COLLEGE PARK — Trey Edmunds had been waiting for this moment since January, and on a warm and sunny morning, it finally arrived: He was dressed in a full Maryland football uniform for the first time in his life. And while it was only for photos on the Maryland Stadium turf as part of the team's media day Tuesday, the excitement bubbled up within the graduate transfer running back.
"Man, I couldn't sit still," Edmunds said that afternoon. "I couldn't sit still. I was just thinking about our first game, just thinking about Howard. The next time I'm putting this on it's going to be for real. It's going to be game time, and it'll be my last first game of my college career. And I'm excited to get out there."
As a newcomer who will be with the Terps for only one season after spending the past four with Virginia Tech, Edmunds has already earned praise from his teammates for his demeanor and assimilation to a new program as a veteran. By transferring to Maryland, Edmunds has given himself another opportunity for his final season in eligibility. He has the chance to follow in the footsteps of his father, Ferrell.
Ferrell Edmunds Jr. played tight end at Maryland under Bobby Ross and Joe Krivak from 1984-87 and had a decorated career. He ranks 11th in program history in career receptions with 101 and 10th in career yardage with 1,641 yards. He caught 10 touchdown in his fours season —tied for 10th all-time — and had the 25th highest single-season receiving yardage total in 1987.
But when it came time for his three sons to play college football, Trey, Terrell and Tremaine all chose Virginia Tech. Trey Edmunds found early success as a redshirt freshman in 2013, when he rushed for 675 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Hokies, but that success was fleeting, and injuries limited Edmunds' effectiveness the next two seasons. So after the season, with a degree earned in broadcast journalism, he looked elsewhere.
In March, Edmunds said that nothing about his transfer to Maryland was "pre-planned." He was looking for "new opportunities." The school he picked just happened to be the one where his father was a star.
"Me coming to Maryland really put a big smile on my dad's face being that this is his alma mater, and he's just excited to be able to come back down here for more opportunities to come back where he started," Edmunds said. "Just to get around some of the people he grew up around and go to some of the places and restaurants he used to go to. He's excited. My mom's excited. Everyone's excited to get down here."
In the months since Edmunds has transferred to Maryland, his father has returned to campus, and the two have walked around campus with Ferrell pointing out different things from his past. The Terps used to get dressed in their locker room in the Varsity Team House before walking over to the stadium. Now they have the Gossett Football Team House. One of his favorite places to get food was in Stamp Student Union. He watched his friend Len Bias play at Cole Field House, which was "basketball heaven." Those are the little things that Trey Edmunds enjoys learning from his father.
"Anywhere in the world you go, it's going to be different," Edmunds said. "The times change, the years are gone by and the days are gone by. So things are going to be different. … He comes here and we walk around the campus, and we just reminisce."
Edmunds' coaches on the offensive side of the ball have been pleased with what Edmunds has brought to College Park, beyond his bruising 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame, 957 career rushing yards and 13 career rushing touchdowns.
"A lot of times when you get those older kids … they come in and from an entitlement standpoint, they don't really position themselves," offensive coordinator Walt Bell said. "They automatically come in there — the old guy, they ought to play — which is far from the truth, as you could imagine. He's as hard of working, selfless kid as I've ever been around."
Edmunds helped transform the running back position from a question mark at the end of last season into a deeper group this month. Senior Wes Brown will return after serving a three-game suspension to start the season, while sophomore Ty Johnson had a strong end to last season. The coaching staff has been impressed with freshmen Jake Funk and Lorenzo Harrison early, while fellow freshman LaDerrien Wilson is another big, bruising back in the meeting room.
And while he's one of the newcomers in the position group, Edmunds' personality has shined during his short time in College Park.
"Any time you can add experience and maturity and you combine that with an unbelievable human being, a great, great guy, what else could I ask for?" running backs coach Anthony Tucker said. "You're adding quality to your room, and not just the room as a running back group, but your team. Any time you add quality to your team at whatever position, you've hit a bullseye, man."
Edmunds had trouble containing his smile when talking about the opportunity to follow in his father's footsteps and contribute at Maryland like Ferrell did 30 years ago. The times have changed, with "basketball heaven" being turned into an indoor football facility and new buildings sprouting up all over the campus.
But Edmunds will hold his time at Maryland close to him because he knows what his presence there means.
"It's special to him," Edmunds said, "and whatever's special to him is special to me."
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