Charlie Offerdahl's high school coach explains how Charlie separated himself at Colorado

Charlie Offerdahl was one of the lone bright spots for Colorado football in 2022. After Offerdahl set a Colorado record for the most rushing yards in a season by a walk-on, Colorado’s entire football program was flipped on its head once Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders was hired. While most of the players on the 2022 team entered the portal, Offerdahl decided to stay. He quickly caught the eye of Coach Prime and Colorado’s newest coaching staff and eventually earned himself a scholarship.

Ron Woitalewicz was a highly successful head coach at Dakota Ridge High School in Littleton, CO for the last 20 years before stepping down in January. Coach Woitalewicz coached Offerdahl and shared his thoughts with me about Offerdahl earning his scholarship, what Offerdahl has done so far at Colorado and what to expect out of the Colorado running back this season.

What kind of player was Charlie Offerdahl in high school?

He’s got as high of a football IQ for a kid as I’ve had in high school. He really understood the game. He played safety for us and some running back for us. I remember we were playing Chatfield one year and he texted me and said, “Hey, Coach, did you watch play 68 on HUDL? Did you see what the left tackle did?”And I’m like the left tackle? Here’s a kid playing safety and he’s watching what the left tackle is doing, how he sat and how he could tell if it was a pass play or run play. For a kid in high school who played safety, you’d expect him to look at the route combinations or watch the receivers but he was watching the offensive line and everything else trying to do everything he could to get an advantage.

I think things like that separated him from other kids in terms of his IQ, his work ethic, always watching film and he managed to do it all and maintain a 4.0 GPA at the same time. I think he’s majoring in biology or something like that because I know he wants to follow in his dad’s footsteps to become a dentist. It’s not like he’s taking some easy classes up there.

Did it surprise you to see how big of a role Charlie had as a walk-on redshirt freshman in 2022?

It didn’t surprise me. I guess I just assumed that most of our kids go to college, and get a red shirt, whether you’re a walk-on or a scholarship player. They’re going to try and get you stronger, bigger and all those things. But knowing the type of kid Charlie is, it didn’t surprise me that his work ethic put him on the map a little bit and that’s where he’s been his whole life ever since I’ve known him.

We do a little quarterback and receiver camp in the spring, and he probably started coming to our quarterback and receiver camp when he was ten. Even at that age, after the camp ended on a Monday night around six or seven, he’d want to stay and run a few more routes and catch a few more balls, and he was only ten years old. That’s just how he’s been.

When he got to high school, he was the same way. He was first in, last out, 4.0 GPA, team captain, two-time league MVP, and two-time First Team All-State. I thought maybe he’d have a chance to get some special teams duties but I didn’t figure he fit into the rotation at running back but I can’t say I was shocked or surprised.

Where was Charlie’s head at once Coach Prime was hired and why did he decide to stick it out at Colorado?

He called me because he was a little worried too. He asked me, “I’m on my third head coach now, do you think I should enter the portal? I’ve got to keep reproving myself over and over and over again.” You can talk about getting a fresh start, but his goal and dream was always to play at CU. His dad played at the University of Washington, so that was another option.

But I think his goal or dream was always to play at CU and so we talked about it and I just told him to listen to what Coach Prime said about looking for guys who are going to work hard, do the right thing and be there all the time, I told Charlie, “that’s right in your wheelhouse. Everything he said he’s looking for in a player is who you are, you’re that person. I don’t know if I’d give up on your dream of where you want to play. You would have to reprove yourself all over again. But I don’t think you’ll have any problem doing that, because what he’s looking for is who you are.”

Sure enough, he stuck it out. That’s the thing I’m most excited for him about getting that scholarship opportunity. It’s not about money, or anything else. It’s about, here’s a kid who’s shown loyalty and dedication and work ethic and all the things [Coach Prime] came in and preached about, Charlie does. We had that discussion about, futuristically, what he wants to do, and he continued to follow his dream, work hard, and he’s been rewarded for it so it was pretty cool.

What was your reaction to seeing Coach Prime award Charlie with a scholarship?

It brought a tear to my eye because I know it’s something that he has really wanted and something he’s really worked for. As a coach, I like to see the kids who work hard and give everything to the program that they can and maintain a high GPA. He’s loved by all his teammates, he really is, it’s a modern-day Rudy situation. I think every one of those kids on that team would be the guy to go to Prime’s office and drop their jersey down and say, “Coach, Charlie can wear my jersey today.” They all think that highly of him.

It brought a tear to my eye, I’m so proud and happy for him and his family. His parents are just unbelievable people and he’s got a younger brother playing at Dakota Ridge, he’ll be a junior who was a First-Team, All-Conference kid as a sophomore last year who’s exactly the same, 4.3 GPA, and the same kind of work ethic. So I was just so happy for him.

What is your reaction when you see constant negativity about Colorado from outsiders and see hit pieces being written about Coach Prime and Colorado?

Most of the info I get is from Charlie and he loves [Coach Prime]. I’ve talked to Charlie, I’ve talked to his dad, and they say, “Prime is who he is.” He’s a very religious man, it’s not like he puts religious stuff out there to try and help boost himself up, that’s who he is. He doesn’t cuss and he really likes the guys that come in and want to work hard.

His reaction to [the fallout of The Athletic’s hit piece] that’s probably the dad and coach in him and he probably could have handled that a little bit differently. But as a coach, we’ve all been there where somebody says something that kind of ignites a fire in you. Maybe if you ask him, he probably wishes he could take some of that back but it is what it is.

Charlie loves him. I’ve never met him, but I think he’s a genuine person and people don’t like him because he has an extremely high standard. He is who he is and I can’t blame a coach for having that high standard and high expectations.

How do you see Charlie fitting into the backfield now after all the transfer portal turnover at the position?

I think that he will go out and he’ll compete. I see him probably being a real integral part on special teams up there. Then he gets excited, “I got bumped up to number two,” and Dylan Edwards leaves the program so now, “Am I going to be number one? We’re bringing in three guys from the portal.” He called me and I said, “Charlie for three years you’ve been the same thing over and over. They’re bringing guys in, you go out and compete, and you play hard.”

I think one of the things that gives Charlie an advantage over other guys is his IQ for the game because now this is his third different offensive coordinator he’s played for. Now he’s with Pat Shurmur, he’s got to learn new terminology and he gets it. He knows exactly what to do. It’s funny because when Coach Chiaverini came in, when coaches come in to visit I always ask them, “Hey, what’s your favorite two-point play? Just something that maybe we could use.” He drew it up as soon as he left I texted Charlie, “What do you do on this play?” He said, “Oh, I’ve got to do this check here, I’ve got a check release,” he knew the terminology right away and there was no hesitation.

So I think his work ethic, he’s not going to carry the ball 20 times ago, he’s probably not that guy. But he’s going to be a guy who gives you positive yardage, he’s not going to make mistakes, and he’ll contribute to the team any way he can.