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Commentary: Overlooked local football players getting deserved opportunities

Charlie Offerdahl and John Matocha both earned big chances over the weekend.

DENVER — A lot of little guys have been getting some big wins this weekend.

And i don't just mean small in stature — although, that does tend to be the case with these two, in particular. No, I mean the underdogs. The gritty guys. The ones who aren't afraid to do the dirty work. 

Littleton native and Dakota ridge grad Charlie Offerdahl earned his first scholarship in three years ahead of CU's spring football game Saturday.

While he was recruited under the previous regime, the walk-on stayed the course and proved that hard work and loyalty sometimes goes further than flashy five-star rankings — like a sturdy carry-on suitcase compared to designer luggage.

And then there's Colorado School of Mines quarterback John Matocha, who earned his way to a rookie minicamp deal with the Denver Broncos.

Matocha might be undersized, standing in the pocket at 5-foot-11, but his veteran presence, intelligence and leadership stands miles above his Division II competition.

Matocha won the Harlon Hill Award in 2022, led his team to back-to-back national championship games and broke the touchdown passing record.

Oh yeah, he's also a computer science genius. Go figure. As it turns out, good guys don't always finish last. 

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