Cam Edwards Makes His Presence Felt in Spartan Debut

As advertised, Cam Edwards proved to be the workhorse the Spartans will be leaning on all season.

Edwards kicked off Michigan State's season with a 10-yard run on the Spartans' first offensive play, immediately setting the tone and foreshadowing what would be an impressive debut. Edwards then capped the opening drive with a two-yard touchdown run out of the Wildcat formation, putting an exclamation point on Michigan State's first possession.

Ultimately, Edwards finished the game with a bell-cow workload, totaling 27 carries and two receptions while compiling 105 scrimmage yards, including 98 rushing yards and seven receiving yards.

It was a combination of stealthy patience and explosive bursts every time Edwards touched the ball, giving Spartan fans flashes of what it was like watching Kenneth Walker III dice up defenses five years ago. Edwards' ability to stop and start in the blink of an eye made him one of the most entertaining players on the field.

In the first half, head coach Pat Fitzgerald gave Edwards the rock early and often. The senior running back carried the ball 14 times for 67 yards and scored Michigan State's lone touchdown of the game.

However, you could tell Edwards was beginning to get fatigued as the game progressed.

Injuries also started to creep into the equation, as Edwards left the game twice but managed to return both times.

The first time Edwards exited came after he broke a big play down the sideline and was directed out of bounds by a defender. Despite there being no obvious contact on the play, Edwards appeared to be limping and ultimately missed two drives before returning to the field.

Later in the game, it appeared Edwards had the wind knocked out of him, forcing another brief departure.

Still, Fitzgerald continued to lean on his senior running back.

Despite Edwards carrying the ball 14 times in the first half and dealing with two separate instances that forced him out of the game, Fitzgerald gave him another 13 carries in the second half, bringing his total to 27 for the game.

The workload eventually appeared to take its toll.

While Edwards received nearly the same number of carries in the second half, he managed just 31 additional rushing yards. His effectiveness understandably began to wane as the game progressed, and it became clear just how important keeping him fresh will be for Michigan State moving forward.

The offense was humming when Edwards was shaking and baking, creating openings and consistently making defenders miss. But as Edwards began to wear down, the offense became much more stagnant.

Even with the late-game fatigue, however, this was an impressive debut for the running back who is going to be tasked with carrying a significant workload throughout the season.

Fitzgerald has made it clear that he wants Michigan State to win games with a bully-ball offense, and that philosophy is going to start with his senior running back.

Cam Edwards showed in his Spartan debut that he has the patience, explosiveness and toughness to be the centerpiece of that attack.

If Saturday was any indication, Michigan State is going to ride Edwards early, often and throughout the season — and the Spartans will need him to be ready for the workload.