Usually, it’s not good when a five-minute Uber ride turns into 20 minutes.
New Colorado safety Tawfiq Byard has found that to be a positive sign, though, as he’s acclimated to Boulder this summer.
“The people are so nice here,” he said. “You’ll be in an Uber for (a five minute ride) and you’ll talk to the guy for 20 minutes, just because it’s so welcoming and they love CU sports. So I love Boulder.”
Boulder is a completely new environment for Byard, who grew up on the East Coast before playing the past two seasons at South Florida, but he saw a golden opportunity in transferring to play for the Colorado Buffaloes.
“Colorado preached that if you come in here and work and you really have a love for the game, you’ll get everything you want out of it,” the 6-foot-1, 195-pound redshirt sophomore said. “So this opportunity, the cameras, the lights every weekend, is on us. As a (defensive back), that’s something that you want to play in. You want to be in the big-time games. You want to be in the spotlight.”
Projected as a starter in CU’s retooled secondary, Byard is eager to learn from a coaching staff loaded with NFL experience, including head coach Deion Sanders, who is a Hall of Fame cornerback. Byard’s position coach, defensive coordinator Robert Livingston, has 12 years of NFL coaching experience.
Byard, however, doesn’t have to look far in learning about the NFL. His older brother, Kevin Byard, plays safety for the Chicago Bears. A two-time first-team All-Pro, Kevin is going into his 10th season in the league.
“The biggest thing I take from him and that whole situation is that it could be done,” the younger Byard said. “That if you just work, grind, put your head down, you could do it.”
The example set by his older brother has fueled Byard, who starred at DeMatha Catholic (Md.) High School before going to South Florida in 2023. After redshirting in 2023, Byard started 10 games for the Bulls in 2024, recording 54 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception.
Inspired by his brother, Byard comes to CU looking to build up his own resume.
“Some kids get discouraged because they don’t see it, a living figure that has done it, so they kind of think it’s just an out-of-this-world type of thing to make it to the next level,” Byard said. “But when you have someone in the flesh that has done it, and you’ve seen the work they put in, that’s something that’s tangible.”
Byard is hoping for similar results as the man he’s replacing, Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, who is currently a rookie with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“(Watching last year) I used to see No. 7 making plays all around the field,” said Byard, who is now wearing No. 7. “I didn’t know who he was … until I got into the portal and coming to Colorado. That’s all they talk about, is Cam – the leadership, the way he played, his love of the game.”
Byard sees that up close, as Silmon-Craig is still providing leadership to the safety room, texting them often.
“Even though he’s in the league, he’ll hit me up and text me every once in a while,” Byard said. “He’ll say, ‘Hey, step it up. Hey, you’re second in line and you should be first.’ He’s definitely a leader that I could look up to.”
CU lost Silmon-Craig and Shilo Sanders – both starting safeties with big personalities – but Byard and junior Carter Stoutmire are stepping up. And Stoutmire sees Cam-like qualities in Byard.
“They’re really good in-the-box guys,” Stoutmire said. “Really good in the film room.
“I see a whole lot of similarity between him and Cam, play style and off field.”
Byard is excited about the entire room. While he and Stoutmire are projected to start, Byard praised several others in the room, including transfers John Slaughter (from Tennessee) and Terrance Love (Auburn), returning senior Ben Finneseth and true freshman TJ Branch Jr.
“We got a lot of good safeties,” Byard said. “We all love the game of football. I think that’s the best thing about it. You get guys that love the game, you don’t always have to push them to do more, because they love the game, and they’re doing it for themselves.
“I’m excited to see what this looks like.”
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