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Report: Rutgers Football Adds Miami Grad Transfer RB Gus Edwards

The Scarlet Knights can use all the help they can find on offense.

By Aaron Breitman
Arkansas State v Miami Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Rutgers football received some good news today, adding Miami running back Gus Edwards to the program. As a graduate transfer, Edwards has one season remaining and will be eligible for the 2017 season. He reportedly chose Rutgers over Oklahoma State.

Edwards becomes the biggest back on the current roster, as he is listed as 6’2” and 230 pounds. He was a 3- star recruit out of Tottenville, New York in 2013 and amassed 977 rushing yards, as well as 12 touchdowns in three seasons at Miami. Edwards has averaged 5.25 yards per carry for his career with the Hurricanes. It has been reported Edwards was transferring in an effort to move closer to his family.

He missed the entire 2015 campaign due to a foot injury. Last season, under first year head coach Mark Richt, he carried it 59 times for 290 yards and 1 touchdown in nine games played in his return to action. He was the primary backup running back to starter and 1,000 yard rusher Mark Walton towards the end of the season.

Edwards adds some key depth to the running back position for Rutgers, who have lost their most consistent back from last season in Justin Goodwin due to graduation. Senior backs Robert Martin and Josh Hicks are set to return, but both struggled at times last season. While both have rushed for more yards in their career than Edwards, the former Hurricane brings more size to the backfield, as he is the only back taller than 6 foot on the roster.

New offensive coordinator Jerry Kill has said he plans to use the fullback position in his spread offense, something that wasn’t a focus of former OC Drew Mehringer’s offense. It’s possible Edwards could be used in the same backfield as Martin or Hicks as a lead blocker. Edwards could also prove to be valuable on the goal line as well, something Rutgers struggled with last season. Or he could win the job outright as the lead back.

Edwards joins Arkansas graduate transfer Damon Mitchell on the revamped Rutgers offense under Kill. Both players could make an instant impact next season.

Here are some highlights of Edwards during his career at Miami:

Welcome to the banks, Gus!

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