The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THE WOLVERINE 2024 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 51 great. We're going to have to go back the next year and do it again. It was great, but it's behind us now." Embracing Change There's certainly compelling drama go- ing forward. The Wolverines launch into a new era featuring 18 teams in the Big Ten, a 12-team College Football Playoff and the opportunity to earn a fourth straight CFP appearance. Edwards can't wait, even understanding the gauntlet ahead. "Absolutely, especially with talented teams that were in the Pac-12," he pointed out. "It's going to be more of a challenge to achieve that [Big Ten championship] goal. Whoever we play on the schedule, that's who we're going to be looking forward to for those six or seven days. "By all means, it's going to be harder. Oregon has a really great team. USC has a really great team. You've got Ohio State, who returns a lot of talented and key play- ers who are going to get jacked really high. Michigan State will, Penn State. But Michi- gan is still up there. This is a program that has a legacy and is built on a foundation of winning. There's no doubt in my mind that we'll continue to win." Edwards remains one of the most loqua- cious Wolverines. He can wax eloquent on a host of topics, including getting selected to grace the cover of the EA Sports College Football game for 2024. But when it came time to discuss mak- ing the Playoff in 2024, Edwards used very few words, and paused for effect before answering. Can this team make the Playoff? "Yes." What gives you that confidence? "Because we believe." That's it. Next question. It's the don't talk about it, be about it line of thinking. Edwards embodies it. When it comes to his sheer excitement for a final season in a Michigan uniform, though, the words come in a torrent. "I'm really excited, man," he said. "We have a well-rounded team, guys who are committed to the team, that don't care about individual stats or what they have going on. This is a brotherhood of guys who actually care for each other and are dedi- cated to making each other better, day-in and day-out. I'm blessed to be a focal point. I don't know who the captains are going to be, but regardless, I'm going to continue to uplift the guys around me the best I can. "I'm grateful that I'm in a position now where I can be so. To be on the cover of EA and to continue to be humble, guys see that. I hope I can continue to gain the respect, by being a down-to-earth person, not being a tyrant, not belittle anybody else. I'm going to use what God has blessed me with and spread that back to others. I'm going to do that to my teammates, every day that I can. "I'd be doing my guys a disservice if I wasn't giving them my absolute best, and I would be doing it to myself as well. I'm very confident in this football team. Every single day, we're going to give it our best. If somebody is slacking, somebody will call them out about it. They're going to fix it in an instant. There's not going to be any back talk, there's not going to be any smacking of the lips. That's not how this team operates. That's not how it's going to go. "The fact that we have a relationship and a dynamic like that, it's what makes this team so special. It's an honor to be part of a team like that. We're coming off a national championship season and guys are still hungry, still determined to ac- complish more. I'm very grateful to have guys like that, guys who are not compla- cent in their own talents and capabilities. "It's going to be a special ride. It's going to be a special season. There's no doubt in my mind, we'll be successful this year." ❑ Senior running back Donovan Edwards insists he's learned to not try to force big plays anymore, to let them happen when they do. Michigan's record books stand as a testament to the fact that they will. Edwards appears in three very prominent cat- egories of the longest plays in Michigan history: touchdown run from scrimmage, touchdown recep- tion and touchdown pass thrown. Here is a look at Edwards' triple crown of big plays, starting with one featuring his memorable, victory-sealing, 85-yard touchdown run at Ohio State in 2022 (following shortly after his 75-yard TD bolt). Michigan's Longest TD Runs Rk. Player (Year) Yards 1. Butch Woolfolk (1979) 92 2. Tony Boles (1989) 91 3. Carlos Brown (2009) 90 4. Butch Woolfolk (1981) 89 5. Tyrone Wheatley (1993) 88 6. Denard Robinson (2010) 87 T7. Tom Harmon (1940) 86 Chris Howard (1996) 86 T9. Bill Culligan (1944) 85 Carlos Brown (2007) 85 Donovan Edwards (2022) 85 Edwards' prowess as a receiver came to the fore in the march to a breakthrough Big Ten title in 2021. His 77-yard touchdown reception from Cade McNamara against Wisconsin helped propel the Wolverines to the title. Michigan's Longest TD Receptions Rk. Player (Year) Yards 1. Mario Manningham (2007) 97 2. Andrel Anthony (2021) 93 3. Derrick Alexander (1993) 90 4. Cornelius Johnson (2021) 87 5. Jeremy Gallon (2013) 84 6. Jim Smith (1975) 83 7. Marcus Knight (1999) 81 8. Donovan Peoples-Jones (2018) 79 T9. John Kolesar (1985) 77 Tyrece Butler (2001) 77 Donovan Edwards (2021) 77 Edwards' most unlikely breakthrough to the record books involves a pass he threw. In the 2021 Big Ten championship game, Edwards shocked the Iowa Hawk- eyes by unloading a 75-yard touchdown pass to Roman Wilson. The throw falls just outside the top 10 in the U-M record books, but it's the longest in Michigan his- tory by someone not playing quarterback. — John Borton The Don Of Big Plays Edwards is the only player to appear in the Michi- gan record book for both one of the 10-longest touchdown runs and one of the 10-longest touch- down receptions in program history. PHOTO BY DOMINICK SOKOTOFF