Donovan Edwards, the running back for Michigan, is returning for his senior year and will help guide the Wolverines, but going into fall camp, he would like not to be referred to as “RB1”.
A star player from the CFP National Championship Game, Edwards, emphasized that he understands he must work just as hard as everyone else to earn a spot on the 2024 U-M squad.
In an exclusive interview with 247Sports this week, Edwards stated, “I’m over the, ‘This is my running back room.'”
“I’ve reached the stage where everyone in my room has the potential to be running back one too. They also have the opportunity to receive more than 20 carries. That would be myself, that would be Ben Hall, that would be Kalel Mullings. That title bothers me because everyone contributes fairly to the program’s success.”
Edwards sees himself as a leader of a team. The gifted running back, a former five-star prospect from West Bloomfield, Michigan, was a key player in three consecutive Big Ten championship seasons as well as the 2023 national title.
Edwards understands going into his senior year that he has to maintain the program’s standards amidst a bunch of players that haven’t suffered many losses.
“I believe that we have a struggle since we have lost a lot of people. Many of the men who had been here for four, five, or even six years knew the ins and outs of this program and culture, according to Edwards.
“We had descended to an extremely low position before reaching the highest peak. And I would add that there are men; we clearly strolled into a 15-0 season, isn’t that right? With all the accomplishment, you were present. We’ve lost games, though. We had previously lost to Michigan State. Georgia defeated us. TCU defeated us. And I own both that fire and that memory.
Will Johnson, Alex Orji, Colston Loveland, Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, and every other member of our junior class was present. Rod Moore, Paige Makari. Everybody was present. Furthermore, I believe it is our duty as leaders to be able to encourage the boys. It’s as if everything is possible. Games are something we may lose. We wish to avoid losing games. Furthermore, that is not our intention. However, we come into this with a 15-0 championship. We had to own our limitations and tell ourselves, “We have to go try again.” We had our rings on, but set them down. After you graduate from college, return to it.
“All right, let’s enter here and practice humility. We’re being hunted, therefore let’s go famished. Here we are at the very summit. Additionally, several of the people who recently departed were excellent leaders for us. It is now necessary for us to appoint new leaders to this team and program. That’s where we now stand.
“And without a question, in my opinion, we have those individuals who are capable of rising to the occasion and being the ultimate leaders, inspiring others to join us in pushing the train rather than being steak eaters, as Coach Harbaugh put it.
“This squad won’t include any people who consume steak. I informed them that if there are any, they may just go if they want not to worry about it. That is not to our liking. Man, we don’t want that on our squad.
“I think that’s what makes us unique—we’re quick to call someone out when they’re acting irrationally, but we’re also quite willing to acknowledge their accomplishments. Adjust it firmly.
One day, a redshirt freshman told me I was lying. Did I believe I was? Not exactly, but I was grateful that he gave me a check. For he now sees that even though I am one of our leaders, call it what it may, I am able to tell him this, and he respects me for doing so.”
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