Dylan Edwards Continues to Give Kansas a Big-Play Threat
Even in a 24-17 loss to Arizona State, Kansas continued to see why Dylan Edwards can be one of the most dangerous players on its offense.
Edwards finished the game with 89 rushing yards on 18 carries, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt. He also caught four passes for 16 yards, giving him 105 total yards from scrimmage against the Sun Devils.
While Edwards did not find the end zone, his ability to create explosive plays gave Kansas another weapon to rely on throughout the game.
The junior running back showed that ability early. During Kansas’ second offensive drive, Edwards broke free for a 15-yard run that helped move the Jayhawks into Arizona State territory. Later in the game, he added an 18-yard run during Kansas’ fourth-quarter touchdown drive.
Those plays are important for an offense that has relied on Isaiah Marshall’s ability to make plays through the air and with his legs.
Edwards gives Kansas another way to create offense without putting everything on its quarterback.
His speed and ability to make defenders miss can turn an ordinary play into a significant gain. That was evident throughout the game, as Edwards consistently provided Kansas with opportunities to move the chains and stay aggressive.
However, his performance also showed an area Kansas will want to improve moving forward.
Early in the third quarter, Edwards fumbled after a one-yard run. Arizona State recovered the ball and returned it 77 yards to the Kansas 2-yard line, setting up a Sun Devils touchdown shortly afterward.
The turnover became one of the biggest moments of the game because Arizona State quickly turned Kansas' mistake into points.
For Edwards, the challenge now is combining his explosiveness with greater ball security. Kansas needs players capable of creating big plays, but avoiding costly turnovers will be just as important as producing them.
Kansas finished with 414 total yards against Arizona State, including 179 rushing yards. Edwards was a major part of that rushing production, accounting for nearly half of the Jayhawks’ rushing yards.
With Kansas entering its bye week at 1-2, the coaching staff has an opportunity to find even more ways to get Edwards involved.
The Jayhawks have already shown they can use him as both a runner and receiver. Finding additional ways to put the ball in his hands in space could make him an even bigger part of the offense.
Kansas will need consistent production when it returns to action against Middle Tennessee on Oct. 3.
If Edwards can continue creating explosive plays while taking better care of the football, he could become one of the key pieces of Kansas’ offense as the season moves forward.
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Jimmy Adeniran is a contributor to JayhawksROUNDTABLE. He can be reached at [email protected]
