete transparency that has been seen out in the community the past couple months.
Though, if there’s one drawback to Rhule’s infectious passion, it’s the hike in the electric bill at McLane with all the #BaylorLit tweets.
Rhule’s official title is head football coach and he’s already exceeded expectations in just two months in that role. Top 40 recruiting classes don’t come from nowhere. His impact has gone beyond potential X’s and O’s. To some players, he’s taken on a more unwritten role: Matt Rhule the father figure, turning followers into leaders.
Sophomore cornerback Grayland Arnold is one of those players quickly growing under Rhule’s wing.
It’s easy to see why Arnold has taken a shine to Rhule. From Rhule’s first words at his his introductory press conference, there was a sense he’d mold the program around himself. From a freudian slip mentioning the “Empire Strikes Back” instead of the Empire State Building to talking up his ping pong game (which has been repeatedly praised by players on Twitter), he was every bit the players coach he was advertised.
His players at Temple could attest to as much, becoming part of the Rhule family in Philadelphia.
It was moments like Dion Dawkins playing with Rhule’s daughter Vivie or Rhule’s ping pong prowess that made it difficult for Temple players to say goodbye to their coach that turned them into conference champions.
“When I walked in, all the kids stood up, the way they did the whole time I was head coach. I was just taken aback,” Rhule said after telling his team he was moving south. “I wasn’t going to be their head coach anymore, but they still showed me that love and respect. It was so, so powerful.”
Now it’s players like Arnold that are showing that love and respect. But part of Rhule’s infection goes beyond the players. He has embraced and elevated the Baylor experience as a whole. It probably wouldn’t surprise any student if Rhule was casually walking around Memorial handing out Ms. Mei’s cookies.
Rhule’s been spotted at just about every Baylor athletic event. From rubbing shoulders in the Bear Pit to going to Baylor baseball and softball games, he’s been a constant basketball supporter. He even made the road trip to Austin to support Kim Mulkey and the Lady Bears.
He has taken the job by the horns (something fans can only hope he does to Texas for years to come), leading by example, the players have also shown a new sense of pride. That is one of the tricks that helped Baylor land as strong a recruiting class this year. With all the high school conference he's been attending, as well, recruiting can only go up from here.
"See, what people don't understand is that high school coaches all across the country, everywhere, no one does more for young people now than high school coaches," Rhule said. "They develop them. They love them. They coach them. They invest their time in them. They pick them up when they're down. They help them when they need help."
Rhule has a clear understanding of that bond high school coaches have, advertising not just a new brand of football for Baylor, but a new lifestyle players and parents flock to.
During Rhule’s National Signing Day press conference, he said he’s not a coach that pulls out all the stops for recruits. He’s just his genuine himself showing what the program stands for, something that parents understandably have questions about regarding the sex scandal. Rhule said he addressed those concerns head on and in turn created a family atmosphere with complete transparency that has been seen out in the community the past couple months.
Though, if there’s one drawback to Rhule’s infectious passion, it’s the hike in the electric bill at McLane with all the #BaylorLit tweets.
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