Harbaugh on featuring Donovan Edwards: "He's got to eat”
After a breakout game catching the ball for Donovan Edwards against Maryland in 2021, Michigan Football head coach Jim Harbaugh said "This will be a blip on the radar of the career of Donovan Edwards. He’s destined for great things."
A breakout season was the expectation for Edwards heading into his sophomore season in 2022. Injuries limited Edwards through the first half of the season, while Blake Corum led the way in the backfield. At full health against Penn State the two backs combined for 401 yards, with Edwards rushing for 173 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Edwards would suffer a hand injury against Nebraska, but with Blake Corum unable to go against Ohio State, Edwards led a heroic performance against the Buckeyes. He would rush for 216 yards including two long touchdowns to seal the win and a trip to the Big Ten Championship game. Edwards would star again in the game and was named the MVP of Michigan's Championship win.
Edwards finished the season with 991 rushing yards and 18 receptions for 200 yards. A solid season, especially considering the offense was so focused on Corum. But the receiving numbers especially were not where many thought they could be. Now, heading into 2023 there is no doubt according to Harbaugh, Michigan needs to get one of its best playmakers more involved.
"His touches, yeah, his touches could come as we could hand him the ball off, we could toss it to him, we could throw it to him."
Edwards is arguably the best receiver on Michigan's team, but it's clear Harbaugh views the skill position players as playmakers that all can be utilized in creative ways. With Edwards, he's a running back who holds on equal ground with Blake Corum.
"Really touches. It's important our playmakers get touches. We've got a lot of them. Really want to manage that on a game-by-game basis. Between Donovan and Blake, I haven't settled on the exact number but it's going to be maybe 9 or 10 each. I don't want to wear them out, either. There will be another back in there that will get some touches as well."
Again, injuries told the story for Corum and Edwards last season. Harbaugh's comments show he knows there is a delicate balance of not wearing a player out, but making sure they get enough opportunities to help Michigan win football games. When it comes to Edwards, that is non-negotiable.
"He's definitely somebody that we gotta get the ball to, he's gotta eat. Makes us better. Makes us more dangerous."
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