LSU Football: The best run of Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s career almost didn’t happen
By Zach Ragan
LSU football running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire was selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.
LSU football‘s Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who was selected with the No. 32 pick in the 2020 draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, landed in the perfect situation in the NFL in part because of his tremendous 2019 season in Baton Rouge.
Edwards-Helaire rushed for 1,414 yards and 16 touchdowns last season, while also catching 55 passes for 453 yards and one touchdown.
His versatility will make him a great fit in Andy Reid’s offense in Kansas City, where he’ll likely be used in the same fashion as former Reid running backs Brian Westbrook and LeSean McCoy.
Edwards-Helaire’s best run almost didn’t happen
One of the most memorable runs of Edwards-Helaire’s college career was undoubtedly his 89 yard touchdown run in the Tigers’ win against Arkansas last November.
With LSU up 42-6 late in the third quarter against the Razorbacks, Edwards-Helaire took a handoff from Myles Brennan, hit the open hole and ran the ball 89 yards up the sideline for his third touchdown of the game.
The game was already out of hand at this point, which is why Joe Burrow was out of the game.
Edwards-Helaire was also supposed to be out of the game.
And if not for an assistant equipment manager, he would’ve been.
According to The Athletic, assistant equipment manager Eric Cookmeyer noticed that Edwards-Helaire was a yard short of 100 yards for the day.
Edwards-Helaire and Kevin Faulk (LSU’s director of player development at the time, now the Tigers’ running backs coach) lobbied then running backs coach Tommie Robinson for the opportunity to get one more yard.
Robinson agree and 89 yards later Edwards-Helaire finished the day with 188 rushing yards.
That single rush by Edwards-Helaire raised his yards per carry on the season from 6.1 to 6.6.
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While it ultimately proved to be inconsequential (Edwards-Helaire still would’ve been selected by the Chiefs in the first round), it’s still wild how an assistant equipment manager helped Edwards-Helaire pad his season stats.