Desmond Howard: Michigan offense has no 'drop off' with Donovan Edwards after Blake Corum injury
No. 2 Michigan and No. 3 TCU are just days away from a College Football Playoff semifinal matchup and Donovan Edwards is coming in hot. The Wolverines running back is the new go-to in the backfield after the season-ending knee injury to Blake Corum and Michigan legend Desmond Howard is pretty confident in the Wolverines offense humming.
Edwards was explosive in the absence of Corum, particularly in the win over Ohio State and then the Big Ten Championship Game against Purdue. With that type of running ability, the Wolverines offense could run through the Horned Frogs.
“Well, I’ll tell you what, the thing about Michigan’s offense when you really study them, they are just so balanced right now,” Howard said on Get Up. “Of course when Blake was in there, he kept the offense on schedule, but it was a two-back situation with Donovan Edwards.
“And then when Blake went down, obviously didn’t play in the Ohio State game, and Donovan Edwards became the feature back then Donovan Edwards showed you what he’s been showing you all year long. They had an incredible one-two punch, but there was not a drop off when Blake Corum went out of the game.”
In 10 games this season, Edwards has 117 carries for 872 yards, seven touchdowns, 7.5 yards per carry, 17 catches, 192 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions.
“When Donovan Edwards came in, he’s an explosive back,” Howard said. “We saw it a year ago when he came in doing some reserve duty and now this year obviously now he’s a the feature back, the primary back and he’s a guy that’s excellent as a receiver of the backfield. The fact he’s probably going to play with a cast on his right hand, like we saw in the Ohio State game and the Purdue game, but the thing about it, it does not slow him down.
“Like I said they have a balanced (offense). They got tight ends, they got wide outs, a very balanced attack led by the offensive coordinator, Sherrone Moore, who I don’t think is getting enough credit for the magnificent job he’s done this year with the Wolverines offense.”
While Michigan is the favorite on paper, Howard said TCU would be tough to put away.
“Well, I tell you what, that’s gonna be a hard task because this TCU team, I’ve watched them all year long and they’re a very resilient team,” Howard said. “Max Duggan, like you said, he was a runner up in the Heisman and he’s a guy that’s the heart and soul of that whole team, not just the offense and they come and go as Max Duggan does. I mean, in the championship game, he almost willed his thing to victory and he averaged 7.3 yards per carry and that’s what Michigan’s gonna have to contain, contain his explosive plays in the running game.
“That’s what he can do with a lot of damage, just those plays and an impromptu, you think you got him and you think he’s about to get sacked and he just comes out of the back end he runs like 40 yards … He can throw the ball. He’s a legit dual threat quarterback. He really reminds me because of his toughness and his mindset, of a right handed Tim Tebow.”
No. 2 Michigan (13-0) takes on No. 3 TCU (12-1) in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Fiesta Bowl Saturday at 4:00 p.m. ET.