Colorado Buffaloes Transfer Isaiah Augustave Lands With Virginia Cavaliers

Augustave's commitment to Virginia is expected because Colorado coach Deion Sanders recently exposed the Cavaliers in a recent Well Off Media YouTube video for tampering with his players outside of the transfer portal. While calling out the Cavaliers for offering safety Carter Stoutmire money to leave Boulder, Sanders said he had already let Virginia have one of his players. 247Sports had reported Augustave was taking a trip to Virginia, and an unknown Colorado player yelled out Augustave's number (23) in the video.

"Virginia, you got to stop," Sanders said. "I let you have one. I ain't say nothing about it. C'mon now. Come on. We let you have one. I ain't say nothing about it."

Led by coach Tony Elliott, Virginia has now landed 21 players from the transfer portal this offseason, including one other running back in former North Carolina Central standout J'Mari Taylor. The Cavaliers' incoming transfer class ranks fourth in the 17-team ACC.

With Augustave officially gone, running back becomes an even greater priority for Sanders in the transfer portal. Dallan Hayden, Micah Welch, Brandon Hood and former walk-on Charlie Offerdahl currently represent the only scholarship running backs on Colorado's roster. Only Hayden and Hood played during Colorado's spring game on Saturday, combining for 46 rushing yards.

Following the spring game, "Coach Prime" outlined his transfer portal needs and said he'd like to add multiple running backs.

"One tremendous defensive tackle, another linebacker or two, two safeties, probably three corners, one receiver — that's a grown man, that's as a dog — couple running backs, a tight end, maybe a guard, a tackle, and maybe two centers," Sanders said.

Although the Buffs naturally leaned on their passing game with quarterback Shedeur Sanders and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter in uniform, Colorado's rushing attack struggled in the past two years under "Coach Prime." Welch flashed potential when healthy last season, but adding a more experienced running back from the portal would help the cause.

Colorado has lost 25 players to the portal this offseason, including six since the spring window opened on Wednesday. Of those six, four have found new homes: Augustave (Virginia), safety Savion Riley (Georgia Tech), wide receiver Adrian Wilson (North Carolina) and defensive end Taje McCoy (Oklahoma State). Center Cash Cleveland and tight end Sam Hart have yet to commit elsewhere as of this writing.

The 10-day spring transfer portal window for non-graduate players closes on April 25.