The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1495881
APRIL 2023 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 21 recognizes the import of the trifecta, but again, yearns to make it commonplace. "It would be memorable, but it should be the standard," he insisted. "You feel me? That's a big drop off, from '95-97, to '21-23. When I committed here to Michigan, I wanted to restore all of that. I wanted to make Michigan win Big Ten championships, beat Ohio State. "That was the priority. Now, we've got more priorities, because we've done that. When I first got here, the goal was to beat the states — Michigan State, Penn State, Ohio State. We're rolling now. Now we've got to win the Big Ten champion- ship. That was our goal, so we weren't re- ally prepared when we got on the College Football Playoff stage. "But we know what it's like. We know what it takes to get there. We checked off our goals, and now there's another set of boxes to check off, to satisfy our goals and be completed." After the bottoming-out in the CO- VID-ravaged season of 2020 (2-4), the year prior to Edwards' arrival on campus, the Wolverines desperately wanted to just get their heads above water. Two Buckeye beatings, two Big Ten championships and two College Football Playoff appearances later, they routinely talk of nailing down a "natty." In fact, they all insist they should have been playing for one this past season. "We all knew we were a better team [than TCU]," Edwards insisted. "They outplayed us. They focused more than we did. But we're returning 80 percent of the guys we had last year. Those same people were here my freshman year, when we beat Ohio State for the first time in Lord knows how many years? "The players and coaches are grow- ing as a collective group. As long as we have that mindset, I don't think we can be beaten — unless we beat ourselves." TAG TEAM READY FOR GREATNESS ON THE GROUND Michigan's 2023 lineup will feature senior Blake Corum (1,463 yards, 18 TDs in 2022), a unanimous first-team All-American whose late-season injury opened the door for Edwards' (991 yards, 7 TDs) heroics. The prospect of putting them both on the field — perhaps si- multaneously at times — has Wolverine watchers aching for September to arrive. "When this kid gets on the field, you're not going to want to take him off the field," Morris said of Edwards. "I still feel that way. They've got to figure out what to do. You want to put as much pressure on the defense as you can. They've still got to figure that out. "They've got to figure out how to keep both those running backs on the field. If you put both of them in there, you've got to worry about those two. Combine that with the receivers they have, the tight ends, and you just give [junior quarter- back] J.J. [McCarthy] more weapons." As far as Morris is concerned, Corum and Edwards are "RB1A and RB1B. That's what you got. You make sure they both stay on the field, at least 85 percent of the time. You could shift Blake out in the slot and have Donovan at the running back spot. You have that ability to move these two around. Take advantage of it. "It's always nice to have a backup. Donovan's not a backup. He's a player. He's a key player, as is Blake. You need them both." Edwards assured there's no running back room rivalry over which to fret. "We have a great relationship," he said. "We sit next to each other in the meeting rooms. It's a real brother love. Whenever he scores, I'm for sure always there, hyp- ing him up. Whenever I do something spectacular, he's always there showing me the same love. "Just to be able to play with a player of his talent and put our dynamic together is really a blessing." To put it all together again — then take the next step — would offer up blessed memories for all to share over the de- cades. ❏ Michigan's Best Efforts In Columbus Jamie Morris and rising junior tailback Donovan Edwards belong to a club all their own in Michigan football annals. The only two Wolverines ever to rush for 200 yards in Columbus lead a list of Michigan backs to hit triple digits. Here are the five best U-M rushing efforts in OSU's Horseshoe over the past 42 years of football: Player, Year Carries Net TDs Long Avg. 1. Donovan Edwards, 2022 22 216 2 85 9.8 2. Jamie Morris, 1986 29 210 2 52 7.2 3. Leroy Hoard, 1988 23 158 2 34 6.9 4. Mike Hart, 2006 23 142 3 33 6.2 5. Butch Woolfolk, 1980 31 141 0 15 4.5 It's notable that in four of these five seasons, Michigan emerged as Big Ten champions. Only in 2006 — with present U-M running backs coach Mike Hart rushing for 142 yards and 3 touchdowns — did the Wolverines fail to emerge victorious, losing the heartbreaking No. 1 versus No. 2, 42-39 shootout at the 'Shoe. Edwards became the new standard bearer for big games in Columbus, and both players and coaches hailed his effort in stepping up when rising senior teammate Blake Corum fell to injury. "This guy [Edwards], when it's a big game, I mean, his whole career, whether it was high school, college now, he just hits another gear," Jim Harbaugh said. "When Blake went down, the mentality this place has is next man up," noted graduate offensive tackle Karsen Barnhart. "You have to be ready to play. He went out there and did his thing. He proved that he's one of the best running backs in the nation as well." Even Michigan's defenders hail Edwards. Senior edge rusher Braiden McGregor, when asked what Edwards does that gives defenders fits, simply replied: "Every - thing." McGregor then noted: "He just so athletic, so smart. He runs with a chip on his shoulder. You look at one of the touchdowns versus Purdue. We call it a grown-man run. He didn't look like a sophomore. "He's going to do everything he can to get to the end zone, get to the first down, whatever we need." — John Borton Edwards (shown postgame with Fox Sports' Tom Rinaldi in The Horseshoe) joined former U-M running back Jamie Morris as the only two Wolverines to top 200 yards rushing versus the Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in the storied history of the rivalry. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL