Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year Carsen Edwards has a much different environment this season. Vincent Edwards, Dakota Mathias, and Isaac Haas were senior starters and anchoring contributors to one of the top teams in the country last season. This season, Edwards might need to take on more of a more aggressive role for the Boilermakers offensively.
That’s saying something since Edwards averaged 18.5 points per game in his All-American sophomore season. At Big Ten Media day, I asked Purdue head coach Matt Painter about the adjustment in coaching Edwards now that he’ll be the real focal point on the offensive end.
He’s a very dynamic player. He’s unique from a physical standpoint. He’s kind of got the body and the explosiveness like a Saquon Barkley. He plays through his offense. I think for guys like that, as you get older, you get more experience, more responsibility, but you don’t change who you are.
A lot of what he did last year when he got it going, we couldn’t get it to him enough. But when somebody else got it going, that’s kind of the piece that’s tough, when you have that scoring mentality. When Isaac Haas is burying people by the concession stand, you got to get him the basketball. Dakota Mathias was a very efficient player. Vince Edwards was a really efficient player.
Sometimes you go without some touches for two, three minutes. I don’t think that will be the case this year. I think he’ll play off the ball, but I think he’ll also play with the ball more. He’s kind of been our point guard in transition, now he’ll have more responsibilities there. But I never want to take away from his ability to score, because I think that’s a threat we can have 40 minutes every single night.
