The proverbial ball may have begun to roll.

Last week, the Denver Post reported that ISU Athletic Director Bruce Van De Velde was a candidate for the athletic director position at the University of Colorado.

Although Van De Velde has denied his interest in the job, it may be the best possible move for him to make.

“My focus remains on maintaining and building on the athletic success we have generated at Iowa State University,” he said through a statement when asked about his possible move.

Even if he stays, how much more success can Van De Velde bring to the university?

Let’s pause for a moment. My purpose here isn’t to bash the ISU athletic department or to criticize the athletic director.

I think the sky is the limit for the Cyclone athletic program. I also think Van De Velde is doing a good job. The only problem with the department — the only thing that is keeping Iowa State from greater success — is something it has no control over.

It’s the boss.

The biggest hindrance to Iowa State success is none other then ISU President Gregory Geoffroy.

With Geoffroy’s policies on the athletic department, it will never be able to do anything to make itself one of the elite programs in collegiate athletics.

Every year, Van De Velde must be approved for another term. At the end of each year, his performance is evaluated, and Geoffroy then decides if he is worthy of an extension. Unfortunately, that extension is for only one year.

This practice is the biggest crime an administration can inflict on its athletic department.

Every time Van De Velde leaves his office at the Jacobson Building, he is looking over his shoulder to see if he did something wrong.

He can’t do anything drastic, anything that shakes up the department, for fear of what his superiors might think. With his one-year chain to those above him, Van De Velde has no room to work. Anything that is frowned upon by Geoffroy could be answered with a one-way ticket out of Ames. A practice like this is completely damaging to a university’s athletic program.

With no assurance of long-term stability, the best thing for Van De Velde would be to throw himself into the running at Colorado. Not only would he be able to move his administrative car from neutral to drive, he would be greeted with the challenge of a lifetime. The person who can resurrect the University of Colorado athletic department will go down in history as a miracle worker.

The ball is in Van De Velde’s court. Either Geoffroy sees the light and gives his athletic director a long-term contract, or Bruce and his family should pack their bags and move on.

Whether it is given to Van De Velde or someone else, Geoffroy has the power to present his athletic director and the ISU fans their biggest gift — a long-term contract.