Tackle Edwards surpasses his goals
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – With absolutely zero fanfare, David Edwards identified three individual goals before Wisconsin opened the 2017 season:
No. 1: Hold off Patrick Kasl in camp and open the season as the No. 1 right tackle.
That seemed relatively easy considering Edwards started seven games at right tackle in 2016 and Kasl, though talented, was entering his redshirt freshman season.
No. 2: Garner all-Big Ten honors, a modest goal.
No. 3: Gain admittance to UW’s School of Business.
Edwards, an academic all-Big Ten honoree in 2016, knows he has to be prepared for life after or without football.
“I accomplished all three,” the redshirt sophomore said with a prideful smile.
And then some. Sixth-ranked UW (12-1) enters the Orange Bowl on Saturday against No. 11 Miami (10-2) with three starters on the offensive line having garnered AllAmerican honors in 2017 – redshirt junior left tackle Michael Deiter, redshirt junior right guard Beau Benzschawel and Edwards.
Edwards received the most accolades.
He was a first-team pick according to the American Football Coaches Association; a second-team pick by the Football Writers Association of America and by Walter Camp; and a thirdteam pick by The Associated Press.
Not bad for a high school quarterback who started out at tight end at UW and wasn’t moved to tackle until the summer before last season.
“I never really thought this would happen,” Edwards acknowledged.
Edwards did hope to develop into an All-American player – by his senior season.
“But for this to come now is kind of crazy,” he said.
UW coach Paul Chryst thought Edwards had a chance to develop into a solid player when the staff moved him from tight end before the start of camp in 2016.
“Every guy you’re appreciative of what they do to get there,” Chryst said. “Certainly David is a little bit different.
“He worked at it. That is the fun part.”
Edwards still recalls his first action on the line in 2016 – Game No. 6 against Ohio State.
Edwards subbed in for starter Jacob Maxwell at right tackle and was run over by Sam Hubbard for a sack.
“That told me this is big-boy football,” Edwards said. “That was great for my growth. It taught me to grow up.”
A shoulder injury suffered by Maxwell forced Edwards into the starting lineup for the final seven games of the 2016 season.
He gradually improved, in part because he battled outside linebackers T.J. Watt and Vince Biegel in practice. His battles against Garret Dooley and Leon Jacobs this season have helped continue that growth.
“It makes for good development,” Chryst said.
Even if Edwards wasn’t prepared for the accolades to come so soon.
“I was pretty shocked,” he said. “Just because of how quickly it came.”