Missouri left scrambling after AD leaves
HOOVER, ALA.—When Missouri arrived in Hoover for SEC Media Days, the news just broke about Missouri Athletic Director Mack Rhoades leaving to take the same job at Baylor.
What should have been a day spent answering questions about expectations immediately transitioned to questions about how the Tigers—who are already without a university president—feel about Missouri’s leadership.
“I’m confident in the job we’re going to do as a football program,” head coach Barry Odom said. “I’m confident in the university of Missouri as a whole. It’s been around a long time and there’s a lot of great people at that university.”
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Odom said Rhoades, who hired Odom after head coach Gary Pinknel retired after last season, called him last night to tell the first-year head coach he would take the job, leaving to take over a Baylor athletics program dealing with a rape investigation. Odom said most of the call the two talked about life and little about Rhoades leaving.
“I’m surprised,” Odom said about Rhoades leaving. “But I feel life is about opportunities. I felt like for him, that was his best opportunity and I know that Mizzou is going to hire great director of athletics. I feel very confident in the direction we’re headed.”
When news broke about Rhoades, former Missouri athletes took to Twitter to praise the decision, with the majority tweeting they are happy he’s leaving.
Former Missouri player and current NFL wide receiver Jeremy Maclin tweeted saying Rhoades lacked a “family first” mentality. Odom warned athletes about tweeting about it, saying they’ve never spent a day in Rhoades’ shoes.
Odom stayed mum on his opinions of Rhoades leaving, focusing more on the Tigers and their upcoming season. Missouri, who finished 5-7 (1-8 SEC), begins its season Sept. 3 in Morgantown against West Virginia.
The question then becomes will the school have a president or athletic director by the time the Tigers’ season kicks off.
“I’m excited about the future of Missouri football, I’m excited about the future of the Missouri athletic department,” Odom said. “There’s not going to be much that gets me down. I have great confidence about the job we’re going to do, I feel very, very firm about the job this staff’s going to do. I love my guys. I know they’re going to do everything they can to make Missouri proud.”
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