Colorado football finds itself with an important Big 12 regular season game coming out of the Week 6 bye on Saturday in No. 19 Kansas State.
And the matchup comes with facing a familiar face.
Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes (4-1, 2-0 in Big 12) will go up against former Colorado running back Dylan Edwards on Saturday inside Folsom Field for the first time since he left Boulder for Kansas State less than seven months ago.
Here's what to know on why Edwards departed from Colorado and ended up at Kansas State:
REQUIRED READING: What to know about Colorado football vs Kansas State: Time, TV, betting line, more
Why did Dylan Edwards transfer from Colorado to Kansas State?
Edwards' decision to enter the transfer portal seemed to be one surrounding playing time, as he did not enter the portal until after spring practices ended in April.
The 5-foot-9 running back, who flipped his commitment from Notre Dame to Colorado prior to last season, saw a considerable drop in playing time after his four-touchdown game in Colorado's season opener at TCU last year. Despite this, Edwards still led Colorado in rushing yards (321) and finished fourth in both receptions (36) and receiving yards (299) last season as a true freshman.
He entered the portal on April 23 — one of 41 players to transfer from Colorado last season per 247Sports.
Edwards announced his commitment to Kansas State on April 28 on X (formerly Twitter) in a Wildcats uniform. He told Curry Sexton on the "Cats Talk by Wildcat NIL" podcast that he heard the most from Georgia, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Kansas State.
REQUIRED READING: Shilo Sanders injury update for Colorado football game vs Kansas State
"I just did a lot of thinking and soul searching and learned a lot about myself from the time I was gone," Edwards said of what went into his decision to leave Colorado. "I just thought about it real hard and I just felt like it was my best decision to leave Colorado and do my own thing, as far as going to a team that I know will be a good fit for me and that I could be great at.
"... The spring was great. My game has definitely matured. I know a lot more than I did my freshman year. I'm smart out there on the field. ... I had a sit down with Shedeur (Sanders) and was just telling him my thoughts. He was telling me to do what feels right and I did what I felt was right."
At Big 12 media day, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders said he wasn't surprised by Edwards' decision to transfer and return home.
"I never would knock a player for transferring, if he feels like that’s best for him," Shedeur Sanders said. "That’s my guy at the end of the day, regardless of anything. So if that was the best decision for him, that’s great for him.
"I wasn’t surprised. I talked to him just in general. I kind of understood where his mind was at and I understand. The thing with me, I’m never a biased guy. If you feel like something is better for you then I’m a friend at the end of the day. I won’t lie to you, I won’t do anything to use you for my own selfish reasons at the end of the day."
Deion Sanders on Dylan Edwards' return
Earlier this week at his news conference, Colorado football coach Deion Sanders was asked about his former running back, of whom he was rather complimentary of.
"They changed their name to the Dylan Edwards? That’s what the team is called now, the Dylan Edwards?" Sanders said Wednesday, per USA TODAY's Buffaloes Wire. "We aren’t playing against Dylan Edwards. We are playing against a darn good football team. Dylan just happens to be on their team."
He added: “I love the young man (Edwards). I love him to life. Everybody who leaves here in the right manner, I want them to be successful. I have never wished wrongful or bad things on any young man or woman in my life or on any of you all. I want you to be successful, and I want you to find your purpose."
Dylan Edwards' 247Sports rankings
- As a prospect: Four-star recruit | No. 222 national prospect | No. 12 ranked running back
- As a transfer: Four-star recruit | No. 8 ranked running back
Edwards was listed as a four-star recruit and the No. 8 ranked running back in the transfer portal, according to his 247Sports Composite ranking page.
He received similar rankings out of high school, as 247Sports had him as a four-star recruit and the No. 12 running back in the 2023 recruiting class. He was originally committed to Notre Dame out of high school but de-committed from the Irish on Dec. 8, 2022, to commit to Colorado two days later.
Dylan Edwards' stats
Here's a game-by-game breakdown of Edwards' stats at Kansas State this season:
- vs. UTM: Five carries for 43 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown; Two receptions for 19 yards and a receiving touchdown
- at Tulane: Four carries for 54 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown
- vs. Arizona: Six carries for 41 rushing yards
- at BYU: Six carries for 41 rushing yards
- vs. Oklahoma State: Eight carries for 22 rushing yards
Here's a year-by-year breakdown of Edwards' collegiate stat:
- 2023 (Colorado): 76 carries for 321 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown; 36 receptions for 299 yards and four receiving touchdowns
- 2024 (Kansas State): 29 carries for 201 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns; Seven receptions for 37 yards and a receiving touchdown
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Why did Dylan Edwards transfer from Colorado? Kansas State RB faces Buffaloes in Week 7
Local News
Comments / 0