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There will be no delay in Michigan playing freshman RB Donovan Edwards
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Michigan’s coaching staff isn’t hesitating with freshman running back Donovan Edwards. The newest addition to the backfield in Ann Arbor will be on the field in the first game of the season.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh voiced that intention during B1G Media Days in late July, according to MLive.com. That notion was backed by offensive coordinator Josh Gattis late last week, as well.
“Donovan will play Week 1,” Gattis said while speaking with reporters. “That’s no secret in this building, the type of talent that he is.”
Edwards arrived at Michigan as one of the best overall prospects in the 2021 recruiting class. He was ranked as the No. 42 player in the class, per 247Sports Composite. Among running backs, he was listed as the fourth-best.
It’s not clear what Edwards role will be right now and how he fits into the rotation with Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum. But the freshman’s ability to pick up the offense quickly, matched with his skill-set, has put him in a position to make immediate contributions.
“His mindset alone — his mentality — is unmatched,” Gattis said. “He wants to be great. Obviously he came in with a 5-star bill, and you don’t ever want to rely back on recruiting rankings — but you look out there on the field and say ‘That is what a 5-star player is supposed to look like.'”
Michigan is attempting to improve a sputtering run game this year. The Wolverines ranked 11th in the B1G in rushing production, averaging 131.5 yards per game on the ground.
Having a trio of talented backs to rely on is a pretty good place to start heading into the season.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB