In a surprising turn, Colorado’s kicker Josh McCormick has decided to leave Deion Sanders’ football program just five months after joining. McCormick, who transferred from Grambling, used a unique NCAA transfer portal loophole to make his exit.
This move has caused a depth issue for Coach Prime and raised questions about college football roster stability in the summer. Let’s dig into McCormick’s journey and what this loophole might mean for the sport.
The Journey of Josh McCormick
Josh McCormick’s college football journey has been a wild ride. The Akins High School prospect started at Oregon State in 2021.
He redshirted his freshman season and saw little action the next year. Craving more playing time, McCormick transferred to William & Mary, an FCS program, where he started every game in 2024 and set a school record with 34 touchbacks.
Last season, he kept up his strong performance at Grambling State before heading to Colorado. His arrival lined up with the departure of long-time kicker Alejandro Mata, which looked like a golden opportunity.
But things didn’t go as planned.
Deion Sanders’ Decision and McCormick’s Departure
Deion Sanders, or Coach Prime, had already picked Elliot Arnold as the starting kicker. During spring practices, Sanders said clearly: It’s not a competition. Elliot is the guy.
That left McCormick in a tough spot, so he started looking for other options.
The Loophole in the NCAA Transfer Portal
The NCAA shut down the spring football transfer portal last year, so teams could only build rosters during the January window. But there’s a loophole—athletes with multi-sport backgrounds can use different portals to transfer.
McCormick, who excels in the triple jump and long jump, took advantage. He entered the NCAA Transfer Portal as a track and field athlete during the late spring track window, which runs from late May to June 26.
UCLA QB Karson Gordon used the same loophole, openly saying he planned to play football at his next stop. Moves like these have shaken up the college football calendar—coaches can’t assume their rosters are set for the summer anymore.
Implications for College Football
The actions of McCormick and Gordon could really shake things up. Compliance departments are now bracing for more football players eyeing spring track and field spots as a backup plan.
This trend might lead to even more roster instability, with football players using their multi-sport skills to keep transfer options open.
Depth Issues for Colorado
McCormick’s exit left Coach Prime with a depth problem. Still, Colorado seems to have a strong replacement ready.
Elliot Arnold, a five-star prospect from McCallie School, was a big commit for Colorado in the class of 2025. He had offers from TCU and Tennessee but picked Colorado.
During his senior year, Arnold made 15 of 17 field goals, including a 52-yarder. That’s a big upgrade from Mata, who struggled with longer kicks despite being solid inside 40 yards.
Arnold also spent a year behind Mata during his redshirt season and picked up valuable experience.
Arnold’s Performance and Future Prospects
Arnold showed off his skills in the Colorado spring game, nailing a 43-yard field goal and missing just one of four attempts. McCormick only tried two field goals, made both, but his longest was 38 yards.
Coach Prime has a lot of faith in Arnold, saying: Everybody knows their roles right now. Elliot is the guy. We have the utmost faith and confidence in him. He does it every practice. He’s going to be the guy, and he’s going to surprise a lot of people in this room. He’s really good, and he has really stepped it up.
With Arnold stepping up, Colorado’s kicking game looks solid. But the bigger issue of roster stability is still hanging over the sport.
This loophole, now on everyone’s radar, could push more players to transfer through multi-sport portals and keep compliance departments on their toes.
Conclusion
Josh McCormick left Colorado after just five months, which really highlights a loophole in the NCAA transfer portal system. Athletes like McCormick and Karson Gordon use their multi-sport backgrounds to get around the closed football calendar and look for new teams.
This move could shake up college football, especially during the summer. Roster stability might not be what it used to be.
Colorado now faces a depth problem because of McCormick’s exit. Luckily, they’ve got Elliot Arnold, who’s already flashed some serious potential in spring practices.
College football keeps changing, and coaches and compliance teams have to keep up—or get left behind. Who knows what the next twist will be?
For more details on this story, you can read the full article on Yahoo Sports.
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