Shrine Bowl’s Willie Edwards matures into Division I defensive back

Willie Edwards’ highlights from his football career at East High usually included his explosive speed or a big hit while playing defensive back.

“I can remember them vividly,” said Edwards, who is 6-foot-1, 180 pounds. “But after a game, I won’t even watch my good plays. A lot of players watch their highlights. If I know I could have done something different, I’ll go and watch the plays that no one wants to watch. I don’t like to watch myself do something good on film.”

Edwards, who will play for the West squad in Saturday’s Shrine Bowl in Hays before starting his college career at Illinois State, is constantly look for ways to improve.

He admits to a swollen ego after he became a starter as a freshman. As a result, he decided he didn’t need to go to class all the time.

He nearly was academically ineligible as a sophomore. He rectified that his sophomore year and didn’t toe that line again.

As a junior he thought about transferring from East. But then-East coach Brian Byers had a heartfelt conversation with Edwards.

“I was just young and dumb,” Edwards said. “Coach had high expectations for me. He challenged me. I thought he was pushing me too hard. But we sat down and he told me the team needed me.… A lot of people don’t get him because he’s an old-style head coach. He pushed me, our connection got stronger and I matured.”

Byers was impressed by Edwards’ maturation process.

“From the time he was a freshman to the time he was a senior, he’s one of the kids I saw the most growth and maturity in,” said Byers, who resigned in the spring. “… A lot of kids have goals, but what I’ve seen in him the last couple years, he became very driven in wanting to be the best he can and work toward reaching his goals.

“He did that in the weight room. He did it in the classroom.”

Edwards is out to prove that bigger college programs made a mistake in passing on him.

“I am working right now to try to prove them wrong,” he said. “I think about it every day, about how I have to go 10 hours away from home to play football.”

Oh, he’s thrilled to be at Illinois State, where he spent a month before returning for the Shrine Bowl.

But there’s a slight chip on his shoulder. It’s why he was intent on bettering himself by adding 12 pounds of muscle after he signed.

Already speedy — Byers said Edwards was timed at two college camps running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash — he wants the time to drop.

“Knowing I could be at a bigger level really pushed me,” he said. “I just don’t understand why I didn’t get the exposure I thought I should have with offers. I felt like I got the looks, but they never pulled the trigger. I feel like I can play at that caliber.”

Edwards is also motivated by the memory of Jordan Turner, a former Wichita South football player who was murdered in 2013 at age 19. Turner’s dad, Frank, coached Edwards in youth football.

“He was the big brother of the team,” said Edwards, who has a tattoo dedicated to Turner that includes his initials and helmet. “He was a great brother to all of us. He was just a big kid. A 300-pound kid.

“… I’m living two dreams within one. He’s the reason I push myself.”

This story was originally published July 24, 2015 at 10:07 AM with the headline "Shrine Bowl’s Willie Edwards matures into Division I defensive back."