With spring ball officially underway, there’s been a consistent theme when speaking with the Michigan Football players and coaching staff: Donovan Edwards is a leader.
As a freshman, Edwards was third in line behind former U-M running backs Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins. As both a sophomore and a junior, Edwards found himself once again splitting reps with Corum. Now, as a senior, Edwards is getting his first opportunity to be the feature back in Ann Arbor – and he’s fully embracing the expectations that come with it.
Meeting with the media on Monday, Edwards talked about the culture that has been established at Michigan, and how he’s making sure it continues on his watch.
“This team has been built upon the culture, and the culture started when I was a freshman,” Edwards said. “That was Aidan Hutchinson, Josh Ross – they implemented what the team is all about. In my sophomore year it was the exact same thing. Junior year, exact same thing. Senior year for me, exact same thing. So nothing is going to change with this program. Nothing is going to change for the culture of the team. Yes, there’s different guys, but these different guys are going to have to be able to understand what it’s all about to be a Michigan man…a Michigan Wolverine.”
Even with so much significant change taking place on the roster and the coaching staff, Edwards says that head coach Sherrone Moore is making sure that the expectation remains the same.
“Nothing has changed,” Edwards said. “Coach Moore has continued to lay the ground rules, the foundation. And the leaders having continued to lead.”
Although Edwards is clearly embracing his leadership role as a senior, that wasn’t the plan during the last offseason. In fact, Edwards made it clear that his plan was to enter the NFL Draft once the 2023 season was over. As the season progressed, however, it started to become apparent that the talented junior would benefit greatly from one more season in Ann Arbor. For Edwards, a return to Michigan was part of a bigger plan.
“I’m grateful that everything has happened for me, because all its going to do is continue to push me as a player and as a man,” Edwards said. “I can’t sit up here and say that I haven’t faced adversity, because I have. But that adversity has made me a man, and that adversity is going to make me a better football player. So I’m still confident. Don’t mistake my confidence for arrogance. But I’m confident within myself, my abilities, and my capabilities.”
