Jahwan Edwards lead game with 146 rushing yards.

Edwards didn’t get a carry until the seventh offensive play of game.

He looks to be main component in 2014 offense.

With all the attention focused on quarterback Keith Wenning and his final game as a Ball State football player, it was a different player who stole the spotlight from the senior.

The player was junior running back Jahwan Edwards.

Edwards had 28 carries for a game high of 146 rushing yards and a score in Ball State’s 20-23 loss to Arkansas State in the GoDaddy Bowl on Sunday night.

However, it took until the seventh offensive play for Ball State to give the ball to Edwards.

Edwards said he was feeling “a little frustration” when he hadn’t received a chance to run the ball.

“But you have to trust in the coaches in what they’re doing,” he said. “I know the ball is going to come to me sometime.”

On one of Wenning’s pass attempts, Edwards had a miscommunication with his blitz protection and made a mistake on the field.

“I didn’t deserve the ball at that time,” he said.

On Ball State’s third series of the game, Wenning handed off to Edwards on the left side. Edwards scampered past the line to gain 22 yards on the play, by far the most the offense had gained to that point.

Edwards’ 22 yards on his first carry was the longest rush he would have in the game.

“It was very much a wait-and-see approach early in the game, not knowing how they would choose to defend us and knowing how multiple they were throughout the season,” head coach Pete Lembo said. “We felt pretty good after some early runs.”

Similarly to the game at Northern Illinois, Edwards carried the offense when Wenning and the passing game struggled.

Wenning finished 23-of-44 for 215 yards and one touchdown. He also was under pressure more often than in previous games.

“They did get a couple early pressures on us,” Lembo said. “They were giving us a lot of what we call ‘radar looks,’ where guys are standing up and moving around. We had one or two communication issues early.”

One of those looks resulted in Wenning getting sacked near the goal line, forcing a Ball State punt at its own 1-yard line.

The wind also had an impact in the game, blowing flags around the stadium at 90-degree angles.

“[The wind] makes you think about different throws differently,” Wenning said. “Into the wind is definitely harder. With the wind, the ball sails.”

Edwards had no rushes for loss in the game and constantly used his power and relentlessness to wear down the Arkansas State defense.

“He balled out tonight,” Wenning said. “The offensive line gave him some good holes and he punctured them. He played his heart out.”

With Wenning’s departure from the team due to graduation and no quarterbacks with starting experience on the roster, Edwards looks to be the focal point of next season’s offense.

Edwards scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:33 remaining in the game before Arkansas State came back to score the game-winner.

When asked if he believed his team had the victory at hand in that moment, Edwards said he did.

“But you know, it’s not over until the time is over,” he said.

He then sighed and took a moment to continue his thought.

“It’s hard to swallow, man,” Edwards said. “It’s hard to swallow.

Share

---