The Top 10 Most Important People at Colorado State University

Today, I was thinking about the role of athletics in the university setting. Just how important are they? With the recent rise of Colorado State athletics, I got to thinking about this dynamic at my own university. Who's REALLY influential across the scape of Colorado State University? How much power do athletics officials and coaches have compared with university administration? Here's my take on the top 10 most important people at Colorado State.

1. President Tony Frank

Absolutely no dispute here. Everyone knows Tony's in charge - including former CSU Athletic Director Jack Graham, whom he fired unexpectedly during the summer of 2014. Fear the beard, because the beard's in charge. 

p.s. If you're not convinced he's the most important person at CSU, take a tour of his office. You'll know.

2. Head football coach Mike Bobo

When longtime Georgia assistant Bobo was recently hired to replace now-Florida head coach Jim McElwain, he took the reins of a revolutionized football program and became the new face of CSU Athletics while doing it. 

3. Interim Athletics Director John Morris

John Morris is doing an incredible job in his role as Interim AD at Colorado State (Need proof? CSU Athletics has the most combined wins between football, men's basketball, women's basketball, and women's volleyball of any Division I athletics program to this point in the 2014-2015 academic year). He also hired the man who's sitting at No. 2 on this list, so that counts for something.

4. Provost Rick Miranda

See note about Tony Frank's office. Rick's office is a little smaller, but still screams "I'm a big deal" (although like Tony, he doesn't act like he's a big deal). 

5. Vice President for Student Affairs Blanche Hughes

Blanche Hughes is an integral part of the CSU student culture. In the newly renovated Lory Student Center, quotes by her are engraved on the walls. If you pass your own quotes on your way to work, you've probably done a pretty good job. 

6. Head men's basketball coach Larry Eustachy

Coming to Colorado State as a unique example of redemption, Larry won't accept mediocrity for Colorado State basketball. He may be quite the character, but he gets the job done and has built a winning program in a very short amount of time (see Rams' 21-4 record). 

7. Chief Financial Officer Lynn Johnson

If you're the one that handles the money, you're important anywhere... especially when there's a lot of it involved.

8. CSU football wide receiver Rashard Higgins

He's the most important player on the most important team at CSU. A large portion of the national exposure Colorado State receives is due to the high top fade that makes plays for days.

9. Head volleyball coach Tom Hilbert 

Hilbert has been the one constant through an extended period of change for CSU Athletics, and will start his 19th season as the Rams' head coach in the fall of 2015. Guess how many seasons the Rams have made the NCAA tournament since he's been head coach? All of them. Yep, all of them.

10. Cam the Ram

Don't mess with the horns. 

*Editor's note: You may think I'm biased toward sports. You're right. But that's how universities work.