ASU's Edwards: The NFL can wait

Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards showed the football world just how good he really was last season, leading ASU's upset of mighty Michigan and then pushing the Mountaineers to their third straight national championship.

He's back for his junior year, but because of his success, the question of whether he might leave school early for the NFL came up at Wednesday's Southern Conference football media gathering in Greenville, S.C.

"I have people approaching me (and asking) am I going to stay in school, and all this and that," said Edwards, who added that he's 6-foot and has his weight up to 185. It appears to be a slender 185, but then you can't hit what you can't catch.

"I'm not the biggest person in the world, so I'm not that crazy to try to leave. I'll try to stay in to get as big as possible, and hopefully I'll get a shot at the NFL later. But for right now the focus is on this season."

Count on this season and next, folks.

Edwards had a reputation early in his career as a less-than outgoing interviewee because of shyness, but if Wednesday was any indication, he's conquered that. He spent the better part of three hours chatting with whoever had a question, and was forthcoming and funny in his answers.

- Stan Olson