Tag: Charlie Offerdahl

Colorado assistant Gary Harrell explains why Charlie Offerdahl holds starting job

Coach Flea spoke on why Charlie Offerdahl has earned Colorado’s starting running back job

There’s some young talent in the Colorado football’s running back room. Yet, former walk-on Charlie Offerdahl has maintained the Buffs’ starting spot.

The RB1 position hasn’t necessarily meant much, though, as injured Ohio State transfer Dallan Hayden has out-carried Offerdahl through two games. Hayden has received 14 of Colorado’s 25 total RB carries, running for 52 yards over Offerdahl’s 19 (on nine carries). Offerdahl has the only RB receptions, catching two passes for 13 yards against North Dakota State.

With Hayden hurt heading into Saturday’s game at Colorado State, Offerdahl once again holds the RB1 position. CU running backs coach Gary “Flea” Harrell revealed why in a recent interview:

“Charlie is a guy that, for me, is very dependable,” Harrell said. “Everything he’s coached to do, from the meeting room to the field, he going to do exactly what you tell him to do. We do grades. We grade each player in practice and games and he always grades out the highest.”

Harrell also described Offerdahl’s versatile abilities out of the backfield.

Heading into Saturday’s Rocky Mountain Showdown, Offerdahl should receive the bulk of whatever carries are handed out. The usage of sophomore Arkansas transfer Isaiah Augustave could be up too, and fans may even see a glimpse of true freshman Micah Welch.

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Deion Sanders says Colorado running back Charlie Offerdahl is ‘the starter at this point’

Former walk-on Charlie Offerdahl is the running back to beat, according to Coach Prime

Former walk-on running back Charlie Offerdahl owns one of the more inspiring stories on Colorado football’s roster, and it’s only getting better.

An in-state product from Littleton, Offerdahl spent his first three college seasons as a walk-on before being gifted a scholarship from head coach Deion Sanders in April.

The shifty Dakota Ridge High School graduate is now the running back to beat for Colorado’s starting job entering fall camp, according to Coach Prime. During the Big 12 media days earlier this month, Sanders shared the following about where Offerdahl stands (h/t Scott Procter of The Coloradoan):

“Just because Charlie Offerdahl had the title of a walk-on, you guys under estimate him, you look past him; I don’t,” Sanders said during a breakout session at Big 12 media days in July. “I look at a man for who he is, not where he came from. Forget the small beginnings, he’s not a walk-on anymore, he’s a scholarship player and he’s the starter at this point. They have to beat him out.”

Offerdahl will seek to continue standing out among several newcomers, including Dallan Hayden (Ohio State Buckeyes transfer), Isaiah Augustave (Arkansas Razorbacks transfer) and incoming freshmen Micah Welch and Brandon Hood.

After rushing for a walk-on school record 150 yards in 2022, the 5-foot-11, 185-pound Offerdahl had only two carries for 11 yards last year.

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Charlie Offerdahl’s younger brother shines at Colorado elite camp

Charlie Offerdahl’s younger brother made some noise at Colorado’s summer elite camp

After he earned a Colorado football scholarship from head coach Deion Sanders this spring, the Buffs faithful can’t wait to see what running back Charlie Offerdahl does in 2024. In the meantime, however, his younger brother, Jack, is making his name known.

The younger Offerdahl is following in his older brother’s footsteps, becoming an impact player at Dakota Ridge High School in Littleton this past season as a sophomore. Playing defensive back, he racked up 80 total tackles, three interceptions and 12 pass deflections in 12 games, per MaxPreps.

On Thursday, he attended Colorado’s summer elite camp, open to high school football players. By the end of the day, he was recognized by Colorado cornerbacks coach Kevin Mathis as a top-five DB at the camp. The honor doesn’t only hold weight because of Mathis’ status as a coach but also because of his 10-year NFL career.

As a class of 2026 prospect, Offerdahl still has two more years to impress college scouts across the nation. With early recognition from Colorado, however, we could soon hear another Offerdahl saying, “Home is where the buffalo roam.”

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Deion Sanders gifts walk-on running back Charlie Offerdahl with Colorado scholarship

Charlie Offerdahl is a walk-on no more

The Colorado football program and head coach Deion Sanders rewarded walk-on running back Charlie Offerdahl with a scholarship on Saturday prior to the Buffs’ spring game.

Throughout spring practice, Offerdahl showed great backfield production and made himself a candidate for CU’s top player of the spring. In the locker room before kickoff, Coach Prime informed the three-year walk-on that he’s now on scholarship.

For the Dakota Ridge High School alum and Colorado native, the moment was everything.

“I had a couple FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) offers coming out of high school, but Colorado’s home,” Offerdahl said after the spring game. “I always said, ‘home is where the buffalo roam.’ My family is here in Colorado, so that’s a big part of it, and I had faith in Coach Prime. I had faith in my ability to showcase what I can do for this staff and this campus.”

Offerdahl spent the last three seasons with the Buffs, appearing in 20 games after redshirting his freshman year. This spring, Offerdahl stepped up amid the changes to the running back room.

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Deion Sanders still raving about walk-on RB Charlie Offerdahl

Walk-on running back Charlie Offerdahl is impressing Coach Prime once again this fall

Now that we are a few days into fall camp and head coach Deion Sanders has had a chance to meet with the media, we are starting to get an idea of what the 2023 Colorado Buffaloes might look like when Sept. 2 rolls around and they take on the TCU Horned Frogs.

For obvious reasons, the quarterback and wide receiver positions have received much coverage so far, but Sanders also likes what he has at the running back position. Walk-on Charlie Offerdahl is one of those names that Coach Prime raved about during spring football and is still speaking highly of this fall camp.

Offerdahl, now a sophomore, broke Colorado’s walk-on rushing record with 150 yards last year as a freshman.

Here’s what Sanders had to say on Friday about his walk-on running back:

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Colorado spring football: Five Buffs turning heads early

With the first week of spring practice complete, here are five Buffs who’ve been turning heads early on

The first week of spring practice is in the books for Colorado and head coach Deion Sanders.

So far, we’ve been hearing mostly positive returns from the new-look Buffs. There’s still plenty of work to be done regarding learning new playbooks and figuring out who fits best where, but I’d chalk March up as a productive month, and the hope is that April follows suit.

Additionally, a few players, including a pair of returning Buffs, have shined especially bright early in camp. Four spring practices into the Coach Prime era, below are five Buffs who’ve been turning heads in a variety of ways:

Walk-on RB Charlie Offerdahl balling for Colorado early in spring camp

Walk-on Charlie Offerdahl ripped off a big run at spring practice last week

Colorado Buffaloes and college football fans alike love to see players get rewarded for their hard work. Every year videos emerge of walk-on players getting the ultimate sign of respect by being put on scholarship.

Coaches often come up with ways to surprise these players by having them address the team before receiving a scholarship. Charlie Offerdahl could become the next Buffs player to get this moment in short order.

Well Off Media posted a video recap of the Friday practice before spring break, and Offerdahl ripped off a long run with the No. 2 offense before being mobbed by his teammates. He also received a hug from head coach Deion Sanders after his tough running.

Coach Prime asked Offerdahl to address the team after practice and he talked about his love for his team, which he referred to as his family, and how he has balled out for scouts as a walk-on to get to this point. Sanders gave an answer that the entire team cheered for:

“Tell you what, you keep on balling out, you ain’t gonna be a walk-on for long.”

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PFF grades: Colorado’s top player on offense this season is a walk-on freshman

Colorado’s highest-graded offensive player might come as a surprise

The Colorado Buffaloes have just one victory this season and it came against Cal in Mike Sanford’s first game as interim head coach.

The chances of CU getting another win this year are low, and everyone is waiting for some breakthrough in the Buffs’ coaching search.

However, it isn’t all gloom in Boulder. Believe it or not, there have been some surprises, including freshman QB Owen McCown getting some playing time and some other names as well.

Pro Football Focus released its player grades for the Buffs in their loss to Arizona State (h/t BuffStampede), but the more notable nugget is that walk-on running back Charlie Offerdahl is the top-graded Buff on offense this season with a 71.7 rating (minimum 135 snaps played).

The freshman has 36 carries for 163 yards but has yet to score a touchdown this year. He has played in seven games, and the revolving door at the position has allowed players such as Offerdahl and Anthony Hankerson to get ample playing time on a disappointing offensive group.

Offerdahl was a non-factor against Arizona State but prior to that, he had eight carries in three of the past four games.

The departure of Karl Dorrell hasn’t changed the roster much, and the hope is that Offerdahl can stick around and continue adding depth at running back.

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Five standout Buffs from Colorado’s first preseason scrimmage

These five Buffs impressed during CU’s first preseason scrimmage

We got our first look at the Buffs in “game” action on Saturday when they held their first preseason scrimmage at Folsom Field.

Colorado challenged itself for about an hour and a half with all levels of the depth chart getting some action. Both the offense and defense had their moments, albeit under the preseason rule of limited tackling.

Watching the incoming freshmen play was also a treat. Karl Dorrell has shared plenty of praise about the new Buffs and the youngsters lived up to the hype.

In fact, of the five players that impressed me the most, three of them were freshmen: