Transfer portal season is here with the spring window open, and the football world has already witnessed one of the messiest breakups in Knoxville. Former QB Nico Iamaleava failed to show up to practice just a day before Tennessee’s annual spring game. What made the situation even more unusual was that Iamaleava’s camp was reportedly the one shopping him around for NIL deals — not other schools reaching out and offering more money.
In today’s era, it’s typically other programs initiating contact with players, offering enticing stipulations to lure them to campus. That’s just how the NCAA landscape looks now — it feels like there are no rules in place, and it shows time and time again.
Isaiah Augustave entered the transfer portal when it opened on April 16th. By Sunday, he announced his commitment to play for Virginia in the upcoming season. Augustave, who led Colorado in rushing, is a proven running back. However, it seems his transfer might be a bit messier than it first appeared.
Earlier in the week, Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders accused the Cavaliers of tampering with one of his players. While he named one player they attempted to poach, it now appears Augustave was the one he was referring to that left.
“Virginia you got to stop, I let you have one and didn’t say nothing about it,” Sanders said in a video.
Virginia's ability to land Augustave likely stems from a major boost in NIL funding thanks to a donor. With that financial support, the Cavaliers are now actively targeting talent from other programs, just like many other schools.
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“It was game-changing. The [transfer] portal certainly changed... it really allowed us to be extremely competitive,” Justin Speros told reporters.
Virginia has struggled in recent seasons, but with this new financial backing, the program looks poised to compete for top names in the portal. Whether or not tampering was involved, landing Augustave is a big win for the Cavaliers.