A lack of running back depth in Kansas football’s game against Middle Tennessee gave Dylan Edwards the opportunity he’d been looking for.
Edwards wanted to show the coaches that he could handle the workload of being the bell-cow back, rather than playing a more specialized role that he’s played earlier in his career. The first-year Jayhawk made the most of the opportunity, carrying the ball 20 times against the Blue Raiders and finished with 137 yards and three touchdowns, the first three scores of his KU career.
“Each week, I want to continue to get better and better and not look for two weeks from now or four weeks from now, just lock in on every single day and get better 1%,” Edwards said.
The explosive running ability that Edwards showed on Saturday was why the Kansas coaching staff targeted him in the transfer portal. But his ability to be a consistent running back and handle a greater workload is something he’s having to prove at Kansas.
“We know he has a chance to be dynamic,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “Again, his versatility speaks for itself. But again, we want him to be consistent each and every day he walks into the building, and he’s done that.”
Edwards ran through the teeth of the defense, as well as showed his dynamism by bouncing outside on runs for big gains. He said he’s been “working on a lot of the little things” with Kansas running backs coach Jonathan Wallace, which has helped him become a more well-rounded back. Improving his foot work, understanding what is happening situationally in the game and reading the defense and the field better are all areas that Edwards feels he’s seen growth since coming to Lawrence.
“(I’m) just going week by week trying to get better,” Edwards said. “Working on the little things, and I feel like today I did pretty good.”
The Jayhawks accrued 480 rushing yards in the win, but it was Edwards whose carries set the tone for the offense. Seven of his 20 carries, which matched a career high, came in the opening quarter, and he ran for 57 yards, which was 44% of the Jayhawks’ first-quarter yardage. Those 20 carries all came in the three quarters of the game.
Edwards was trailed by quarterback Isaiah Marshall in rushing yards at 110. While both have enough rushing prowess on their own, their combined dynamic run threat puts more stress on defenses during read options that KU ran effectively on Saturday.
“(When) we’re doing a zone read play, the end doesn’t know who’s going to have the ball because we’re doing both,” Marshall said. “I’m doing good (running), Dyl is doing good, so it’s kind of hard. We put stress on the ends to make a play when me and him (are) doing good on the ground.”
The performance was challenged by Edwards being ill during Wednesday’s practice, a day that is heavy with game-plan preparation, and being sent home. Edwards recovered and practiced on Thursday before having his career day on Saturday. Not only did Saturday include his first touchdown as a Jayhawk, it was his first time with three rushing touchdowns.
“It felt great,” Edwards said of getting in the end zone. “I felt like it was easy when the O-line did their job, and I just got in there.”
While Edwards was certainly pleased with how Saturday’s game went, his focus was on the next challenge: a road game against a ranked Utah team known for its defense and dominance in the trenches. For the Jayhawks to have offensive success against the Utes and through the rest of conference play, both Edwards and the Jayhawks know that Edwards is going to have to be at his best.
“I’m just glad we won the game so we can move on, be 1-0 for this week and go onto the next week and play Utah,” Edwards said.
