BOULDER — There goes another one…

Colorado’s star running back Jarek Broussard announced his intent to enter the transfer portal on Thursday. Broussard was the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2020. He will have two years of eligibility remaining.

https://twitter.com/jarekbroussard1/status/1481723868590968834?s=20

Broussard’s departure is the 18th for the Buffaloes since the start of the 2021 season. He joins Brenden Rice, Mark Perry, Christian Gonzalez and Mekhi Blackmon as starters who have entered the portal since the season ended. Joshia Davis, Kanan Ray, Alec Pell, Chris Carpenter, Trustin Oliver, Zephaniah Maea, Keith Miller, La’Vontae Shenault, Ashaad Clayton, Steele Dubar, Blayne Toll, Curtis Appleton and Lloyd Murray also entered the portal.

Following Broussard’s departure, the Buffs are lacking an identity. They’ve lost their most talented players on both sides of the ball, either to the portal or to the NFL. Their best remaining players on offense are wide receiver Dimitri Stanley and tight end Brady Russell. On defense, Terrance Lang and Jalen Sami fill those roles.

Attrition was to be expected. That’s part of the reason Colorado signed such a big freshman class. The Buffs knew they were losing players to the portal, and they were probably excited to see a number of them go. But with five starters leaving town, the Buffs only have a few scholarships available to replace them.

Replacing Broussard will be difficult. He was CU’s leading rusher in each of the past two seasons, accounting for 1,702 yards from scrimmage over the course of 17 games. He also provided seven touchdowns.

While Broussard’s efficiency dipped from 5.7 yards per carry in 2020 to 4.7 yards per carry in 2021, it was still the best on the team. Colorado’s No. 2 back, Alex Fontenot, put up 3.4 yards per carry. Deion Smith received the third-most carries and posted 3.6.

Now, Fontenot and Smith figure to lead the group. Fontenot, a senior, was Colorado’s leading rusher in 2019 with 874 yards. Smith, a junior, could be primed to break out. He solidified himself as RB3 in a stacked backfield last season, edging out Clayton and Davis. As of now, he’s due for plenty more carries than the 53 he received in 2021.

Two other running backs are currently on scholarship at CU: sophomore Jayle Stacks and true freshman Victor Venn. Stacks profiles as more of a fullback than a tailback. Venn is a speedy freshman out of Georgia.

The group that just a few months ago was the deepest on the team is now incredibly shallow.

Colorado offered Minnesota running back Ky Thomas a little over a week ago, and his arrival could change the picture a little. He was the Gophers’ leading rusher after stud running back Mo Ibrahim went down with an injury. If he chooses to follow his offensive coordinator to Boulder, he’s likely to take the top spot on the depth chart with three years of eligibility remaining.

Regardless of whether Thomas is interested, CU will need to add to this backfield now that its star is no longer part of the team.