Baylor has long cherished deep connections among its athletic programs, academic focus, and Christian mission, mutually enhancing Baylor’s programs and reputation, and our regional, national, and even global impact. As we all know, those deep connections became frayed in recent years because of significant problems in the football program. Despite the valiant efforts of Coach Jim Grobe and a football team with many admirable student-athletes, the last year has been challenging for the whole university.

The appointment of Mack Rhoades as Vice President and Director of Athletics in July 2016, and then his leadership in the hiring of Matt Rhule as Head Football Coach in December 2016 have helped reconnect our football program to Baylor’s broader mission. Indeed, because of the character and leadership of these remarkable people, our future is very bright.

Coach Rhule announced at his opening press conference that he wanted Baylor to be proud of its football players “on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.” That is true across all of our athletic programs: our men’s and women’s basketball teams are having outstanding seasons; Baylor student-athletes continue to excel in the classroom, achieving a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher for the 17^th consecutive semester; and last fall, our softball and baseball teams traveled to Louisiana to help with flood relief and this spring, the football team volunteered in a community gardening project as part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday observance. A holistic approach to education and formation is a hallmark of Christian higher education at Baylor.

Over the past two months, in the midst of the most hectic time of the football recruiting season, AD Rhoades and Coach Rhule have reached out to collaborate with our deans, with the Provost’s Office, and with faculty to ensure that we are all working together effectively. Coach Rhule already has remarkable achievements under his belt in helping to restore integrity to Baylor’s football program and reconnect it to our academic focus and Christian mission. Against all odds, Coach Rhule and his staff were able to recruit an exceptional class that was announced on February 1^st, National Signing Day. These student-athletes will become a significant cornerstone of Coach Rhule’s upstanding program. As AD Rhoades regularly notes, we at Baylor are “preparing champions for life,” signifying our commitment to character and leadership that represents Baylor at our best.

There may continue to be stories in the media about the events of the last several years that led to the changes announced on May 26, 2016. Even so, we can focus on how Hope Abounds in the leadership of all of our coaches, teams, and athletic programs, especially with Coach Rhule’s new leadership as Head Football Coach and the broader leadership of AD Mack Rhoades.