Donovan Edwards wants to shift focus from individual glory to team's success as Michigan's lead RB: "I’ll take it if I’m needed to be"

Michigan RB Donovan Edwards claims that individual numbers are not going to matter for him this season as his sole focus will be contributing towards the Wolverines' winning culture.

While talking to On3 Sports, Edwards explained that he has a lot of expectations for himself but does not want to overshine other players on the team.

“I realized I put a lot of expectations on myself, like wanting to get drafted after the season,” Donovan Edwards explained. “Knowing like, ‘Yeah, man, that might not happen.’ I put a lot of expectations on myself that I’m not gonna do ever again,” he added.

As a senior player on the squad, Donovan Edwards wants to give more opportunities to the youngsters.

“I could be a 25-carry guy,” Edwards said. “Do I want it? I’ll take it if I’m needed to be, but I want other guys to be able to get their touches. I want to be able to catch the ball, too, get like 4 or 5 catches."

It is clear that Edwards has set the tone this offseason and intends to lead the Wolverines to yet another national championship in 2024.

Donovan Edwards is ready to seize the opportunity as the face of the program

The Michigan Wolverines running back gave a strong performance in last year's national championship game. He broke records with a pair of 40-yard touchdown runs.

His performance propelled him into the national spotlight. Despite the newfound attention, Donovan Edwards felt like he did not deserve the notoriety, as he had a limited role in the previous season due to injuries and the presence of star running back Blake Corum, as per CBS Sports.

"I've always been the No. 1 back, I've always been having my number called on," Edwards said, as per FOX Sports, at the 2024 Big Ten Media Days. "I had to take a backseat to that. Most people, I believe, they would have transferred out. But I wasn't. I was going to stay the course and stay patient. And ultimately it was going to pay off for me."

Edwards is entering the season as a senior running back and is expected to manage expectations for the team.

With the departure of Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum to the pros, the depth chart makes it clear that Edwards has to step up.