Michigan needs Donovan Edwards at his best on Saturday

Chris Breiler | Sep 3, 2024

Michigan running back Donovan Edwards (7) is tackled by Fresno State defensive back Julian Neal (15) during the 1st half against Fresno State at Michigan Stadium at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. / Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK

Although the Wolverines opened the season with a 30-10 victory over Fresno State, there were many fans who walked away from that Week 1 win feeling concerned about the performance from the Michigan offense. Those concerns aren't entirely misplaced, as the Wolverines had a number of miscues that ultimately prevented points from being put on the scoreboard.

While it's not all that surprising that an offense returning just one starter from the 2023 season would have some growing pains to open the year, it was certainly surprising to see the lack of production from senior running back Donovan Edwards. With a little over 11 minutes remaining in the third quarter, Edwards had just three yards on five carries. He did break off a 10 yard run early in the third quarter, but that play was eventually called back due to an offensive holding penalty. Edwards would finish the evening with just 27 yards on 11 carries, struggling to find any rhythm against the Fresno State defense.

Michigan celebrates the touchdown by running back Donovan Edwards (7) during the 1st quarter against Fresno State at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. / Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK

Meeting with the media on Monday, head coach Sherrone Moore said he remains confident in his senior running back.

"Yeah, I think Donovan had 11, Kalel had 15 [carries], and if Donovan doesn't get one of them called back, you know, he's got more yardage," Moore said. "So, all those things will happen for him. He's a confident kid, and we know he's a really good player, and he showed up in big moments for us. So, not worried about his confidence.

"I mean, there's a couple runs there. It's one person here, one thing there, and those things are close. So, we'll get there."

Aug 31, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Donovan Edwards (7) runs the ball against the Fresno State Bulldogs in the first half at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports / rick osentoski-usa today sports

Moore has a point. Although it's easy to point to Edwards and say he didn't perform well, the reality is that the offensive line plays a huge part in the overall success of the running game. At times, the new starting unit up front looked good. At other times, they seemed confused and missed critical blocking assignments. That's another area that Moore expects to improve moving forward, but it will obviously need to improve quickly with No. 4 Texas coming to town this weekend.

Even though the Week 1 performance from Edwards fell far short of what most expected to see, Michigan fans are well aware that he has a habit of putting together big time performances in big time games.

During his true freshman season in 2021, Edwards threw a beautiful 75-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Roman Wilson against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship game. During his sophomore season in 2022, Edwards rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns in a top 10 matchup against Penn State, and then followed it up with 216 yards and two touchdowns in another top 10 matchup against Ohio State. That same season, Edwards rushed for 185 yards and one touchdown in the Big Ten Championship game against Purdue, earning MVP honors as a result.

Michigan running back Donovan Edwards (7) picks up the trophy to celebrate the Wolverines' 34-13 win over Washington at the national championship game at NRG Stadium in Houston on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Although the 2023 season wasn't as prolific as he would have hoped, Edwards once again showed up on the biggest stage of them all in the National Championship game - rushing for 104 yards and two touchdowns on just six attempts.

Time and time again, Edwards shows up in the biggest moments when it matters the most. Saturday's top 10 matchup with Texas is the definition of a big moment for this Michigan football program, and the outcome of the game will carry ramifications for the Wolverines' playoff hopes in 2024. In order to pull off the upset on Saturday, the Wolverines will need the rushing attack to be at its best, and they'll certainly need Edwards to be at his best.

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