RB Gus Edwards To Transfer From Miami
Miami's running back room just got a lot less crowded.
The school announced Wednesday that running back Gus Edwards plans to transfer from the program.
Edwards, known as "Gus The Bus" because of his 6-foot-1, 230-pound frame, rushed 290 yards and a touchdown on 59 carries this past season – his redshirt junior campaign.
"Gus indicated to me that he would like to explore the possibility of other opportunities to continue his football career and we have given him permission to do that," head coach Mark Richt said in the statement released by the school.
After missing the 2015 season with a foot injury, Edwards returned in 2016 hoping to become a factor in the teams' offense. Richt used "The Magic School Gus" sparingly, as Edwards – and Joe Yearby – would sometimes spell starter Mark Walton.
Yearby announced earlier in January that his plans to enter the 2017 NFL Draft.
However, Walton's status as Miami's No. 1 ball carrier has been clear – beginning in this past spring, through his off-field issues, and into the regular season.
In his three years with the Hurricanes, Edwards appeared in 35 games – making one official start. Over that span, Edwards rushed for 977 yards and 12 touchdowns on 186 carries.
The Hurricanes still have plenty of talent for Richt and running backs coach Thomas Brown to work with heading into the 2017 season.
Walton will be the incumbent as he returns for his junior campaign. Travis Homer, who just finished his freshman season, is a former four-star recruit and should be in the mix for carries moving forward.
The Canes should also welcome the healthy return of running back Trayone "Choc" Gray. Gray missed this past season with a torn ACL and received a medical redshirt – leaving him with two more years of eligibility.
In addition, if incoming early enrollee freshman Robert Burns – a 5-foot-11, 210-pound three-star prospect from Miami Gulliver Prep – shows enough skill and maturation, he could provide depth for the Canes.