WATCH: Colorado puts walk-on RB Charlie Offerdahl on scholarship

One of the best moments from Colorado's spring game Saturday didn't occur on the field.

Walk-on running back Charlie Offerdahl was officially put on scholarship, as coach Deion Sanders made the announcement in the locker room.

“Wow. Teary-eyed. I was in there boo-hooing like I was part of the family, which I feel like I’m part of the family. He was raised correctly, wonderful mother and father who supported him 100% of the way," Sanders said later. "His brother is gonna follow in his footsteps with his toughness and physicality and stick-to-it-iveness -- 4.0 student, honor roll student. Charlie is the prototype, man. He’s a man. I love what he stands for, I love who he is, I love what he’s about, and we wanted to trick him.

"I told him a couple of days ago, I think he’s gonna win player of the spring. That’s the way we tricked him into bringing his parents over. And it was a tremendous moment. But it was nothing that we gave him. He took it. He flat out took it and he earned it and he deserved it. So God bless him, and I told the team at the conclusion of the game, who’s next? Which walk-on is next? Because we’ve got room and we’ve got time.”

Offerdahl played in eight games on special teams last season, notched a tackle and had two rushes for 11 yards. In 2022, he set a Colorado record for most rushing yards by a walk-on in a season (150). He earned his first start vs. UCLA that year.

The local product from Littleton was named the Buffs' special teams scout player of the year in 2021 in his first year in the program.

"I really just want to thank everybody in this organization, all of Colorado, Coach Prime -- it's a blessing," Offerdahl said. "... The biggest thing for me is believing in myself. Over the course of being here, it's been a lot of trials and tribulations."

Offerdahl said he had a couple of scholarship offers from smaller schools coming out of Dakota Ridge High School, but Colorado was a special opportunity for him.

"I had a couple FCS offers coming out of high school, but Colorado's home. I always said 'Home is where the buffalo roam,'" he said. "My family's here in Colorado, so that's a big part of it. I have faith in Coach Prime, I have faith in my ability to showcase what I can do for this staff, this campus.

Offerdahl didn't play in the spring game due to what he called a "minor injury" and he expects to be fine in a couple weeks.

Meanwhile, while Sanders heaped his praise on the former walk-on, Offerdahl gave it right back to Sanders.

"As a little kid, you dream to be him. You look to a guy like him, not just because of how he plays, but him as a human being -- his morals, his ethics, how he goes about his life. It's a blessing. I can't understate how much of a blessing it is for me," he said.