Donovan Edwards Shares Why He's Grateful For Football Games Like ECU Despite Not Getting Running Game Going

Michigan had one of its statistically worst rushing games this past Saturday against ECU. But Donovan Edwards is grateful for games like that.

After the Michigan and ECU game clock hit zero and the players left the field, Blake Corum entered the media room to take questions. He was asked about East Carolina stacking the box, and Corum jokingly said 'Were they?!'. 

It was obvious the Pirates had a gameplan to stop the Michigan rushing attack and it worked for the most part. The Wolverines gained 122 yards on the ground last Saturday and for reference, in 2022 Michigan averaged 238.9 yards per game on the ground. 

On Tuesday night, the other star Michigan running back, Donovan Edwards, met with the media. Like Corum, Edwards was asked about ECU stacking the box. Edwards admitted East Carolina had a solid plan of attack, but the junior was still happy with Michigan's performance. Even though the Wolverines couldn't run it effectively, J.J. McCarthy threw for 280 yards and three touchdown passes to Roman Wilson. 

“ECU had a really great game plan for stopping the run,” Edwards said. “Eight, Nine, 10 people in the box. They were stopping the run, but it was great being in the Big House again. All the fantastic fans cheering us on. I’m very happy with how we played overall as a team, they stopped the run and that opened up the passing game. J.J. [McCarthy] had a great game. Roman [Wilson] had a fantastic game"

Photo: Christopher Breiler

This is now back-to-back games Michigan has played that teams have really stacked the box against the Wolverines. Going back to the CFP semifinal loss to TCU, the Horned Frogs did the same thing. But Edwards is grateful for games like that because he believes it makes him a better running back. It makes him think a little more and figure out how to get the yards needed the next time. 

“It’s difficult because honestly, you don’t really see that too much in the Big Ten because every team is dynamic,” said Edwards. “They could run and pass the ball, but TCU played the same way. There were about eight, nine people in the box every single time, but I’m kind of happy that that happened because as a ball carrier and as a skill player, it’s like, ‘How can I adjust from that?’

“When something’s not working or something’s not there for me, what can I do better for myself? Instead of there being small holes that I can hit or big holes that I can hit, what can I do personally? What can we do better, you know?  And that’s why I’m very grateful for the game, to see what can we do like when there’s nothing that we can do. But at the same time, just protect the ball, get as much as you can get, and live with the next play.”

At the end of the day, Michigan is 1-0 and won decisively, 30-3. Edwards says the Michigan offense will do what it needs to do. If a team wants to stop the run, great, the Wolverines will pass. If teams want to shut down the passing attack, great, Michigan will run it. He says the maize and blue have a dynamic team and can beat you in any way needed. 

“We’re going to do what we need to do,” Edwards said. “And if they stop the run, we’re going to rely on the pass. If they’re putting eight people back, we’ll run the ball. But their game plan was to stop No. 2 and No. 7. So they pretty much did and we both didn’t crack a hundred. But we rely on everything. We’re that dynamic of a team where we’re relying on the run, the pass, J.J. running, quarterbacks running, receivers getting space to catch the balls, or making contested catches. That’s what we’re relying on.”

Michigan will host UNLV this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.