A Desire to be the Best
Apr 11, 2025 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Here we are, and it's been 105 days since the electrifying and mesmerizing Dylan Edwards authored the greatest rushing performance by a Kansas State player ever in a bowl game. Today, he stands inside the team theater room at the Vanier Family Football Complex. It's his first time speaking with reporters since that fateful night in Phoenix, Arizona, when he put the Wildcats on his back in an unbelievable 44-41 comeback victory against Rutgers in the Rate Bowl. In the end, the 5-foot-9, 167-pound native of Derby, Kansas, who transferred from Colorado for a chance to contribute to his in-state team, capped his first season with the Wildcats by rushing for 196 yards — including a career-long rush of 65 yards — and two touchdowns while catching two passes for 27 yards and another score, earning the game's Offensive MVP.
"It was a long season," he says, "and it just felt good to have a game like that."
Ask K-State running backs coach Brian Anderson. There could be plenty more in store in 2025.
"He has a hunger to him, and he has a desire to be the best player in the country," Anderson says. "That's how he works. That's how he's wired."
A 30-year coaching veteran, Anderson has coached an All-Big 12 running back in each of his first six seasons in Manhattan, including two of the top four all-time leading rushers in school history in Deuce Vaughn and DJ Giddens. Anderson has had a 1,000-yard rusher in four-straight seasons, the longest such streak at K-State since the days of Darren Sproles. So, Anderson sees potential. Yes sir, the potential is there for Edwards, the second-fastest player on the team, to do extraordinary things in the fall.
"His confidence is sky high," Anderson says. "He's always had confidence in his ability, but having the success he had in the bowl game and knowing that he can play at a high level consistently, and have fun with it, and continue to challenge himself to be the best player he can be, I mean, that's what I see.
"The confidence level is at an all-time high right now."
Edwards smiles. That's what coaches, teammates, reporters and fans notice first. Edwards carries a contagious smile that lights up any room. Ask him what makes him such a dangerous player with the ball in his hands, and he'll stiff-arm any individual success and deflect the praise to his offensive line. Throw in the fact that his 7.4 yards per carry a year ago led the Power 4 (minimum of 70 rushing attempts) and he pauses, still smiling, and replies, "I didn't even know that. That's crazy."
Then he continues.
"Just credit to those guys up front."
Playing behind NFL-bound Giddens, Edwards bided his time — he played on 232 offensive snaps and 74 special teams plays during the season — but he was ready to shine, as witnessed in the bowl game, which Giddens opted to sit out while training for the draft. Prior to the bowl game, Edwards had 546 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 74 carries and added 133 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 19 catches as he earned votes for the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year award from the league's coaches.
Oh, but there's more in Edwards' arsenal. As one of the team's primary return specialists, he had 150 punt return yards and a touchdown on 10 attempts, and he had 298 kickoff return yards on 15 attempts to earn All-Big 12 Honorable Mention accolades from the league's coaches.
He became the first K-State player with at least one rushing, receiving and return touchdown in the first three games of a season since Deon Murphy in 2007.
"Really, I'm an all-purpose player," Edwards says. "Running back is my title as far as position, but I feel I can do a lot more than just run the ball out of the backfield. Hopefully, I'll show that this year."
Edwards is excited. He calls his childhood friend, junior quarterback Avery Johnson, a "dog," and calls the offense installed by new offensive coordinator Matt Wells "explosive," and he applauds the decision by head coach Chris Klieman to extend the winter conditioning period to further enhance the strength and speed of the team.
Edwards finished just behind senior safety VJ Payne in the timed testing in March. Both Payne, Edwards, cornerback Donovan McIntosh and Johnson ran at least 23 miles per hour.
Asked to reveal his current weight, Edwards replies, "I'm at a great weight. I just can't wait to really show what this offseason has done for me."
Anderson better puts Edwards' strides into perspective.
"His body has completely changed," Anderson says. "There's his upper body, and he's a lot stronger in his lower half than people give him credit for. You watch film and see how this guy runs. He runs violent for a smaller guy. He's very, very strong with his lower half. Spending the extra time with Coach Tru has definitely helped him and it's helped his speed. He's squatting over 500 pounds.
"Everything he's done, he's attacked it, and that's what's been so impressive about him this offseason."
Speaking of film, Anderson and Edwards continue to watch plenty of it.
"Really, Coach BA doesn't focus on what I do good," Edwards says. "It's really about what I do bad. If I had a good run, he'll skip over it. We're trying to look for what I need to work on the most. He's really been developing my game this offseason.
"Coach BA is a smart coach. I listen to him and try to grow throughout this whole process."
As for the key things that Anderson and Edwards continue to scrutinize in film study, it comes down to "the things we watch as things that a lot of people don't see," Anderson says.
"It's understanding defenses and why the footwork has to match the offensive line and where your eyes are supposed to start in pass protection," Anderson continues. "Those are the things that people don't pay attention to. They play attention to good plays and bad plays. But why do good plays happen and why do bad plays happen? Those are things we look at in the running back room. Dylan has really done a good job of continuing to grow as a player. We talk about football IQ, and he's really taken it to another level. Gaining that confidence in the classroom is also a part of his development."
Edwards appears excited for the road ahead.
"I definitely feel like I'm playing faster just with the plays we've been given," he says. "I feel like I can play even faster. I can't wait."
Asked how he can improve, Edwards replies, "The biggest thing I can improve on is being a leader and having a better football IQ."
"It's about being around my teammates and just being myself," he said. "I feel like when I first got here, I was more in a shell. Now, I'm trying to talk to more guys, and be around people, and have fun with it. It's not always serious. You need to have fun."
Already, Edwards is eager for fun — as in, the trip to Dublin, Ireland in August.
"I definitely look forward to going to Dublin," he says. "I've never been outside the country. It'll be my first time using my passport, so I'm excited about that."
Edwards looks forward to fun tours with his teammates and fun cuisine and fun excursions and fun sights. Then K-State kicks off the 2025 season against Iowa State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic on August 23. It'll be the first game of the college football season. Everybody will be watching.
And Edwards, who authored one of the greatest rushing performances in K-State history the last time he played in a game, is eager for some fun on the gridiron, too.
"I'm going to come ready to go," he says. "I'm just going to let my game to do the talking. I think we're going to be a well-prepared team."
A team with a new starting running back — one whose confidence is sky high, and one who, according to his position coach, carries the desire to be the best player in the country.
Here we are, and it's been 105 days since the electrifying and mesmerizing Dylan Edwards authored the greatest rushing performance by a Kansas State player ever in a bowl game. Today, he stands inside the team theater room at the Vanier Family Football Complex. It's his first time speaking with reporters since that fateful night in Phoenix, Arizona, when he put the Wildcats on his back in an unbelievable 44-41 comeback victory against Rutgers in the Rate Bowl. In the end, the 5-foot-9, 167-pound native of Derby, Kansas, who transferred from Colorado for a chance to contribute to his in-state team, capped his first season with the Wildcats by rushing for 196 yards — including a career-long rush of 65 yards — and two touchdowns while catching two passes for 27 yards and another score, earning the game's Offensive MVP.
"It was a long season," he says, "and it just felt good to have a game like that."
Ask K-State running backs coach Brian Anderson. There could be plenty more in store in 2025.
"He has a hunger to him, and he has a desire to be the best player in the country," Anderson says. "That's how he works. That's how he's wired."
A 30-year coaching veteran, Anderson has coached an All-Big 12 running back in each of his first six seasons in Manhattan, including two of the top four all-time leading rushers in school history in Deuce Vaughn and DJ Giddens. Anderson has had a 1,000-yard rusher in four-straight seasons, the longest such streak at K-State since the days of Darren Sproles. So, Anderson sees potential. Yes sir, the potential is there for Edwards, the second-fastest player on the team, to do extraordinary things in the fall.
"His confidence is sky high," Anderson says. "He's always had confidence in his ability, but having the success he had in the bowl game and knowing that he can play at a high level consistently, and have fun with it, and continue to challenge himself to be the best player he can be, I mean, that's what I see.
"The confidence level is at an all-time high right now."
Edwards smiles. That's what coaches, teammates, reporters and fans notice first. Edwards carries a contagious smile that lights up any room. Ask him what makes him such a dangerous player with the ball in his hands, and he'll stiff-arm any individual success and deflect the praise to his offensive line. Throw in the fact that his 7.4 yards per carry a year ago led the Power 4 (minimum of 70 rushing attempts) and he pauses, still smiling, and replies, "I didn't even know that. That's crazy."
Then he continues.
"Just credit to those guys up front."
Playing behind NFL-bound Giddens, Edwards bided his time — he played on 232 offensive snaps and 74 special teams plays during the season — but he was ready to shine, as witnessed in the bowl game, which Giddens opted to sit out while training for the draft. Prior to the bowl game, Edwards had 546 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 74 carries and added 133 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 19 catches as he earned votes for the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year award from the league's coaches.
Oh, but there's more in Edwards' arsenal. As one of the team's primary return specialists, he had 150 punt return yards and a touchdown on 10 attempts, and he had 298 kickoff return yards on 15 attempts to earn All-Big 12 Honorable Mention accolades from the league's coaches.
He became the first K-State player with at least one rushing, receiving and return touchdown in the first three games of a season since Deon Murphy in 2007.
"Really, I'm an all-purpose player," Edwards says. "Running back is my title as far as position, but I feel I can do a lot more than just run the ball out of the backfield. Hopefully, I'll show that this year."
Edwards is excited. He calls his childhood friend, junior quarterback Avery Johnson, a "dog," and calls the offense installed by new offensive coordinator Matt Wells "explosive," and he applauds the decision by head coach Chris Klieman to extend the winter conditioning period to further enhance the strength and speed of the team.
Edwards finished just behind senior safety VJ Payne in the timed testing in March. Both Payne, Edwards, cornerback Donovan McIntosh and Johnson ran at least 23 miles per hour.
Asked to reveal his current weight, Edwards replies, "I'm at a great weight. I just can't wait to really show what this offseason has done for me."
Anderson better puts Edwards' strides into perspective.
"His body has completely changed," Anderson says. "There's his upper body, and he's a lot stronger in his lower half than people give him credit for. You watch film and see how this guy runs. He runs violent for a smaller guy. He's very, very strong with his lower half. Spending the extra time with Coach Tru has definitely helped him and it's helped his speed. He's squatting over 500 pounds.
"Everything he's done, he's attacked it, and that's what's been so impressive about him this offseason."
Speaking of film, Anderson and Edwards continue to watch plenty of it.
"Really, Coach BA doesn't focus on what I do good," Edwards says. "It's really about what I do bad. If I had a good run, he'll skip over it. We're trying to look for what I need to work on the most. He's really been developing my game this offseason.
"Coach BA is a smart coach. I listen to him and try to grow throughout this whole process."
As for the key things that Anderson and Edwards continue to scrutinize in film study, it comes down to "the things we watch as things that a lot of people don't see," Anderson says.
"It's understanding defenses and why the footwork has to match the offensive line and where your eyes are supposed to start in pass protection," Anderson continues. "Those are the things that people don't pay attention to. They play attention to good plays and bad plays. But why do good plays happen and why do bad plays happen? Those are things we look at in the running back room. Dylan has really done a good job of continuing to grow as a player. We talk about football IQ, and he's really taken it to another level. Gaining that confidence in the classroom is also a part of his development."
Edwards appears excited for the road ahead.
"I definitely feel like I'm playing faster just with the plays we've been given," he says. "I feel like I can play even faster. I can't wait."
Asked how he can improve, Edwards replies, "The biggest thing I can improve on is being a leader and having a better football IQ."
"It's about being around my teammates and just being myself," he said. "I feel like when I first got here, I was more in a shell. Now, I'm trying to talk to more guys, and be around people, and have fun with it. It's not always serious. You need to have fun."
Already, Edwards is eager for fun — as in, the trip to Dublin, Ireland in August.
"I definitely look forward to going to Dublin," he says. "I've never been outside the country. It'll be my first time using my passport, so I'm excited about that."
Edwards looks forward to fun tours with his teammates and fun cuisine and fun excursions and fun sights. Then K-State kicks off the 2025 season against Iowa State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic on August 23. It'll be the first game of the college football season. Everybody will be watching.
And Edwards, who authored one of the greatest rushing performances in K-State history the last time he played in a game, is eager for some fun on the gridiron, too.
"I'm going to come ready to go," he says. "I'm just going to let my game to do the talking. I think we're going to be a well-prepared team."
A team with a new starting running back — one whose confidence is sky high, and one who, according to his position coach, carries the desire to be the best player in the country.
Players Mentioned
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