Baylor releases statement addressing Matt Rhule’s departure

Matt Rhule helped turn a Baylor football team that was one of the worst in the country into a top-10 program in just three short years, and they are now going to have to figure out a way to maintain that level of excellence without him. As expected, the school is grateful for the coach’s contributions.

After the Carolina Panthers officially announced on Tuesday that they have hired Rhule as their next head coach, Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades released a statement thanking Rhule for leading “one of the greatest turnarounds in college football history.”

Statements on Baylor Football

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— Baylor Football (@BUFootball) January 7, 2020

“We are grateful to Matt Rhule for all that he has done for Baylor Football and for the University over the last three years,” Rhoades wrote. “Together, he and his staff have moved the program forward both on and off the field. While our hope was that Matt would be our coach for many years to come, we knew there was a possibility that the NFL would come calling.”

Rhoades added that Baylor has already begun searching for Rhule’s replacement and will not comment publicly on the process until their next head coach is in place.

Rhule said recently that he would only leave Baylor for the perfect opportunity, so he must think highly of the Panthers organization. They also signed him to an eye-popping contract, which likely made his decision a lot easier.