Edwards making plays for Gophers

Woodbury 2010 graduate LaMonte Edwards has risen up the depth chart and earned a key role for the University of Minnesota football team this fall. Edwards, a 6-foot 2-inch 210-pound running back, is playing special teams and some linebacker as a red-shirt freshman for the Gophers, while backing up senior running back Duane Bennett. Most recently, in the Gophers’ game against rival Wisconsin on Saturday, Nov. 12, Edwards was in on kickoffs and also played middle linebacker on third-and-long situations, either blitzing the Badgers’ quarterback or dropping back into pass coverage.

Edwards didn’t start playing football until middle school. However, as a senior at Woodbury, Edwards earned second-team All-State honors as he rushed for 1,053 yards and 13 touchdowns despite playing only six full games and missing three with a foot injury. As a senior he went over 150 yards in five games and over 100 in every full game in 2009. He had a season-high 180 yards against Stillwater and a season-high four touchdowns against Forest Lake. He also played defensive back for the Royals, recording 45 tackles and forcing four fumbles as a senior and tallied 159 yards rushing and three scores on just 20 carries as a junior in 2008.

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