Deion Sanders shares that Alton McCaskill has asked to be redshirted this season

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders had a well-documented roster overhaul this offseason highlighted by the addition of dozens of players through the transfer portal.

One of the top prospects he got to sign with the Buffaloes was former Houston running back Alton McCaskill, who had an outstanding freshman season with the Cougars before missing the entire 2022 season after suffering from a torn ACL injury.

After playing in four games this season for Colorado, McCaskill took it upon himself to request being redshirted this season, a decision that Sanders pulled back the curtain on in his press conference Tuesday.

“Alton, I don’t know if he wants me to disclose what transpired, you know I’m always honest with you guys and straight up,” Sanders said initially hesitant. “I don’t like to you guys or falsify anything. Alton came in my office yesterday and he wanted to be redshirted, which I think is very wise.”

This season was McCaskill’s first in action after rushing for 961 yards and 16 touchdowns in his true freshman season at Houston, catching 21 passes for 113 receiving yards with two scores through the air as well. But his knee injury suffered in the spring of 2022 kept him from building on that impressive debut season.

“I’m all for him, if he wanted to continue to play I’d have been all for him. He’s one of my favorite human beings on this team, he’s a great young man, was raised properly, and he wants it,” Sanders said. “But he does understand that it’s been a while since he has had his full strength, and full potential, and ability to move and cut in explosion and he understands that.”

This year for Colorado McCaskill rushed for 59 yards on 14 carries in his four game appearances, also adding two receptions for 19 yards to his stat line. But now he will shift his focus to improving teammates at practice and himself throughout the entire offseason in preparation for the 2024 season.

“So he wants to train and work his butt off and get into shape and come back in the spring and earn that number one spot. That’s what he echoed to me and I love it. I saw him today on the scout team going 100 miles per hour trying to get guys a look and just being the player that he is. He’s a great team guy, he’s a great human being, he’s a great young man,” Sanders said. “So that’s where he is right now.”