WACO, Texas -- Baylor hired Mack Rhoades as its new athletic director on Wednesday, bringing in an experienced administrator it believes will help the reeling program rebound from allegations that it didnt properly handle sexual assault claims against its football players.Rhoades had been Missouris athletic director only since April 2015, a month after he was named to the position.He is a charismatic leader who pays careful attention to details and cultivates solidarity among the coaches and staff, interim school president David Garland said in a statement. He intends to build champions on the field and on the court and to mold student-athletes into champions in their lives after sports. Most importantly, he is committed to and excited by Baylors Christian mission and vision.Rhoades replaces Ian McCaw, who resigned on May 30 after he was put on probation as part of Baylors response to a scathing report about its failure to properly respond to allegations of sexual assaults. That report also led the departure of football coach Art Briles. Baylor has hired former Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe to replace Briles.The 50-year-old Rhoades previously was AD at Houston for nearly six years, where he hired former Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman as head coach of the Cougars. He was also the athletic director at Akron from 2005-09, and worked in the athletic departments at UTEP, Marquette and Yale.I look forward to the opportunity to join Baylor University at this important time in its history, Rhoades said in a statement. I am excited to support and develop programs of the highest caliber, in facilities that are second to none, alongside coaches who are among the best in the industry, all grounded in a Christian tradition and committed to academic excellence.Baylor plans to formally introduce during a news conference Monday.Much has changed at Missouri in Rhoades 15 months on the job.Student protests on campus over social issues and racial tensions spilled over into the athletic department last season when the football team essentially went on strike in support of the protesters, who were demanding the resignation of university systems President Tim Wolfe. Former coach Gary Pinkel and Rhoades stood by the players, who in the end didnt miss any practice time, much less a game. Both the president and school chancellor, R. Bowen Loftin, resigned.The past year has taught me a great deal about who I am as a person and as a leader, Rhoades said. I am very grateful to the people Ive worked with and come to know throughout the state of Missouri. The experience has helped galvanized a commitment to my core values and to the values I want to infuse into an athletics program.Pinkel retired after last season and announced he was fighting cancer. Permanent replacements for Wolfe and Loftin, who hired Rhoades, have not been hired.Rhoades promoted defensive coordinator and former Missouri player Barry Odom to head coach, but the school, athletic department and Rhoades have faced continuing criticism from fans, boosters and state lawmakers for their handling of the players threatened boycott. Rhoades also had to hire a new baseball coach and dealt with a Title IX office investigation of softball coach Ehren Earleywine.The announcement of Rhoades departure to Baylor came on the same day Missouri was one of the teams appearing at SEC football media days in Hoover, Alabama.Hes got an opportunity that he thought was best for him and I know that Im very, very excited about the University of Missouri and what Ive got in place with my staff from a football program standpoint, said Odom, who had a long discussion with Rhoades on Tuesday night. I absolutely know well get a great director of athletics in here. The things weve done in the last eight months are going to set us up for the next 20 years.Baylor is facing at least three federal lawsuits brought by women who claim the school was indifferent to or ignored claims of sexual assault and didnt enforce federal gender discrimination protections under Title IX. When Baylor released its report May 26, school regents suspended Briles with intent to terminate. The school and Briles mutually agreed to part ways a month later.---AP College Football Writer Ralph D. Russo and AP Sports Writer David Brandt contributed to this report.Custom Los Angeles Lakers Jerseys .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled forward Kevin Porter and defenceman Chad Ruhwedel from the minors as part of a five-player roster shuffle made by the NHLs worst team. Custom Detroit Pistons Jerseys . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. http://www.customjerseysbasketball.com/custom-new-orleans-pelicans-jerseys-627y.html . Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. Custom Atlanta Hawks Jerseys . It is a cliché dragged out by fans and pundits regularly when discussions take place around which teams are better than others. Custom Toronto Raptors Jerseys . "It was nerve-wracking, but we pulled through," said Collaros, who threw four touchdown passes to lead the Toronto Argonauts (8-4) to a 33-27 win over the Calgary Stampeders (9-3) in front of 28,781 fans at McMahon Stadium.CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Quarterback Cam Newton said if the Carolina Panthers are to be successful this season their running backs need to be more involved in the offence. Newton said that means a concerted effort to get the running backs involved early in games. The Panthers once invested nearly $80 million in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart -- both contracts have since been restructured -- and also brought in free agent Mike Tolbert last season. Yet, it was Newton who led the team in rushing with 741 yards in 2012. Williams, Stewart and Tolbert combined for 1,256 yards rushing last year, which ranked 28th in the league among running backs, according to STATS Inc. Only Jacksonville (1,231 yards rushing), Atlanta (1,225), Dallas (1,212) and Arizona (971) had less production from their backs. Carolinas running backs seemed an afterthought at times last season under former offensive co-ordinator Rob Chudzinski, touching the ball on only 38 per cent of the offensive plays. "For us, the running game is key," Newton said this week at the teams minicamp. "In years past, success for the Carolina Panthers has meant getting our running backs involved in the game early and letting those guys do what they do. I feel like we have an unbelievable group." Coach Ron Rivera agreed. He said one of his primary goals is to get the running backs more involved and "keep them involved." "We want to keep them as a big part of what we do," Rivera said. "I think with Cams ability to get the ball downfield is going to open things up underneath. His ability to run will make people hesitate and that is where you can see the effectiveness of the running backs." The Panthers added rookie Kenjon Barner from Oregon in the sixth round this year, giving them another weapon coming out of the backfield. General manager Dave Gettleman said the Panthers will use him as a "scat back." Barner hasnt disappointed in minicamp, turning heads with exceptional speedd and quickness.dddddddddddd "We have guys that are capable of running the ball as well as catching it out of the backfield," Newton said. "We have to use that to continuously keep the defence honest. Everyone knows we have playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. But in order for us to be successful, we have to run the football. We will run the football." Williams ran with the first-team offence during minicamp while Stewart recovers from minor surgery on both ankles. Williams carried the ball only 173 times last season, while injuries limited Stewart to 93 carries. Tolbert, the teams fullback, carried 54 times. Newton ran 127 times, averaging a team-best 5.8 yards per carry. Carolina finished last season ninth in rushing and 7-9 overall, largely because of Newtons contribution. The Panthers have used the zone read option extensively over the past two seasons with Newton, but are expected to limit that this season. "I envision it being used in certain situations and circumstances," Rivera said. "There are still some things that we can exploit against opponents because of it. Well use it and use it smartly... But were not going to go with something like that as a staple" of the offence. Nothing would make centre Ryan Kalil happier than if the Panthers ran the ball a little more. "I think people tend to be numb to that statement of hey, we want to run the ball more, but its very true that most successful teams do have a balanced run-pass attack," said Kalil, who has played in three Pro Bowls. Kalil said its a matter of getting back to what the Panthers were doing well in 2008 and 2009 when they ranked among the leagues leaders in rushing. "Its sort of what it looks like were doing," Kalil said. "Its what we got back to at the end of last year. I think it helps out Cam, too. It helps out for the passing game and its exciting to watch the two horses we have back there (Williams and Stewart) do what they do best." ' ' '