SALT LAKE CITY — Mark Harlan has a new job.
No, the Utah athletic director has not found a new home, but he’s adding to his responsibilities for the current football season.
On Thursday, Harlan was appointed to the College Football Playoff selection committee after chairman and Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades announced a leave of absence from the university for “personal reasons” Thursday morning.
Rhoades will remain on absence as the university investigates allegations against him, though it’s unknown what those allegations raised against him are, according to the Associated Press.
In his absence, Harlan returns to the selection committee, a one-year appointment as part of the 2023 season. Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek will now serve as the committee chairman for the remainder of the season.
“Mark Harlan is an excellent choice to serve as the Big 12 Conference’s representative on the College Football Playoff selection committee,” Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said in a statement. “Mark’s previous experience on the committee will serve the interests of all of college football alongside the other committee members.”
Harlan said he’s “honored” to “step up and serve” on the committee, though he “wished it was under different circumstances.”
“I have great respect for the selection committee’s work and its members, as well as for the CFP staff, and I look forward to contributing in the weeks ahead,” Harlan said.
Harlan joins the committee after the first two weeks of rankings and two in-state teams, including Utah, ranked inside the committee’s top 25. BYU was ranked No. 12 and Utah No. 13 in the latest rankings that were released Tuesday.
