Donovan Edwards reflects on 'emotional roller coaster' of last year

Chris Breiler | Jul 25, 2024

Michigan running back Donovan Edwards lifts the trophy to celebrate the 34-13 win over Washington in the national championship game at NRG Stadium in Houston on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Michigan Wolverines

Entering his senior season at Michigan, running back Donovan Edwards has become an advocate for mental health awareness, leaning on his own personal struggles to strengthen his message. Although he's been responsible for some of the most memorable plays during Michigan's incredible three-year run toward a National Championship in 2023, the truth is that the journey hasn't been all rainbows and sunshine for the talented back.

Speaking with the media at Big Ten Media Days on Thursday, Edwards opened up about the "emotional roller coaster" he experienced last season.

"I would be doing a disservice if I wasn't being vulnerable to the world."@UMichFootball RB Donovan Edwards shares why he's so committed to mental health awareness.#B1GFootball x #B1GMediaDays pic.twitter.com/UUUdUJOle5
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) July 25, 2024

"Last year, it was kind of like a struggle for me," Edwards said. "I've had an emotional roller coaster all of last year."

Heading into the 2023 season, Edwards made it clear that he had high goals for himself. Not only did he indicate that he'd be entering the NFL Draft following the 2023 season, he also said that he'd be remembered as one of the greatest to ever play the game. “I will go down as one of the greatest running backs to ever play the game,” Edwards said. “I’ll be up there with Walter Payton, Barry Sanders."

Unfortunately for Edwards, the season didn't go quite as planned - at least not from a personal standpoint. While the team was winning week after week, Edwards wasn't performing the way he anticipated he would prior to the season. That struggle ultimately led him down a path that would provide him with a better perspective on life, one that he's committed to sharing with those around him.

"I'd be doing a disservice if I wasn't being vulnerable to the world, and just saying, 'oh, I did it this way. I just stayed strong.' Nah. There were sometimes where I cried. There were sometimes where I came into the meeting room mad. That's perfectly fine, but the thing that I can say is that I didn't allow that to affect the team. I didn't allow that to affect my running back room, even though my guys knew, like, 'he's not okay.' I'm the person where my emotions are going to show. If I'm happy, I'm happy. If I'm said, I'm sad. I can't hide it, I'm bad at that. People have helped me, so I'd be doing a disservice to the world and to younger generations - and even older generations than me - that we all struggle. But it's not okay to just feel sorry for yourself. You have to overcome it, because I'm a believer that the struggle you have is just a test of your character."

Heading into the 2024 season, it's clear that Edwards has grown tremendously over the last year. Not only has that growth helped him gain a better understanding of himself, but it's also helped him become a better leader and mentor to those around him.

“I’m grateful that everything has happened for me, because all it’s going to do is continue to push me as a player and as a man," Edwards told reporters back in the spring. "I can’t sit up here and say I haven’t faced adversity because I have. But that adversity has made me a man, and that adversity is going to make me a better football player. I’m still confident. Don’t mistake my confidence for arrogance, but I’m confident within myself and my abilities and my capabilities. My obligation is to continue to bring everybody else up with me, because as long as we can do that, then we will be successful.”

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