After Colorado, Deion Sanders pulls scholarship offer, Carson Mott reopens his recruitment

Well before he attends his first practice or sits in his first classroom — wherever that might end up to be — Carson Mott has already learned an important lesson about college athletics.

"It's a business," he says. "I get that. They want to do what's best for them. I need to do what's best for me."

Mott, a premier senior defensive end from Simi Valley High, committed to the University of Colorado football program last June. Head coach Karl Dorrell was fired after an 0-5 start, and the school hired former Jackson State head coach and NFL all-pro Deion Sanders in December.

For Mott, everything changed.

"I was stressing," he said. "I saw what was happening, and I wondered what was going to happen with a new coaching staff coming in. I wondered what that would mean for my commitment."

He didn't need to wait long.

Three days after Sanders was hired, Mott received a call from Colorado recruiting coordinator D.J. Bryant. The news wasn't pleasant.

"He told me that the program wanted to go in a different direction and bring in their own people," Mott said. "They were going to look hard at the transfer portal and go from there. I was told they would not be honoring my scholarship offer."

Turns out, Mott has plenty of company. A host of previous Colorado commits are now searching for new schools.

Mott is growing used to adversity. The 6-foot-5, 235-pounder — an all-league and all-county selection after his junior season — suffered a dislocated shoulder in the first half of Simi Valley's Marmonte League opener vs. Westlake and was sidelined for the final four games. He'll undergo surgery this week.

Before his injury, Mott had racked up 26 tackles and a team-high six sacks. Simi Valley lost its final four league games.

"That was really hard," Mott said. "I wanted so much to be out there with my teammates. It was hard not to be playing while we were losing games."

Now comes the rebound.

Mott has been told his recovery time will be around "three months." He expects to be ready to go with the college football program of his choice in the fall.

The news on that front is good, too. It's fairly late in the recruiting process — commitments can be made this month and in February — but indications are Mott will be in demand.

He is hearing from a number of interested Division I programs, including Pac-12 schools Washington and Washington State. Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, San Diego State, among others, are also in the mix.

"I was stressed before, but I'm feeling better about everything," he said. "If it's not going to be Colorado, I'll just take my talents elsewhere. I look forward to contributing to my new school. I'm confident I'll be on campus somewhere in the fall."

Mott said he seeks to be comfortable with his college choice.

"I'll be looking to see where I'm comfortable and where I feel most wanted," he said. "I want to make sure I really like the coaching staff. Location is really important for me. It's where I'm going to live for the next few years and I want to be really happy about that."

Mott admits that Washington and Washington St., as Pac-12 entries, hold a special lure.

"Absolutely," he said. "I want to play college football at the highest possible level."

When Mott was informed by Colorado of its decision, he posted the news on social media. He's been literally flooded by responses.

"Very surprising," he said. "I wasn't expecting that at all. So many people have told me they're rooting for me. I really do appreciate all the support."

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Carson Mott reopens recruitment after Colorado pulls offer