‘I stood through the bumpy rides:’ How Donovan Edwards became

• Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Citizen WriterSep 5, 2024, 07:07 AM ET Close College football press reporter. Joined ESPN.com in 2008.
• Graduate of Northwestern University.ANN ARBOR, Mich.

— When Donovan Edwards breaks into the open field, like he has in the biggest games of his career at Michigan, it seems like absolutely nothing and nobody can get in his way.If football careers– and life, quite frankly– were as direct as Edwards sprinting for goals versus Ohio State, Penn State or Washington, things would be simpler and simpler. A little more boring, possibly, certainly a little less human. However Edwards ‘course at Michigan hasn’t been a straight shot. There have been bends, both physical and psychological, and hold-ups to stardom. He reached one of his lowest points late last fall, even as his team was headed to the pinnacle of college football.His teammates and coaches typically cite the steps he has taken. Coach Sherrone Moore said Edwards has”grown up in every single way.” Edwards takes pride in his journey, even the tough parts. Similar to the fantastic moments, they have actually molded him, too.” Throughout everything, I have actually been a Michigan guy, I stood through the bumpy rides,”he told ESPN.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated Edwards is now the face of Michigan football, even though he’s not the most decorated player on Team 145,

and started just one game for the national championship team last fall. Cornerback Will Johnson, protective take on Mason Graham and tight end Colston Loveland are all predicted NFL first-round draft choices in 2025, while Edwards’draft forecast is what you would get out of a talented 6-foot-1, 212-pound back with just five starts in 3 college seasons.But he’s the most recognizable figure on a significantly various Wolverines group than the one that won the College Football Playoff title last season. Those driving along Interstate 96 near Novi, Michigan, will see a smiling Edwards on a billboard for a local injury lawyer. Johnson was the highest-rated player in EA Sports College Football 25, the extremely popular game that returned this summer, however Edwards was picked to be on the cover, joining 2 established stars in Colorado cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter and Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers. Edwards developed a Maize-and-Blue bridge to the previous EA Sports college football game cover, ten years earlier, which featured record-setting Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson.” It was a lot of, ‘Congratulations,’and other people saying,’He does not deserve it, ‘”Edwards stated of the response.”My phone was getting exploded, I gained a couple thousand followers on Instagram. But likewise, too, I keep tabs off of

what people state. At the end of the day, I try to show myself.”Edwards occupies a special position in his last college season, which continues Saturday when No. 3 Texas check outs No. 10 Michigan at Michigan Arena(12 p.m. ET, Fox). He’s a famous player who has actually offered famous minutes– goal runs of 85 and 75 lawns against Ohio State in 2022,

and 46 and 41 yards against Washington in the championship game game. He also has been a career backup, mostly in the shadows of 2 excellent lead backs (Hassan Haskins, Blake Corum ), and has actually dealt with several injuries.For all the personal development that he has made, there is plainly another action to handle the field.WHEN THE 2023 season began, Edwards didn’t feel right. He had actually undergone knee surgery in February and missed out on spring practice. The recovery slowed his conditioning plan after a productive end to 2022. He likewise handled an Achilles injury before the season.Michigan intended to have a 1/1A scenario at running back. Corum was coming off of his own knee surgical treatment and, while sidelined, Edwards had actually tallied 520 hurrying backyards in Michigan’s last three games– against Ohio State, Iowa in the Big Ten national championship and TCU in the CFP semifinal. However when the season started, Edwards appeared stuck. He didn’t have a run longer than 15 yards in Michigan’s first nine games. He didn’t score a goal until the seventh game. “I existed physically, however mentally, I was just injuring, questioning and questioning,’Why isn’t this taking place? Why isn’t this going my way?'”he stated.”My capabilities just weren’t all the way there at the beginning of the season, so I was losing my self-confidence.” Donovan Edwards’dad stressed the value of education

to his child. Donovan Edwards went to Mike Hart, then Michigan’s running backs coach and the all-time leading rusher in team history. Hart informed Edwards that he might benefit from therapy and recommended someone.Edwards took Hart’s recommendations, started sessions and quickly saw results.” I have separation issues, I simply seem like people always leave my life,” Edwards said.”That’s since my mom passed [ away] when I was 2, so I would rather press people away than to be injured. I realized that I wasn’t strong enough to get to the root of my issues, and that was not having a mother in my life.

“Edwards’mother Donna died of cancer in 2005. His daddy, Kevin

, raised him in the Detroit suburban area of West Bloomfield, Michigan.Although Donovan was so young when he lost his mother, he began feeling the results. “All of his other pals, [their] mamas are at the games, Mom’s Day is showing up, Thanksgiving is here, all the mothers cooking, Christmas time is here,”Kevin Edwards stated.”

Not having your mother can be very turbulent to a child. My objective was to step up on the nurturing side. I’m more of a nature

[ individual], ‘Let’s go ride some ATVs, let’s go fishing, let’s go to the home.’However there were times, too, where I had to do my nurturing, my hugging, my sit-down talks, my rubbing his back, letting him know whatever is going to be OK.” Kevin went through treatment after Donna passed away. He needed to determine how to raise two young boys– Donovan’s brother Kevin Jr. was 5 at the time– and process his own grief. “That’s what therapists are for, for them to assist us out in a time of need,” Kevin said.” I’m glad that [Donovan] did go look for some aid. “Loveland stated Donovan “did an excellent job of concealing “his battles last fall. Although Loveland saw a low minute

or more, Edwards never separated from his teammates and stayed positive in the locker room.Moore, then the team’s offending planner, had more awareness of what Edwards was going through. The 2 talked about Edwards’psychological health as the season went on.”That’s something that’s genuine in college football, specifically with the pressures that these guys deal with,”

Moore informed ESPN. “You saw modification. We played Ohio State and went to the Big Ten [championship], and this guy, you watched him just thrive. All of a sudden, you get to the Rose Bowl and the national championship and in the national championship, he’s just running his tail off. “You can see that transformation, from a psychological viewpoint.

“The therapy sessions helped Edwards determine why he was struggling, and shifted how he thought of football. He stopped fretting about touches and approached the game through thankfulness, both for the chance to play and for those around him. “When I had the ability to simply alleviate all those expectations of myself, I discovered myself having fun again, “he said.” I was able to rejoice in the game, more than happy for the other guy’s success, and not be mad at certain things. That part of my life enabled me to be who I am today.”BEFORE DONNA EDWARDS passed away, she offered Kevin 3 guidelines for their kids: They must go to church, they should receive an excellent education, and they need to take part in sports. All 3 elements would shape Donovan’s outlook toward community.Donna originated from a household of professional athletes and educators. Her dad, Charlie Primas, played for the Harlem Globetrotters after an All-America profession at Wayne State in Detroit, where he’s a Hall of Famer. (He’s also in the Michigan Sports Hall of Popularity.)

Primas earned 3 degrees from Wayne State and invested 40 years working in Detroit public schools.Donna taught grade school in Detroit and earned her administration master’s degree soon before she passed away. Kevin also operated in education, serving as an assistant principal in Detroit. At night, Donovan and Kevin Jr. would see their papa studying, working toward his master’s degree and his education specialist degree.”My other half stated,’ Our kids are going to understand that a college degree is really important, and we need to do it by modeling,'”Kevin stated. “I modeled to them what studying looks like. ” The Edwards household lost their matriarch when the 2 boys were young. Donovan Edwards Donovan showed natural athletic capability at 5 or 6, prospering in whatever he attempted: soccer, track, baseball, basketball and football. He also took to the community aspect that sports offered. Donovan was a captain in high school and, late last month, turned into one of Michigan’s 2024 captains. “He puts others initially, “Kevin stated.” That’s something I gained from him. I can’t think about myself, I have to consider the team. He gives back so much that I’m beginning to give back to the community.”Influenced by his son, Kevin invested the Labor Day holiday this week gathering clothes, furnishings and other products to contribute. Donovan has held

a youth football camp the previous 3 summer seasons. He has a not-for-profit, DonGives, where he has granted scholarships and spoken at schools and other events, consisting of a male mentoring and psychological health seminar in Detroit. After he finishes playing football, he means to become a community leader concentrated on offering

inexpensive housing.Edwards’altruistic streak even steers him towards hard places. Before Mom’s Day in Might, he checked out moms and other patients at the Rogel Cancer Center at University of Michigan Medical Facility.”

Maturing, Mom’s Day has always been hard for him, and hard for me and Kevin [Jr.]– extremely hard,”Kevin Sr. stated.”To see him head out on Mother’s Day, he’s already mourning himself, and he’s giving back to moms. That was simply amazing. “Inside Schembechler Hall, he does not desire his teammates to endure what he did last fall, so he checks in with them about their psychological health. “He’s an example of how we’re football

players, however that’s not all we are, “Michigan quarterback Alex Orji said. “We’re bigger than the game that we play. Seeing him give back and reveal much he appreciates his faith and appreciates other individuals and helping, it

‘s substantial.” He’s been an excellent role model for me to see. “THROUGHOUT A BREAK in the NCAA Football 25 cover shoot in March, Edwards based on the field at the Cotton Bowl, talking about … Michigan’s running back competition.Normally, somebody on the cover of the most anticipated sports game in years would not be examining his shoulder. He would have the beginning task securely in his grasp. “I think in tough people,

“Edwards said.”I believe in bringing the best out of others. That’s the main reason I returned to Michigan– to serve the community, to be a guy of the people and to be a leader on this group. My aspiration is simply to be able to help my guys out, and reach their objectives.

That’s the Michigan way, to be there for your colleagues.”

It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are in the depth chart. ” Edwards ended up the 2023 season with 382 hurrying lawns and 3 scores. Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY Sports Edwards feels a commitment to former Michigan captains like Aidan Hutchinson and Josh Ross, stating that any other technique towards leadership would be”a disgrace to all the guys before me. “However Hutchinson and Ross were multiyear beginners. The depth chart hasn’t been as kind to Edwards.He came to Michigan with more recruiting buzz than Haskins or Corum. ESPN rated Edwards at No. 68 nationally, making him the Wolverines’second highest-rated recruit in the 2021 class, behind quarterback J.J. McCarthy, and their top in-state possibility. He signed up with a Michigangroup that relatively could utilize some fresh young skill after going 2-4 in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.But Edwards would wait his turn. Haskins was Michigan’s lead back in 2021, logging 270 carries for 1,327 yards and 20 goals as the group won the Huge 10 and made its first CFP look. Corum was the clear No. 2, rushing for 11 goals and 957 lawns. Edwards had only 35 carries but showed promise with three goals, while catching 20 passes.In 2022, Corum ended up being a national star, bulldozing his way through the Big Ten to earn league MVP and All-America honors, while briefly getting in the Heisman Trophy conversation before his knee injury. Edwards, meanwhile, played most of the season with a partially torn patellar tendon, and likewise broke his thumb versus Nebraska, needing two screws in his hand. He had his minutes, including a 67-yard score and 173 hurrying backyards with 2 goals in a blowout win over Penn State, but eclipsed 12 carries simply two times before Corum’s injury.His late-season blitz left him nine lawns shy of 1,000 and with 7.1 lawns per bring, helpful for third in group history. “I got the taste of what it resembles to be the guy,” Edwards said.Corum’s injury likely avoided an NFL jump, which indicated fewer opportunities for Edwards in 2023.

But Edwards celebrated Corum’s return. He understood Corum was the much better goal-line back. As Corum approached Michigan’s all-time rushing touchdowns record, Edwards said he would get out of bounds short of the goal line, instead of scoring himself, so that his buddy could get the mark. “That’s a real bro, “Edwards stated. “The thing that I love about him and our relationship existed was no bitterness. There was no, ‘Why isn’t this me?'” But this season, Edwards, is the guy. At least he should be.But Edwards had a hard time to get going in last week’s opener against Fresno State, ending up with 27 backyards on 11

carries with a long of 7 lawns. He caught a 3-yard goal pass from Orji on the team’s very first drive, but Michigan got more production

from Kalel Mullings, whose bruising style is more reminiscent of Corum and Haskins. After the game, Moore stated he thinks about both Edwards and Mullings as starters.Edwards recognizes how his game needs to develop. “My biggest obstacle this year is,’Can Donovan get that one lawn? Can he get those 2 lawns? On fourth-and-2, can he get that initially down?”Edwards said.Orji constantly thought about Edwards a hard employee, however he has actually seen an even more dialed-in technique from the senior. Loveland stated Edwards has been more vocal in requiring a comprehensive method, right down to how players line up their shoes in the locker room.Big 10 Network expert Howard Griffith, who played fullback with Terrell Davis on 2 Denver Broncos Super Bowl teams, believes Edwards’ altruism ultimately will help him reach his complete capacity.”I’m sure it’s been challenging for him, “Griffith said. “Simply think of how much success they’ve had, and he’s not been the guy. I don’t think he has any weaknesses in his game. I do not think he’s anywhere near where he can be, however a great deal of that is due to the fact that he’s been sharing time. The more he continues to play, he’s going to continue to grow as a player, due to the fact that he can do it all.” Michigan won’t veer far from Edwards, particularly as games get more amplified.

He delivered those knockout touchdown runs versus Ohio State in 2022, won Huge 10 champion MVP honors the next week and ended a tough 2023 season by becoming the first player to record multiple goal runs of 40 backyards or longer in the CFP championship game game. “When the big games come, he plays well, and that’s what we count on Donovan to do,”Moore said.Edwards may top his profession with nationwide honors and, to some, validate his positioning on the cover of

College Football 25. But his influence on those who matter most to him– colleagues, coaches, Michigan fans and his community– goes far beyond the field.”Everyone knows I’m explosive and I make big plays, however I want individuals

to see the growth, the guy that I have become,” he said. “I desire them to see that I was genuine, and I gave my heart to the people.”