In the spring of 1995, then-head football coach Ray

Goff made what many considered a desperate move on

the part of a desperate man, when he switched his

promising young cornerback, Robert Edwards, to run-

ning back.

A public outcry ensued, but when fans saw the

Tennille native cut through defenses, those cries

turned to praise – until Edwards went down for the

season with a foot injury.

Since then, Edwards has teased fans with flashes of

brilliance between seemingly endless spans of time on

the injured list. For example, Edwards led the team in

rushing last season with 800 yards but went down on

his first carry this season with an ankle injury.

Currently, head coach Jim Donnan’s situation – a

wagon load of talent in the backfield even without the

injured Edwards, and a secondary missing one of its

top reserves for at least two weeks in Glenn Ford – is

not quite the same as Goff’s in 1995.

But would Donnan ever consider moving Edwards

back to his old cornerback position? After all, the move

couldn’t be any more controversial than Goff’s two

years ago. Also, Edwards started all 11 games as a

sophomore in 1994 and never experienced any injury

problems at the position.

The answer is simple: No.

"Robert just gives you something special back there

in the backfield, and that’s why we play him there,"

Donnan said. "He just has such tremendous strength

to go with his speed, and he’s also able to break tack-

les. Those kinds of things are going to help him in the

pros."

Edwards, who teammates say is the "ultimate team

player," said he doesn’t regret making the move to

offense. The senior said his only objective is helping

the team win.

"This year, even though I’ve only played four or five

snaps all season, I’m happy because we’re winning,"

he said. "And that’s all I’ve ever wanted, to be on a

winning team. I think I had a lot to do with us winning

by the preparation we put in during the spring."

As far as moving back to defense, Edwards knows

that’s highly unlikely. But he said if Donnan

approached him with such an offer, he’d gladly accept

the responsibility.

"I’m a team player, and I’m here for the team," he

said. "Whatever I can do to help, let it be."

Incidentally, Edwards said the same thing hap-

pened to him in high school when Washington

County’s starting tailback broke his leg in the fourth

game of the season, and he was asked to make the

switch.

Edwards’ teammate and friend, senior receiver

Hines Ward, compared Edwards to former Bulldog

and current Denver Broncos running back Terrell

Davis.

Davis, who dwelled in the shadow of quarterback

Eric Zeier, is currently leading the National Football

League in rushing after enduring three injury-plagued

seasons at Georgia.

Like Donnan, Ward believes Edwards has a future

in the NFL, and that future is on offense.

"I see a lot of Robert in what I saw in Terrell," Ward

said. "I think Robert’s much quicker, and Terrell had

an injury problem when he was here and look what

he’s doing now. Those guys are the same size-wise and

their speed’s the same. In fact, I think Robert’s a little

faster."

Beginning with the Mississippi State game Oct. 4,

Ward said he believes Edwards is ready to make his

mark on the program.

"Right now, he’s just frustrated that he hasn’t had

the chance to really help the team," Ward said. "But

he’s going to be real hungry (when he comes back).

He’ll be one to look out for."

Senior bandit Derrick Byrd has seen Edwards on

both sides of the ball up close in practice, but has yet

to determine what position suits Edwards best.

"It’s hard to say (what position Edwards is better

at)," Byrd said. "He played defense just like he does on

offense: real aggressive, and he’s real quick with good

speed. Nobody could beat him deep. And I think he’s

becoming better and better as a back as he gets more

adjusted to it. I think the switch has been good."