President Todd Saliman, CU Buffs coaches discuss Rick George’s 10 years as athletic director

Further reaction on Colorado athletic director Rick George, who last week surpassed the 10-year mark as the Buffaloes’ athletic director.
Danny Sanchez, women’s soccer head coach
Sanchez was hired by George’s predecessor, Mike Bohn, but Sanchez says he never once felt as if his new boss was set on bringing in his own people.
“I remember the first interactions with him were about how can we support you, how can we support our student-athletes. We’re going to continue to build our facilities. We’re going to provide more services for the student-athletes. We’re going to provide more for the coaches. Everything he said he was going to do, he did.
Video: Analysis of CU Buffs at Pac-12 media day
“At the end of the day, he’s a coach. He comes from a background of seeing CU be as successful as it can be. I never once got the feeling of ‘my own people’ or any of that kind of stuff. He’s delivered on everything he has promised us.”
Jesse Mahoney, women’s volleyball head coach
Mahoney has the distinction of being George’s first coach hire, taking over the volleyball program on Dec. 17, 2015. Less than two years later, the Buffs reached the Sweet 16 in the first of CU’s three NCAA Tournament appearances in seven seasons under Mahoney.
“Rick’s leadership is right up there with the best. He’s up front and honest, direct. He cares about everyone in the department and every one of the student-athletes. You would think every AD does, but that’s not always the case. What he has done just in terms of just the resources for our student-athletes — including mental health-wise, nutrition, all those things — is something Rick cares deeply about.”
“Through COVID, through changing staffs, through conference realignment and all that stuff, Rick’s been pretty rock solid leading us in the right direction. His communication style in how he communicates and what he communicates to his staff I think is phenomenal and the blueprint how it should happen.”
JR Payne, women’s basketball head coach
Payne was George’s second coach hire three months after Mahoney. While Mahoney quickly got the volleyball team back to the NCAA Tournament, it was a longer, more patient climb for Payne, who went 17-55 in the Pac-12 in her first four seasons. Other ADs might have grown impatient, but George never wavered in support. That patience was rewarded with back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, including the program’s first Sweet 16 berth in 20 years, and Payne has the program in position for a run at a third consecutive tourney appearance next spring.
“We were all on the same page for what it would take to elevate the program to the status we all wanted it to be. We were all up front in the beginning that it would not be a quick fix. So I wasn’t surprised that he was so steadfast in his support over the years because we kind of planned for that. But it means everything to know your AD is not just quietly supportive, but also outwardly supportive.”
Todd Saliman, CU president
George accomplished the unthinkable by turning a downtrodden, one-win football team into the talk of college football’s postseason by coaxing Hall of Famer Deion Sanders to take over as head coach. It was the very definition of a splashy hire, yet as evidenced by the ongoing renovation projects at Prentup Field, Potts Field and Kittredge Field, CU’s president is appreciative of George’s attention toward the Buffs’ Olympic sports.
“People pay so much attention to what he has done with Coach Prime and people should pay attention to that. It was an incredible thing that he got done. But look at the other things that he’s accomplished too, and look at his commitment to women’s athletics and Title IX. We’ve just seen incredible changes on the campus over the last 10 years because of his commitment to Title IX. Just recently, I requested money from the CU foundation on behalf of the campus to help improve facilities many of which are going to benefit our women athletes, and our Olympic sports. I’m very grateful to him for his commitment on that. We all look over and see him there on game day at the football games, but he’s there on game day for every sport and people don’t pay attention to that. He’s there for the games that most people don’t go to and cheering people on. I appreciate his deep and broad commitment to athletics at CU.”