A change of the guard appears to be underway in Texas A&M's backfield.

Freshman running back KJ Edwards has seen his snap count rise over the past few weeks and, alongside Jamarion Morrow, could be pushing Rueben Owens II for a starting role in Texas A&M's backfield. Given an opportunity to start against The Citadel on Saturday, Edwards responded with a career-high 116 rushing yards on 13 carries in the Aggies' 41-0 victory.

Edwards became the first Aggie to rush for at least 100 yards this season, averaging 8.9 yards per carry and helping Texas A&M finish with a season-high 264 rushing yards. His increased role began before Saturday's performance. Edwards rushed for 66 yards and two touchdowns against Arkansas before leading the Aggies with 20 rushing yards in their loss to Missouri.

With the backfield rotation still unsettled, Edwards has made a case for more playing time. His latest performance also earned national recognition, as Pro Football Focus named him the highest-graded freshman running back in Week 7 with a 79.9 grade.

The freshman did not score against The Citadel, but his production helped an A&M offense that finished with 501 total yards. The bigger question is how much of that momentum Edwards can carry into SEC play. Texas A&M travels to Tuscaloosa on Saturday to face No. 13 Alabama, where running room will be considerably harder to find.

With Edwards taking on a larger role, the Aggies have another backfield option that has struggled with injuries and consistency this season.