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Daijun Edwards makes difference for Georgia in season debut

Palmber-Thombsby:Palmer Thombs•09/17/23•

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Daijun Edwards
Georgia RB Daijun Edwards ran for a career-high 118 yards in Week 3 against South Carolina. (Tony Walsh / UGA Sports Communications)

ATHENS, Ga. — Daijun Edwards was a difference maker in his 2023 season debut on Saturday. Carrying the ball 20 times, the Georgia running back totaled 118 yards and a touchdown. In one game he jumped all of the other options in the Bulldog backfield in terms of yards and is already just three away from the team-high in attempts.

“Absolutely,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said after the game when asked if he expected Edwards to be as effective as he was in his debut. “I would’ve expected Daijun to be that effective last week, this week or next week. He’s a good back. A tough football player and we’re fortunate that he was healthy today.”

After missing the first two games of the season making his way back from a sprained MCL, Edwards returned to the rotation on Saturday. It came at the right time for a Georgia rushing attack that failed to get over the 100-yard mark for the first time since 2020 in the previous game.

A fourth-year player who was the team’s top rusher among returnees, Edwards provided a presence on Saturday in the 24-14 win that gave a spark to his teammates.

“It was great,” offensive lineman Sedrick Van Pran said. “To be honest with you, it really, really meant a lot to us – especially the offensive line. Getting a good push, making sure that we try to support him, but looking at guys like Kendall when he got in the game he made his touches count, when Dillon Bell got in the game he made his touches count. It’s more about having trust and us doing our jobs.”

“It’s huge,” Smart added. “He makes people miss in the hole. He gets yards after contact. He’s very confident, an experienced player who’s tough. He’s a traditional Georgia high school football player. He’s a really good player from a really tough area and an affective runner.”

For quarterback Carson Beck, who Smart referred to as the “commander of leader of this offense,” he agreed with what his teammates and coaches said about having Edwards back. It was big for him and the offense on a day that things didn’t go their way early on.

“Obviously he had a great game. It’s always nice to have a guy like that that runs the ball hard and makes men miss in the hole, getting extra yards after contact. I’m so proud of him,” Beck said. “Our offensive line was dominant. They were getting a good push. Especially when the conditions are like that it’s a little harder to throw the ball. Not a problem when you have a guy like that where you’re comfortable you can hand the ball off and know the offensive line is going to get push. It helps a lot.”

For this Georgia offense, improvement is obviously needed. They only have 10 points to show for in the first quarter of games this season. On Saturday, they were held to just three for the entire first half. However, having Edwards present and providing a consistent threat on the ground certainly should help.

Georgia hosts UAB (1-2) next Saturday. Through three games, the Blazers have allowed 190.0 yards rushing and 32.0 points per game. Kickoff time is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

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