Boulder, Colorado is now the home of one of college football’s top-five highest paid coaches.
The Buffs are Primetime. For real. For five years.
Per Brian Howell of the Daily Camera: “On Friday, CU athletic director Rick George announced a new five-year, $54 million contract for Sanders that will make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the country. The contract was unanimously approved by CU’s board of regents on Friday morning.”
What other choice did George and his school gave? They struck gold with Deion Sanders. Anything other than paying the man what he’s worth would have put an early end to the party Prime has brought to Boulder. It might have put a nail in the coffin of the program that was nearly dead the day before his arrival.
Now?
The Buffs are alive and well.
Love him or hate him, there’s absolutely no denying the transformation he’s made with CU’s football program, one with a rich history but little to smile about since the 1990s. In just two seasons, not only had Prime brought winning back to Boulder, but he’s captured the national spotlight in a way the program has never seen before. Celebrity sideline guests. Massive television exposure from September to December. A coaching staff (literally) filled with Hall of Famers. Blue chip recruits publicly announcing their future plans in Boulder.
Boulder?
Boulder.
In the new world of bigtime college sports, which is anything but amateur, anything is possible. The man who’s proven that notion time and time again is Deion Sanders.
With Prime, a national title is possible, too. That seemed impossible two years ago – as in would never, ever, happen.
Funny thing is, nobody wanted to believe Prime really and truly was going to stay at CU once his sons departed. He told us he would. And, well, he’s here to stay for at least five years, barring a blue blood buying him out of the contract. That could happen, particularly later on in the five-year span, but today is a day to celebrate. Why leave when national titles are in sight?
“I’m committed to bringing greatness to this university, on and off the field. We’ve got work to do, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but here, making history with these incredible players and this passionate fan base,” Prime said. “Lastly, anybody got at least a five bedroom home with acreage for sale?”
Prime has, in every way imaginable put CU back on the map – not just on the field. Admissions are up. Awareness is up. Diversity is up. His economic impact to Boulder alone makes him “worth it.”
The Buffs are back. Prime Time is big time.
