Tye Edwards powers WVU to a thrilling comeback
In one of the most emotional versions of the Backyard Brawl, West Virginia running back Tye Edwards delivered a memorable performance. He discussed how he did it through perseverance and power football in a postgame press conference Saturday.
Heavy package, heavy production
Edwards tallied 141 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries en route to the 31-24 win. Two of his touchdowns came from the formation “heavy package.”
“They call it the heavy package, nine offensive linemen,” he said. “Being the heaviest back, I was ready for it. It was big for them. Even in the hotel, I was thinking: ‘One more play, one more drive.’”
Perseverance in the rivalry
The emotions run high in rivalry games, especially the Backyard Brawl. Even when WVU trailed 24-14 with 9:23 remaining, Edwards understood the importance of coming together as a team.
“Football is an emotional sport, having ups and downs,” Edwards said. “It’s always about units, fighting through, persevering as a team. That’s exactly what we did.”
Battling anxiety on gameday
While Edwards showed physical strength on the field, he was open about the mental battle he faces every gameday.
“Every game I played, I got real bad anxiety,” he said. “I’ll get tired, and all the training and running don’t mean anything. The most important thing is to remove all the doubt, all the anxiousness, all the nervousness.”
Respect for Marchiol’s leadership
Starting quarterback Nicco Marchiol was benched in the second half, but returned for the final two drives of the fourth quarter and the overtime period. Marchiol led drives with two touchdowns and a field goal in his return.
Edwards admired Marchiol’s leadership.
“We had to hurry up and go, and we had to do it with Nicco,” Edwards said. “He came back in there, ready, poised, showing what he can do. That’s a true leader. You want that at quarterback. Calm, collected, not panicking in big moments. Big respect to him.”
Picking up for Jahiem White
After a season-ending injury to Jahiem White in last Saturday’s loss at Ohio University, Edwards saw an increase in playing time. He explained how he supported White.
“When he went down, I told my brother, ‘I got you.’ I told him, ‘Keep your head up, I got you,'” he said.
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