Mizzou Coach Barry Odom on conversations with Mack Rhoades

It was a strange afternoon at SEC media days. Mizzou football coach Barry Odom was going to be center stage at the event for the first time in his coaching career. Surely questions about the campus protests and replacing a legend in Gary Pinkel would be on docket. Nobody expected to the first year head coach to answer questions about the athletic director who hired him, Mack Rhoades departure.

The news was initially broken by PowerMizzou.com, and then spread like wild fire all throughout the Wynfrey Hotel. Coach Odom revealed that he received the news from Rhoades last night.

“He and I talked alot last night, just about opportunities in life and in general,” explained Odom. “We’re going to go find a great (athletic director), I look forward to being involved with that. If they want my help. The future for our program and our university is really bright. We need someone in that role that (has) a great vision in taking us to a new level of success.”

Rhoades steps away from a position that he was on the job for a mere 14 months.

Baylor Family, please welcome our new Vice President and Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades to Central Texas. #SicEm pic.twitter.com/pm9QZv4BVB

— Baylor Athletics (@BaylorAthletics) July 13, 2016

Rhoades last significant hire at Mizzou was baseball coach Steve Bieser, two weeks ago. He now takes on another large task of rebuilding the athletic department and the reputation of Baylor.

“The past year has taught me a great deal about who I am as a person and as a leader. I am very grateful to the people I’ve worked with and come to know throughout the state of Missouri. The experience has helped galvanize a commitment to my core values and to the values I want to infuse into an athletics program,” said Rhoades.

Several Mizzou athletes have expressed their opinions about Rhoades departure on social media throughout the afternoon. Linebacker Michael Scherrer had some comments in Hoover, AL.

“Time’s have been crazy, but they’ll get it figured out,” said Scherrer. “The Mizzou football team, they won’t fall apart because of what happened today. They’ll get it figured out.

For the time being, getting “it” figured out, was the naming of deputy athletic director Wren Baker, as interim AD.