Looking like MSU’s offensive engine, Cam Edwards battled early wear and tear vs. Toledo

East Lansing — On his knees and curled up into a ball on the Spartan Stadium turf in the second half of Friday’s 30-20 win over Toledo was Michigan State running back Cam Edwards. 

Trainers rushed out, as the lead back stayed doubled over on all fours, then pounded the turf with a closed fist. After a few minutes and some quick assessment, Edwards, evidently dealing with another round of cramps, eventually sauntered off the grass to the sideline. He’d stay off to the side for a spell and eventually return to the game, but dealt with cramps throughout the night. 

“And, you know, today was a tough day from a humidity standpoint,” head coach Pat Fitzgerald said post game. “Cramped up a little bit at times, and he kept coming back, and wanted to get back in the game.”

In what turned into a grind-it-out victory for the debut of the Pat Fitzgerald era in East Lansing, Edwards was Michigan State’s (1-0) bell cow, willing the offense into productive series when he was on the field.  Edwards took on a heavy workload, even despite his battles with cramps. The tailback also runs with an aggressive, unafraid-of-contact streak that showed up plenty on Friday evening as Edwards frequently caromed off tacklers, often going airborne in the process. 

It was a rough, physical ride to take 27 carries for 98 yards and a touchdown, an effort that earned him plenty of praise from his head coach post game.

“He's a hell of a football player, as tough as you know what,” Fitzgerald said.

MSU was not shy about using Edwards early and often. 

On the first drive of the season, which Edwards capped off via a wildcat keeper for a touchdown, surging through tacklers shy of the goal line, the tailback carried the ball eight times. 

Over the next four drives in the first half, all of which ended on made field goals for MSU, Edwards carried the ball just seven times. 

Even factoring in the lighter load on drives No. 2-5 in the first half, Edwards had an efficient 72 net yards on 15 carries, and the touchdown. His downhill, physical running style stood out to his coaches, too. 

“He's really physical,” Fitzgerald said. “You saw that style of running tonight.”

In the second half, though he still had 12 carries, Edwards had less of an impact as he shuttled in and out of the game due to his cramps. On half of MSU’s six second half drives, Edwards had one or no carries. 

Whether it was the cramps or coaching decisions — Marvis Parrish and Jaziun Patterson combined for 51 net yards on 13 carries — it’s clear that Michigan State not only wants to use Edwards as a bell cow, but that the offense is better when he’s on the field and effective. 

In the second half, Edwards took his 12 carries for 26 net yards, which coincided with MSU hitting serious offensive doldrums. Some of that is offensive line and passing game related, and not just on the tailbacks, 

There’s also a chance that Edwards could’ve had a bit of a stronger ending to his night and come up with a game-icing play if he hadn’t tripped over quarterback Alessio Milivojevic’s feet in the backfield on a 3rd and 1 with MSU leading, 27-20, late. 

“And again, we'll go back and watch the tape, and, you know, as coaches, if his foot was this angle, or that angle — we'll overanalyze everything, get him to even play better. I'm sure at the end of the game, he'll want that play back, when he comes, trips over Alessio’s feet.”

It may only be one game, but it’s evident how Edwards can be the engine for this MSU offense and that managing the wear and tear — keeping the engine tuned up, so to speak — will be key for the Spartans in 2026.