While I want a great coaching staff and scheme, here is my first concern:
There must be a MAJOR shift in the financial and administrative support of CU football and athletics from the university. Without this shift, no matter who you hire we are going to struggle to compete. By many accounts here this may be happening, but I will believe it when I see it.
Edit: In no way should this post be considered in support of DII. It is clear DII could not have won here even with the best of support from the university. Saturday's game at KU is your most recent data point.
I am not at all saying that Colorado has shown tremendous financial support for their athletic departments - but consider:
Indoor practice facility -- ok, so it's a bubble, but there is one now.
New practice facilities for men's and women's basketball -- currently under construction.
New suites / stadium expansion -- done.
Football locker rooms recently remodeled.
Would I like to see more? Certainly. But let's not categorize it as some type of barren wasteland.
The biggest problem CU has in these things is FUNDING. CU's donor pool is historically poor. CU's donor pool is much more in line with Iowa State, but CU's donor expectation is more in line with Oklahoma State. CU receives donations in $500 denominations - not $50,000. Sure, there are some donors at CU who donate 5+ figures. A couple. Not a hundred.
This is not a new trend. This has been ongoing for almost 20 years now. Even when Gordon Gee was CU's president - a time most people believe was the highlight of "friendliness" between the AD and the University -- it's not like they were getting a boatload of money. They made the best with what the had.
People gave him all kinds of **** when he said it, but Rick Neuheisel was right - CU has everything money CAN'T buy. It's been that way for 20+ years, and I doubt that is going to change any time soon.