INDIANAPOLIS — Donovan Edwards was tough to keep away from on the Large Ten’s Media Days. His snazzy off-white swimsuit with an open-collared white shirt popped underneath the intense lights inside Lucas Oil Stadium. When Michigan coach Sherrone Moore wrapped up a 15-minute press convention on a big stage stationed within the north finish zone, a voice rose from the gang.
“What, no applause?”
It was Edwards, who in some way slid by unnoticed into the media’s seating space. He jumped from his chair and clapped for the first-year coach. “Hell yeah!” he cheered.
It feels nonetheless as if Edwards is on prime of the school soccer world. The senior working again sped onto the scene in Michigan’s demolition of Washington within the Faculty Soccer Playoff’s Nationwide Championship in January the place he broke information with a pair of 40-yard landing runs within the first quarter and completed with 104 yards on simply six carries. In a single day, the person within the shadows was within the highlight, supplanting superstars like Blake Corum and J.J. McCarthy after they hoisted the championship trophy and exited stage left for the NFL.
But, Edwards by no means felt like he deserved the notoriety. With Michigan lacking management and a notable face, Edwards gave the impression to be the pure alternative as this system’s new touchstone for the nation. EA Sports activities referred to as and supplied him a spot on the quilt of their common online game, “Faculty Soccer 25.” Searching for steering, Edwards phoned Corum, whom he backed up for 3 years, and questioned the provide.
“I do not even need to be on right here,” Edwards informed CBS Sports activities in Could. “I did not also have a nice (sufficient) season to even be on the quilt of this recreation.”
Corum scoffed on the notion. Edwards was reminded of his journey as an oft-injured working again, the arduous work required to recuperate from a significant knee surgical procedure in February 2023 and the a number of hand and wrist accidents he suffered since highschool. And after averaging solely 7.9 carries per recreation throughout the 2023 season as a junior backup, Edwards’ persistence had been examined.
“He [Corum] informed me that there isn’t any doubt I’ll have a giant season this upcoming 12 months,” Edwards mentioned.
Introspection has lengthy been required for the Edwards household. Earlier than the nationwide championship recreation in January, Edwards opened up about psychological well being and mentioned he leaned on classes within the Guide of Job. The son of an educator, Edwards grew up in a single-parent residence after his mom, Donna, died from most cancers in August 2005. Edwards was simply 2 years outdated on the time, however he carries his mom’s title and the affect she had on the household.
“My spouse did all of it,” Edwards’ father, Kevin Edwards Sr., informed CBS Sports activities. “She made me end my faculty diploma. I had a very good job and she or he mentioned, ‘Nope, you are going to faculty. Each our children are going to know we have now our levels from a college.'”
Edwards Sr. graduated from Wayne State College in 2000, and after his spouse’s demise, adopted three instructions she shared from her deathbed: go to church, get a very good training and preserve the children concerned in athletics. He pursued a Grasp’s Diploma at Cambridge College in the summertime, shifting to Boston as his in-laws watched over Donovan and his brother, Keith Jr.. He returned residence after which pursued one other diploma as an academic specialist at Wayne State.
“The objective was for my youngsters to see me end up faculty,” he mentioned. “They noticed me finding out at evening and I helped them research. These have been very attempting occasions, as a result of it was a whole lot of work.”
Donovan is ready to graduate from Michigan this fall.
Tragedy leaves wounds, nevertheless it additionally opens doorways. Donna was the nurturer, and Kevin knew he couldn’t replicate that for his youngsters
“I positively tried to do some nurturing,” he chuckled, “nevertheless it was extra nature: soccer, basketball, soccer, monitor.”
“It wasn’t straightforward for him, I do know that for a reality.,” Donovan mentioned, sighing and drawing a deep breath Thursday. “I do know it was robust for him as a result of he was nonetheless attempting to go to highschool working two jobs and on the similar time elevating two youngsters on his personal, winging it. He did a hell of a job and I respect and admire my dad very a lot. My coronary heart proper now may be very compassionate as a result of I do know the struggles that he went by way of — emotional injury and uplifting now. … My dad is my hero.”
“He is a really, very humble child,” his father mentioned. “He cares about others, much more than he actually cares about himself.”
It wasn’t all the time that means. Conceited, cocky and positive of himself early on, Edwards cried as a freshman when he acquired just one carry for 4 yards in a win towards Washington. “I needed it. I used to be so hungry, and I’ve all the time been hungry and I’ve all the time been in a backup function my complete profession right here at Michigan,” he mentioned. “I had all the time been the No. 1 man (in highschool). … I needed to take a backseat to that.”
Edwards is a little more cautious together with his phrases lately. “I am all the time assured, however I’ll have been a little bit bit smug, particularly coming off a fantastic sophomore 12 months,” he mentioned.
When you do not recall, Edwards carried out nicely that 12 months when he changed an injured Corum late within the 2022 season. Because the All-Large Ten star nursed an injured knee, Edwards completed the season because the starter with 991 yards. He bludgeoned Ohio State with landing runs of 75 and 85 yards at Ohio Stadium onward to 216 yards. He added 185 within the Large Ten Championship Recreation every week later and had one other 119 in a loss to TCU within the CFP semifinal. This after enjoying many of the 2022 season with {a partially} torn patellar tendon that required surgical procedure in February 2023.
Edwards believed he could be prepared for the NFL after his junior season. He was so assured that he informed Professional Soccer Focus he would “revolutionize” the place within the NFL and “be up there with Walton Payton, Barry Sanders.”
Seems, he wasn’t prepared. And Michigan had different plans. His carries dwindled with a wholesome Corum on the sphere, and he averaged solely 28.1 yards per recreation earlier than the breakthrough within the nationwide championship.
“He went to Michigan as a result of he loves Michigan, regardless,” his father mentioned. “He did not take into consideration transferring, he did not take into consideration the switch portal. None of that. Nope, he mentioned, ‘I am [at] Michigan, that is it, interval. We did not even speak about it.”
As Edwards’ star has grown brighter, he has pursued new enterprise pursuits by way of title, picture and likeness offers. His father raised him to all the time be curious.
“I am a giant believer in all the time studying something and all the pieces,” he mentioned. “I do not know something about cars, however I am going to study one thing. We’re not supposed to simply be a grasp at one craft, however with many crafts. It isn’t all about faculty books, you need to be worldly educated as nicely.”
Moore has been the fixed undercurrent for Edwards and this system after Harbaugh left. Moore recruited Edwards of out of close by West Bloomfield Township, a 50-mile drive from Ann Arbor. Edwards was Mr. Michigan in 2020, and 247Sports rated him because the nation’s No. 2 working again as a five-star prospect within the Class of 2021.
“He is the identical energetic individual he is been since I noticed him in highschool, strolling the hallways, dapping everyone up, smiling and laughing and on the sphere making the performs,” Moore mentioned. “He is simply develop into extra mature, actually grown into his spirituality and his religion. That is in all probability the largest factor. He is all the time been a frontrunner, however now he is a frontrunner of males in faculty and has actually achieved a very good job of that.”
Moore is intent on carrying the “Harbaugh Approach” into the brand new period, however he’ll achieve this with many new faces. Is Edwards the brand new face of this system?
“When you ask him, he will say ‘no,'” security Makari Paige mentioned.
However Edwards’ dreads and huge smile make him stand out: the online game poster boy with a Michigan upbringing.
“I believe by way of all of the adversity, the emotional and psychological struggles that I’ve had the previous three years and having the ability to overcome it, I imagine that I am prepared,” he mentioned. “I have been capable of present glimpses of being a lead man.”
