Rocket's successor? Isaiah Augustave has coming out party in Arkansas football's win over FIU
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Raheim Sanders went down with another injury in the Arkansas football team's 44-20 win over FIU Saturday night. After battling through a knee issue all season, Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman said Sanders is now dealing with a shoulder injury.
With just one game remaining in the season, Arkansas fans may have seen the last of Sanders in the cardinal and white.
But those same fans got a sneak peek at Sanders' successor Saturday.
Freshman Isaiah Augustave had his coming out party against the Panthers, finishing with 101 yards on just 14 carries. He broke tackles, outran defenders and provided a needed spark to the Arkansas offense, becoming just the second Razorback to have more than 100 rushing yards in a game this season. The 323 rushing yards by Arkansas (4-7) was a season-high.
"I was proud of Isaiah. He ran unbelievable," Sam Pittman said.
"We needed a shot at running back. We needed someone to make people miss, run over people, hit holes or whatever it may be with some urgency. We thought it might put some urgency into that whole group as well by seeing that he was going to get the opportunity to play."
Rashod Dubinion also left Saturday's game with an injury, meaning the Razorbacks were down two running backs for three quarters, but Pittman said Arkansas was always planning to get Augustave more involved against FIU.
More: Arkansas football cruises past FIU to secure much-needed home win
Coming into the week, the freshman from Florida had just 21 rushing yards on the season. His inexperience kept him off the field earlier in the year, but the moment was right against FIU to see what the freshman had in a live setting.
Augustave was a four-star prospect according to 247Sports and ESPN, ranked as the no. 174 prospect in Top247 rankings. He entered a loaded running backs room, with Sanders, Dubinion, AJ Green and Dominique Johnson all having meaningful experience and success.
Now, it might be Augustave's turn to play a starring role.
"I’ve just been really patient with all the guys in front of me. Getting prepared for this moment," he said.
Augustave's success was a welcome boost for the entire team. Late in the fourth quarter, senior captains wanted to feed the freshman so he could cross the 100-yard mark.
"Before that last time before we got the ball, everyone was like 'He’s got 88, he’s got 88 yards,'" offensive lineman Brady Latham said. "We were all like ,'Coach put him in! Put him in!' We’ve got to get to 100, so he ended up getting to 100 and we got over 300. It was a good day."
Arkansas hopes this good day will be the first of many for Augustave. He'll have his next opportunity to cement his place in the running back pecking order in the season finale, Friday afternoon against No. 9 Missouri.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Isaiah Augustave has coming out party in Arkansas football's win over FIU
