The exodus in Boulder just gained steam. Tawfiq Byard, one of the few defensive backs who actually showed up for Colorado this season, is hitting the transfer portal. After a year where he was practically playing whack-a-mole in a secondary that leaked points like a sieve, the redshirt sophomore is taking his talents elsewhere.
Byard wasn’t some blue-chip recruit who fell into Coach Prime’s lap. He earned every bit of his playing time the hard way. After sitting out his first year at South Florida, he exploded onto the scene in Year Two with the Bulls, racking up 54 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks, and a pick. That performance caught Colorado’s attention, and Byard chose the glitz of Boulder over a stack of other offers.
A Bright Spot in a Disastrous Defense
This past season, Byard elevated his game even further. He led the team with 85 tackles, added eight more tackles for loss, and forced two fumbles. The 6-foot-1 safety from DeMatha Catholic in Maryland became a rare reliable presence in a defense that ranked 111th nationally in points allowed. Yes, you read that right—111th. They were giving up 30.5 points per game like it was their job.
The pass defense actually held its own, ranking 41st nationally at 203 yards allowed per game. But when the scoreboard keeps lighting up against you, moral victories don’t mean much. Byard was tasked with cleaning up messes all season long, and now he’s decided he’s done being the lone firefighter in a burning building.
Colorado’s Portal Problem Gets Worse
Byard isn’t leaving alone. Leading receiver Omarion Miller announced his portal plans the same day, taking his 808 yards and eight touchdowns with him. Four-star freshman safety TJ Branch is also bouncing, along with former Alabama defensive lineman Jehheim Oatis, who managed just nine tackles in 11 games. That’s six players and counting heading for the exits, with more expected to follow.
After taking 75 transfers over the past two years, Colorado is about to watch a chunk of that investment walk out the door. The Deion Sanders experiment delivered plenty of headlines but a 4-8 regular season record. Now the roster that was supposed to compete for Big 12 titles is being picked apart piece by piece.
Byard enters the portal as one of the most coveted defensive backs available, with two years of eligibility remaining. He’s betting someone out there values what he brings more than Colorado apparently did.
