It was just a couple of days until the National Championship game. Michigan players were meeting with the media to discuss the matchup with Washington. Donovan Edwards was asked about his struggles in what had been a difficult season on the field for him.

“I feel like this year has been a lot more of a mental aspect for me,” Edwards said back in January. "

"Of course, I have the feeling of being flustered and frustrated, and I definitely have been working on that. Mental health is a big thing for me. I’ve seen a therapist quite often now, and that’s helped me get into a focused mind space. I just feel like this year has been a blessing for me. I’m in a National Championship game. I have three Big Ten Championship rings. The team is winning. The team has a lot of success. I just feel like regardless of how this year has gone for me, there has been a lot more blessings in what I’ve been going through beyond football. Even though I know I’m still going to be great at football."

Edwards had found clarity, and then, in the National Championship game, he found the end zone twice in the first quarter. Giving Michigan a lead it would never surrender.

Edwards committed to Michigan during the 2020 season, which saw the Wolverines go 2-4 and head coach Jim Harbaugh get put on the hot seat. As a freshman in 2021, Edwards contributed running, catching, and even passing the ball with a touchdown in the Big Ten Championship game. In 2022, he made a thunder and lightning duo with Blake Corum and then carried the load against Ohio State and Purdue to help Michigan win a second consecutive Big Ten Championship.

Going into the 2023 season, Edwards had put massive pressure on himself, setting goals like being a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Edwards still has high expectations for himself but has found a balance. Now, back in Ann Arbor for his senior season, Edwards isn't only looking to be Michigan's best offensive weapon but also becoming the leader of a team in transition.

While many starters and contributors from the National Championship team last season are gone, Edwards is back. Someone who has been there since the start of the culture shift at Michigan and will now lead this team into the new era with Sherrone Moore as head coach.

"I mean, he's just a great spirit," Moore said when meeting with the media on Tuesday.

"You know, he walks in a room, he brightens up a room. His smile, deep voice, just everything about him is so positive. So for me, I like just getting his energy. Just being around him is awesome."

Moore knows Edwards is a do it all player for Michigan on the field, and he's been excellent in fall camp, but it's the steps he's taken as a leader that stands out to Moore.

"And then from a production standpoint, obviously you'd like a player like that in the run game, in the pass game. So he's done an unbelievable job. He keeps being a leader. And I think that's where he's really taken the next step as a leader, not only in the running back room but as a whole offense."

In his 4th year, Edwards now feels comfortable leading this offense, even when it comes to smack talk across the line.

"And you see him call up the offense. You see him talk to the defense. You see him talk trash to the defense. You see him, you know, make sure the offense is on point. So he's been outstanding this camp."

Edwards is already a Michigan legend for the plays he made in some of Michigan's biggest games the last three seasons, but as this program looks to sustain what it's built moving forward, Edwards' play on the field and leadership off could be essential to not only the success of Team 145 but the teams that follow.

Aidan Hutchinson led the reboot of the Michigan program under Jim Harbaugh. Donovan Edwards is the leader to lay the foundation of the Sherrone Moore era.

---

Discuss this article with our community on our premium message boards

Not a subscriber to Maize & Blue Review? Sign up today to gain access to all the latest Michigan intel M&BR has to offer

Follow our staff on Twitter: @JoshHenschke, @Berry_Seth14, @TrevorMcCue, @DennisFithian, @BrockHeilig, @JimScarcelli, @Jerry_Diorio

Subscribe to our podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify

Check out Maize & Blue Review's video content on YouTube

Follow Maize & Blue Review on social media: Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram