Jim Harbaugh analyzes where Donovan Edwards is in run game

Jim Harbaugh answered questions about where Donovan Edwards stood in Michigan’s run game and gave his standard answer: a positive one.

With Blake Corum back in the fold, the former Heisman candidate is back to full strength and is the de facto bell cow through the first four games. Edwards, a talented back in his own right, only has 33 carries for 109 yards and has yet to find the end zone.

However, Harbaugh isn’t worried about his lack of eye-opening stats.

“He’s good like he’s always been and there’s like multiple backs,” Harbaugh said. “Statistics really don’t mean anything to us. And when it comes to all the players, I mean it’s what’s good for them individually and what’s good as a team. I see it from the individual and the big picture with the team. But each individual guy I treat them like their dad, their agent, want what’s best for their career. So in the running back position, to make a long story short here, I just don’t believe in a guy carrying the ball 30 times a game. 

“They may not have some of the stats that some of the other backs have, I mean, even Blake, who’s running the ball really (well). (He had) 97 yards, we took them out of the game because I don’t think he needs another 100 yard game as much as he needs to be healthy.”

Donovan Edwards is just fine, according to Jim Harbaugh

Harbaugh is more focused on what’s the best situation during each game and how he can keep his two superstar running backs healthy.

“But the lifespan of a back’s careers, what it is, on average, maybe eight, nine, 10 years total including college,” Harbaugh said. “So while they’re not getting paid, I don’t like to take the tread off the tire, I like to keep it and keep that tread on the tire. So there’s gonna be games where one back may be featured more than another. That’s kind of how it’s been here.”

Last year, Edwards had 140 carries for 991 yards, seven touchdowns and 7.1 yards per carry over the course of 11 games. By comparison, Corum had 247 carries for 1,463 yards, 18 touchdowns and 5.9 yards per carry in 12 games.

“So we’ll probably have this conversation again,” Harbaugh said. “Like next week Dovonvan carries more of the load and you might ask me what happened with Blake? Blake had a heck of a game, Donovan had less carries but really affected the game catching the football. He’s an outstanding back because you can do all the things you can. He can run outside. He can run inside the tackles, he can pass protect and he gets the ball out of the backfield. 

“So, to answer your question, absolutely nothing wrong with Donovan Edwards.”