ANN ARBOR, Mich. — If Michigan football is going to beat Texas on Saturday, it will need the most out of its run game. And though many are writing off senior running back Donovan Edwards after a rough Week 1 — matching much of the 2023 season output — Fox Sports analyst Mark Ingram says, wait — Edwards should be a focal point of the game plan.
But the Wolverines need to use him smartly.
We talked to Ingram on the Fox ‘Big Noon Kickoff’ set on Friday and he believes that the best way to get Edwards going would be to play him to his strengths instead of unnecessarily running him in between the tackles.
“I think they need to utilize him and his skill set, his ability,” Ingram said. “He’s great as a receiver, he’s great — he’s throwing passes, he’s great on the edges, he’s great in space. They need to utilize his playmaking ability and what he’s good at, his strength, and need to incorporate it within the offense so he can be successful. Need to put him in a position to have success, and that’s getting him the ball on the edges, where he could use his speed, where he uses more of that ability to make explosive plays. Because they’re going to need that explosion in the offense, not only tomorrow, throughout the whole season.”
In ranked matchups where Edwards has carried the ball at least five times, his average load is 16 carries for 139 yards (8.63 yards per carry). Something about the brightest lights seem to make him come alive. We saw it in 2022 against Penn State, Ohio State, and TCU; and in 2023 in the national championship game.
Ingram notes that it’s difficult getting and staying in rhythm from time to time but he needs to continue to keep his head up as his time will come.
“Man, it’s just tough as a running back,” Ingram said. “It’s not always going to be blocked the right way when you get — sometimes the blocking scheme will be different when another running back’s carrying the ball. Somebody might miss blocks. It’s part of being a runner. You just have to stay patient, stay committed, and you have to control what you can control. And that’s your attitude, that’s your demeanor on every single play coming out the huddle.
“And he’s done a great job of that — overcoming adversity, growing, maturing as a back, and he’s a great player. And I think the team needs to do a great job of putting him in a position to have success because he has great game-breaking ability, big, explosive playability, and the offense is going to need that. And Donovan’s done a great job of growing and maturing as a player, and he’ll show it throughout the season.”
If it’s not Edwards carrying the ball, it will be Kalel Mullings, who converted from linebacker a few years back. Now potentially set to get No. 1 type carries, Ingram lit up when discussing Mullings’ upside and what he brings to the table.
“I think linebacker and running back are very similar. They’re basically the running backs of the defense,” Ingram said. “They kind of got to be patient, see the hole, hit the hole, and obviously he’s done a great job transitioning over. He’s just a physical back. They could turn around, hand it to him, and he could wear down the defense, soften up the defense, and that’s when you can utilize Donovan to come in and have explosive plays later or play action pass.
“The running game is going to be critical for Michigan. So Kalel Mullings, getting Donovan Edwards going, if the running game could be efficient and effective for Michigan, they’ll be able to have success in the game, especially with the inexperience at quarterback. It’ll help him not have to play a perfect game. So they definitely need Kalel Mullings, definitely need Donovan Edwards — the offensive line needs to get going so this offense could be productive tomorrow.”