By now, we have all gotten used to the rollercoaster that is the transfer portal. But losing edge rusher Taje McCoy to Big 12 foe Oklahoma State still stings a little more than usual.
McCoy had a quietly strong 2024 campaign. The redshirt freshman logged four sacks, 23 tackles, and showed his motor in all 13 games. He was one of the most reliable special teams contributors and earned a Second Team Special Teams honor from College Football News, along with a Big 12 Honorable Mention for Defensive Newcomer of the Year.
It’s ironic that McCoy had his best game against the same Oklahoma State team he’s now joining. In the Buffs dominant win to close out the regular season, he racked up a career-high five tackles and looked like a rising star in the making.
Coach Prime, however, still has firepower off the edge. Arden Walker is returning after a 4.5-sack season and a breakout year that saw him rise as CU’s second-highest-rated edge defender by PFF. Keaton Wade and Samuel Okunlola also bring experience and upside.
Let’s not forget, Colorado led the entire Big 12 in sacks last season with 39. And we expect this defense to improve under Domata Peko. Losing McCoy hurts, but with the performance at the Black & Gold game, Coach Prime isn’t panicking.