The College Football Playoff management committee has formally approved the return of Utah athletic director Mark Harlan to its selection committee and named current committee member and Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek its new chair, the CFP announced on Thursday.
The moves come hours after Baylor athletic director and selection committee chair Mack Rhoades took a leave of absence from his job for personal reasons amid a university investigation.
«We are deeply appreciative of Mack Rhoades’ leadership and service as chair of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee this season,» CFP executive director Rich Clark said in a news release. «Mack has informed us of his decision to step down for personal reasons, and our thoughts are with him and his family during this time. We are pleased to announce that Hunter Yurachek will assume the role of Selection Committee Chair, effective immediately. Hunter’s experience, integrity, and commitment to the game make him exceptionally well-suited to lead the committee as it continues its important work throughout the remainder of the season.»
Harlan previously served a one-year term during the 2023 season. The CFP typically requires athletic directors on the selection committee to be active, «sitting» athletic directors. Because Rhoades was the Big 12’s nomination, he was replaced by a Big 12 athletic director. The 10 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua unanimously agreed to the changes.
Harlan is not the only committee member in his second stint with the group, as former Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long – also the CFP’s inaugural chairman – is participating again this season. The 12-person group was already one member short this season after committee member Randall McDaniel also stepped away last month for personal reasons.
Rhoades told ESPN on Thursday that he initiated the leave from his Baylor role but declined to explain why.
Baylor told ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg that the university received allegations involving Rhoades on Monday. The allegations do not involve Title IX, student welfare or NCAA rules and do not involve the football program, indicating it is a separate incident from Rhoades’ alleged altercation with a football player during a September game.
Jovan Overshown and Cody Hall will serve as Baylor’s co-interim athletic directors, a school spokesman told Rittenberg. Overshown is the school’s deputy athletic director and chief operating officer, and Hall is Baylor’s executive senior associate athletic director for internal administration and chief financial officer.
