The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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NOVEMBER 2022 THE WOLVERINE 33 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL Five Best Players 1. Junior running back Blake Corum He's the heartbeat of the Michigan team through seven games and has only elevated his performance during Big Ten play. In the four-game confer- ence stretch, Corum has rushed 112 times (28 per game) for 666 yards (166.5 per outing) and 6 touchdowns. He's helped seal victories with late scores against Maryland, Iowa and Penn State, and has controlled the game each week. 2. Senior edge Mike Morris Michigan was desperately searching for an edge rusher to emerge early in the season, and Morris has been that guy as of late. He's had at least 1 tackle for loss in each of his last four games through the Penn State win, including 4 sacks during that stretch. His 5 sacks for the year lead the team, and no other player at his position has more than 2. 3. Sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy He's been extremely efficient all season long, and the Wol- verines are adding more and more responsibility to his plate seemingly by the week. His four-game Big Ten stretch was highlighted by 220 passing yards and 2 touchdowns against Maryland, his first 300-yard game versus Indiana (304) with 3 scores and a perfectly executed game plan in a triumph at Iowa in which he went 18-for-24 passing for 155 yards and 1 score. McCarthy is also getting it done with his legs, saying he's getting more comfortable tucking the ball and running, with 83 rushing yards over the last two outings at Indiana and against Penn State. 4. Graduate tight end Luke Schoonmaker With senior Erick All out of the lineup due to an injury, Schoonmaker has elevated his status from stellar run blocker to complete tight end. That was on display in the three-game stretch that included wins over Maryland, Iowa and Indiana. In that span, he combined to make 20 catches — nearly half of his career total (42) — for 184 yards with 2 touchdowns. 5. Offensive line It's hard to pinpoint just one guy, but there's no doubt this group deserves to be among the top players on the team, especially after a 41-17 bludgeoning of Penn State. The group continues to pass every test, no matter who's in the lineup (senior right tackle Trente Jones is currently injured, but classmate Karsen Barnhart has stepped in nicely). The remaining four starters are grad student Ryan Hayes (left tackle), senior Trevor Keegan (left guard), grad transfer Olusegun Oluwatimi (center) and junior Zak Zinter (right guard). The Wolverines ran for 172 yards against an Iowa de- fense that ranked sixth nationally in rushing yards allowed per game entering the contest (73.0). Then came Penn State, which slotted fifth in rushing de- fense entering the Oct. 15 showdown, before Michigan ran for 418 yards, its most in a game in six seasons. That total eclipsed the combined amount of rushing yards Penn State had given up in its first five games (398). U-M has allowed just 1 sack per game in the first four conference games, as well, protecting McCarthy at a high level. Key Moment Penn State took a 17-16 lead early in the third quarter Oct. 15, but Michigan responded with authority. On the next possession after the Nittany Lions gained the advantage, sophomore running back Donovan Edwards ripped off a 67-yard touchdown run to take the lead. The Wolverines converted on their two-point try on a short pass from Mc- Carthy to graduate wideout Ronnie Bell. The defense then turned Penn State over on downs. Michi- gan took back over, and on its first play from scrimmage, Corum dashed for a 61-yard score. Just like that, the Wolver- ines led 31-17 before running away with the 41-17 triumph. Best Highlight Corum's 61-yard touchdown run against Penn State was the top highlight of the last four games. Lining up behind McCarthy in the pistol formation, he ran right as Schoon- maker pulled that way, and a huge hole opened up courtesy of the offensive line. Corum cut the run left, found a seam, made two defenders miss, broke the run back right and was off to the races for the score. Bold Prediction Head coach Jim Harbaugh has his program rolling. The Wolverines are 7-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1973-74, and they've won 19 of their last 21 outings. Of those 19 victories, only four have been decided by single digits, including this season's 34-27 victory over Maryland Sept. 24. We'll predict that Michigan wins its next four games — against Michigan State, Rutgers, Nebraska and Illinois — all by double digits. The Maize and Blue will be favored in each contest. The Wolverines will roll into Columbus for a showdown with Ohio State undefeated at 11-0. — Clayton Sayfie Superlatives For Michigan's Four Games From Sept. 24 To Oct. 15 Left tackle Ryan Hayes (76), tight end Luke Schoonmaker (86) and the rest of the offensive line have paved the way for U-M to average 241.7 yards rushing per game, No. 9 in the FBS. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL