DENVER — Marcus McElroy Jr. has played his last game as a Colorado State Ram. The veteran running back announced that he is leaving the program and will use his final season of eligibility elsewhere.
In a statement posted via Twitter, McElroy wrote the following: “I would like to start off by saying thank you to CSU for giving me the opportunity to grow and become the man I am. I would also like to thank the fans and staff for accepting me and my family. With that being said, I have entered the transfer portal and am opening my recruitment for opportunities for my final season as a grad student.”
A Denver native and a graduate of Mullen High School, McElroy has been a contributor in the backfield since the 2018 season. In his career he has totaled 755 rushing yards on 181 carries (4.2 AVG.) and has six rushing touchdowns. However, since David Bailey was brought in from Boston College, McElroy’s role has significantly diminished.
McElroy has only carried the ball six times over the course of the first four games. He got a pair of garbage time touches in the loss to South Dakota State and four carries at Iowa — a surprisingly low total considering Bailey was injured the first series of the game. So instead of sticking around for relatively no playing time, McElroy can save his eligibility, as he’s played in less than four games this season, and finish up his collegiate career elsewhere.
McElroy is the second running back to transfer out this fall. Tanner Hollens also left the program at the end of fall camp and has since announced that he will be transferring to Northern Colorado. It honestly wouldn’t be shocking if Ed McCaffrey hits up McElroy as well. The Bears have brought in a ton of FBS transfers over the last 18 months and have been really leaning on the local schools for talent.
Regardless of where he ends up, McElroy should be revered by Ram Nation for his commitment to the community. McElroy has been very active in Fort Collins throughout his time at CSU and has long been respected for his work ethic, integrity and leadership characteristics. He’s one of the finest young men I’ve had the pleasure of covering at CSU and I look forward to seeing whatever his next step is.
