Virginia Football Offers Buffalo Running Back Transfer Dylan McDuffie

Tony Elliott and the Cavaliers are looking to the transfer portal to bolster their depth at running back

Virginia football head coach Tony Elliott announced on Saturday that fifth-year running back Ronnie Walker Jr. suffered an injury in practice this week and will miss at least the remainder of spring football. This is certainly disappointing news for both UVA and Walker Jr., who had been having an impressive stretch of practices to lead the running back group. 

Elliott did not provide details on the nature or severity of the injury, but Walker Jr. will be out for an extended period of time, placing a major question mark on Virginia's running back group. The Cavaliers still have junior Mike Hollins, who has also impressed Tony Elliott so far, as well as senior Perris Jones, sophomore Amaad Foston, and incoming freshman Xavier Brown. Without Walker Jr., however, the Cavaliers would be in need of experienced depth, so Elliott has begun to look to the portal for a solution. 

Buffalo running back Dylan McDuffie entered the transfer portal on Friday and he received an offer from Virginia on Sunday. 

The 6'0, 207-pound junior was originally a three-star recruit from Buffalo, New York. After redshirting his first season with the Bulls in 2018, McDuffie showed flashes of potential with limited touches in 2019, as he averaged 6.5 yards per carry on 23 rushing attempts. Despite that, he played sparingly the following season, appearing in just three games and getting only one rush attempt. 

In 2021, McDuffie had a breakout season, becoming the 10th player in Buffalo program history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season. He ran for 1,049 yards and 11 touchdowns and also recorded 14 receptions for 123 receiving yards and another touchdown. He had four 100-yard rushing games and was named to the All-MAC Third Team after the season. 

Since entering the transfer portal on Friday, McDuffie has received offers from Virginia, Duke, Florida Atlantic, Western Kentucky, and UTSA. McDuffie is entering his senior season, but still has two years of eligibility remaining. 

There is no timetable for a decision, but Dylan McDuffie would certainly make a valuable late addition to the Virginia football roster at the running back position heading into next season. 

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