QB Edwards overcomes fear of flying to pilot Appalachian State

He saw a slightly bulked up Edwards. While he's still barely 6-feet, he claims he now weighs 185 pounds.

"Yeah, I told him he's wearing medium T-shirts now," Moore said.

Edwards' size is why Clemson, Vanderbilt and Memphis offered him scholarships, but wanted him to move to receiver or defensive back. The Greenwood, S.C., native wanted to be a quarterback, and chose Appalachian State over league rival Georgia Southern because Moore had recently installed the spread offense.

The shifty Edwards helped the Mountaineers win the national title as a freshman, then threw for 1,948 yards and 17 touchdowns and ran for 1,588 yards and 21 scores last season. Folks still marvel at his performance in the national semifinal against Richmond, when he rushed for 313 yards and four touchdowns and threw for 182 yards and three scores.

"Our players have great respect for him," Moore said. "You do some of the things he's done, take the licks, and you watch the tape on Sunday and Monday, you run that thing back and forth and you say, 'He's our guy. He plays for us."'

Don't expect that to change. Edwards was quick to squash rumors he was considering transferring to Florida State or South Carolina.

"They didn't want me out of high school. I wouldn't want to go there now," Edwards said.

That lack-of-respect attitude is prevalent in almost everything Edwards says and does. While he doesn't wear his championship rings because he doesn't like jewelry, Edwards made sure a picture of an LSU T-shirt that says "Not in our House," in reference to Appalachian State's win at Michigan's Big House, was prominently displayed in the team's locker room.

Edwards promised he won't be intimidated by the Tigers -- once he gets off the plane in Baton Rouge.

"They said we had to fly," Edwards said. "Just like Michigan."