Daijun Edwards' career day powers Bulldogs
Daijun Edwards has it all, except the size.
Georgia's roster lists Edwards at 5-foot-10 and 201 pounds. But the Colquitt County native has the power to push piles for extra yardage. Edwards also has the shiftiness to elude tacklers and leave them in his dust when necessary.
With Kendall Milton injured, Georgia needed Edwards more than ever against Auburn on Saturday afternoon. He delivered a career performance in a 42-10 victory.
Edwards finished the game with 12 carries for 83 yards. He also ran for three touchdowns, the first Bulldog to do so since Sony Michel in the 2018 Rose Bowl against Oklahoma.
"I thought he did a really good job," Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said. "He does a good job around the goal line, makes people miss. He’s elusive, but not so much explosive. He’s probably not going to break off a super long run, but he gets a lot of positive runs. It’s really hard to get him for a tackle for loss."
Smart said he wishes he could take credit for Edwards' tough running style. In reality, however, it dates back to the back's days at Colquitt County High School.
"Part of the reason we took him was because of his toughness," Smart said. "Everybody in town said you give him the ball on the 30th carry, he's better than the first. He's not real big, but he's real tough and hard to tackle."
Edwards showed his strength repeatedly on Saturday. On several occasions, he disappeared into a pile of defenders and pushed the mob for a few extra yards.
According to fellow running back Kenny McIntosh, those runs spark the entire team on the sideline.
"Me and Kendall are the bigger backs," McIntosh said. "He’s one of the little ones. If he’s going out there and doing it, it gives us momentum and stuff like that. It just brings momentum to the team."
But McIntosh doesn't have to try and tackle Edwards in practice every day. Defensive lineman Zion Logue faces down that unenviable task.
Logue said the team thinks Edwards has "bionic ankles" with his cutting ability. Edwards is an offensive version of defensive back Javon Bullard, who Smart has praised for his toughness despite not being the biggest player.
"If you look at (Edwards) with a regular shirt on, his arms are cut, his legs, his quads, his calf muscles," Logue said. "He works, man. He’s nothing but a workhorse. Ever since he got here in 2020, he’s just been a steady guy, steady working, steady improving."
Edwards' career day follows a strong performance at Missouri, a game where the Bulldogs relied on him to grind out first downs late in the game. If he continues to perform this well, Edwards will earn more and more carries as the grind of the SEC schedule continues.