“I feel like that’s what sets us apart is we are very open to acknowledging others’ success, but we’re quick to get on somebody: ‘Yo, you’re on BS right now. Tighten it up.’
has returned for his senior season to help lead the Wolverines, but he prefers not to be labeled “RB1” as fall camp begins.
As one of the standouts from the CFP National Championship Game, Edwards explained that he knows he must earn his spot on the 2024 U-M team like everyone else.
“I don’t like the, ‘This is my running back room.’ I’m over that now,” Edwards stated this week in an exclusive interview with 247Sports.
I’m at the point where each person that is in my room, they have the chance to be running back one as well. They have the chance to get 20-plus carries as well. Whether it be Kalel Mullings, whether it be me, whether it be Ben Hall, you name it. I don’t like that title because we all have a fair share in the success of the program.”
Where Edwards does see himself is as a team leader. A former five-star prospect from West Bloomfield, Mich., the talented running back has played an important role in three straight Big Ten-winning seasons and the 2023 national championship.
As he begins his senior year, Edwards knows he must uphold the program’s standard among a group of players who haven’t experienced much losing.
“I think that our challenge is we lost a lot of guys, right? A lot of guys that were here for four or five years, maybe six years, who understood what this culture and what this program is all about,” Edwards said.
“We were once very low, but now we’ve reached the pinnacle. Despite our 15-0 season, we’ve faced losses before—against Michigan State, Georgia, and TCU. I remember those defeats, and they fuel me.
“Our junior class experienced those moments too: Will Johnson, Alex Orji, Colston Loveland, Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Rod Moore, and Makari Paige. As leaders, it’s our duty to uplift the team. We know anything can happen, and while we don’t plan on losing, we must stay humble. Despite our championship, we need to set aside our rings and focus on doing it again. We can celebrate our rings once our college careers are over.”
So now let’s go in here and let’s go be humble. Let’s go be hungry because now we’re being hunted. We’re at the top of the pinnacle. And there’s a lot of guys that just left that were tremendous leaders for us. And now we have to have new leaders step up on this team and for this program. And that’s where we’re at.
And there’s no doubt in my mind that we have those guys that are capable and that are going to rise up to that challenge to be the ultimate leaders and bringing other people along with us to — as Coach Harbaugh said — help push the train and not be steak eaters.
“We will have no steak eaters on this team. And if there are, I told them, if there are, if you don’t want to be about that, you could just straight up leave. We don’t like that. We don’t want that on this team, man.
“I feel like that’s what sets us apart is we are very open to acknowledging others’ success, but we’re quick to get on somebody: ‘Yo, you’re on BS right now. Tighten it up.’
