DENVER (AP) — Colorado coach Deion Sanders could also be dropping a tailback however gaining a future dentist.
Charlie Offerdahl stood in entrance of his teammates and coaches on the primary day of fall camp Tuesday and introduced he’s retiring from soccer attributable to a historical past of concussions. He’s on observe to graduate in December and has a 12 months of eligibility remaining.
On the horizon: Dental faculty as he goes from the sphere to fillings.
Sanders, who introduced the day earlier than he’s been declared cured from bladder most cancers, put out a plea to ensure Offerdahl’s dental faculty was taken care of by way of some form of scholarship.
“There’s anyone on the market that’s in command of a dental faculty,” Sanders mentioned in a video of the second posted on his Instagram account. “I wish to be certain that we maintain you. … We’re going to get anyone on the market to bless you.”
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The Buffaloes have their coach again after what’s been a daunting previous few months for Sanders. He described his well being scare Monday as medical doctors eliminated his bladder to thrust back an aggressive type of most cancers. He had a bit of his gut reconstructed to operate as a bladder.
“I’m allowed to undergo these trials and tribulations in order that I might contact and attain and bless individuals with the phrases, with the vitality, with that factor that God gave me,” Sanders mentioned at his information convention the place he was accompanied by his medical crew. “So I by no means considered no dying. … I’ve bought an excessive amount of life in me.”
Sanders promoted Offerdahl from a walk-on right into a scholarship participant on the spring recreation in 2024. Sanders gathered the crew collectively that day and introduced him a scholarship.
Offerdahl’s 150 yards dashing in 2022 — the 12 months earlier than Sanders arrived on campus — had been essentially the most in class historical past by a walk-on.
Final season, Offerdahl performed in 13 video games, dashing for 126 yards and one TD. He wore an “L” on his jersey to indicate “chief.”
“Charlie by no means had a nasty day,” Sanders mentioned. “All the time got here to work, got here to play.”
It was an emotional assembly with the crew for Offerdahl, who’s majoring in molecular, mobile and developmental biology.
“I haven’t been right here this summer season. If it’s not apparent already, I gained’t be coming again this 12 months,” Offerdahl defined within the video. “Simply how severe this final concussion was and what number of I’ve had main as much as it, it was fairly scary for me and my household. I will likely be hanging it up.”
He additionally expressed his appreciation in Sanders for believing in him.
“I can’t thanks sufficient for that,” mentioned Offerdahl, who embraced Sanders. “It is a actually robust choice for me simply due to how a lot soccer does imply to me.”
Offerdahl instructed his teammates of his dental plans — and prolonged a future supply.
“In about six or seven years, if any of you guys want some ‘grillz,’ you recognize the place to return,” cracked Offerdahl, referring to the metallic covers worn over tooth. “I like you guys.”
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You can even hearken to our Brush Up podcast that includes an interview with Canadian athlete and dentist Dr. Arden Younger.
