The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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FEBRUARY 2022 THE WOLVERINE 29 "J.J. is fast, man. He ain't as fast as me, though." That quote came from a smiling Michigan running back Blake Corum the week after he bolted 67 yards to paydirt to open the scoring in the Wolverines' 42-3 victory over Iowa to capture the Big Ten title, when quarterback J.J. McCarthy raced past him to take out two defenders while blocking downfield. In essence, it says it all about the Marshall, Va., product — a confident, funny, charismatic, respected and, oh yeah, fast offensive weapon for the Wolverines. Corum, who will be a third-year sophomore in 2022, has been well liked ever since he committed to the Maize and Blue, and the fan base's fondness only grew when he released videos of himself catching bricks to stay sharp during the pandemic. He endeared himself even further when using his Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) money to give back to the community, do- nating more than 100 turkeys to the less fortunate for Thanks- giving and spending time with local youth when he could. "Football is my passion," Corum said. "But giving back is my purpose." His tweets of Bible verses and inspirational quotes — along with the occasional veiled shot at Ohio State's complaining — leave fans smiling. They saw what he did on the field as a true freshman, when he accumulated 77 yards and two touchdowns in six games. He could be used more, and in better ways, many insisted. And he was in 2021, his breakout year in which he racked up 952 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on 143 carries, and added 24 receptions for 141 yards and one score. The lightning to bell-cow Hassan Haskins' thunder, the shifty scat back provided an extra element of speed and quickness to the Wolverines' offense, helping it establish dominance on the ground and keep defenses guessing. With Haskins off to the NFL, it's time for Corum to step up even more — he's a cornerstone now, not just a role player — and he appears to be ready. The offense surely won't look the same as it did in 2021 — with less smash-mouth principles and more flair, perhaps — but it can be just as productive while building around Corum and a plethora of returning playmakers, including senior wideout Ronnie Bell, two quarterbacks with ex- perience and another dynamic running back in sophomore Donovan Edwards. U-M led the nation in rushes of 50- plus yards in 2021 (eight), and ranked sec- ond in such plays from scrimmage (17); the team insists they will build on both. "When you look at how we're creating those explosive plays, it's getting the ball in the hands of explosive players," offen- sive coordinator Josh Gattis said. "Those guys are going to create explosive plays, and team speed was an area that we re- ally emphasized. "We were dynamic within our skill po- sitions, whether it's tight ends, receivers, running backs. We've got some of the most dynamic players in all of the country." Corum's ability to get to the edge and make defenders miss is hard to find. Cou- pled with Edwards, who came on late in the 2021 season, the duo should prove for- midable. The identity of the offense won't be the same, with center Andrew Vas- tardis, a two-time team captain, departed and others having moved on, but it'll form its own, in time, based on the personality and performance of players like Corum. "We're very proud of the effort, the to- getherness our offense has played with and overall as a team, and we're looking forward to continuing that on," Gattis said. With Corum at the forefront. — Clayton Sayfie Corum racked up 952 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns during the 2021 season. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Dynamic Weapon Blake Corum Will Shoulder More Of The Load In 2022