The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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THEWOLVERINE.COM | $18.95 THEWOLVERINE.COM | $18.95 EVERYBODY'S EVERYBODY'S ALL-AMERICAN ALL-AMERICAN 2023 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL PREVIEW Michigan And Senior BLAKE CORUM Are Ready To Run It Back For More TWO EASY WAYS TO ORDER: CALL: 800-421-7751 10:00-4:00 ET, Mon.-Fri. Or call 919-688-0218 if outside the continental U.S. ONLINE: www.TheWolverineOnDemand.com Order 24 hours a day from our online store! Preorder today! THE 2023 THE 2023 MICHIGAN MICHIGAN FOOTBALL FOOTBALL PREVIEW PREVIEW 138 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2022 FOOTBALL PREVIEW THE SEASON Game-By-Game First Yards Yards Passes Had Fumbles Penalties Summary Score Downs Rush Pass Com./Att. Int. No./Lost No./Yards Attendance Western Michigan 14 17 119 191 20/37 0 1/0 3/30 109,295 Michigan 47 22 335 216 13/17 0 1/0 5/48 Home Washington 10 19 50 293 20/37 0 1/1 6/59 108,345 Michigan 31 20 343 44 7/15 0 1/0 6/60 Home Northern Illinois 10 11 162 46 9/17 1 0/0 6/57 106,263 Michigan 63 28 373 233 12/17 0 1/0 5/45 Home Rutgers 13 21 196 156 18/31 0 1/1 7/42 106,943 Michigan 20 15 112 163 9/16 0 0/0 6/59 Home Michigan 38 15 112 253 18/30 1 1/0 3/10 Away Wisconsin 17 12 43 167 11/23 1 3/2 1/5 74,855 Michigan 32 26 204 255 22/39 1 1/0 6/55 Away Nebraska 29 19 140 291 18/28 1 2/1 6/47 87,380 Northwestern 7 10 100 133 16/32 1 3/1 2/25 109,449 Michigan 33 28 294 163 23/32 0 2/2 4/40 Home Michigan 33 27 146 406 31/48 1 3/1 8/59 Away Michigan State 37 20 199 196 19/30 2 1/0 7/75 76,549 Indiana 7 11 107 88 10/25 1 2/1 3/30 109,890 Michigan 29 19 188 223 15/28 1 0/0 5/35 Home Michigan 21 21 144 217 19/29 0 1/1 4/20 Away Penn State 17 20 109 223 24/44 0 3/1 4/29 109,534 Michigan 59 24 151 352 29/40 0 2/0 6/50 Away Maryland 18 20 181 178 19/33 1 0/0 8/59 36,181 Ohio State 27 23 64 394 34/49 0 2/0 10/66 111,156 Michigan 42 24 297 190 14/20 1 1/0 2/20 Home Michigan 42 21 211 250 18/28 2 0/0 4/50 67,183 Iowa 3 15 104 175 19/38 1 1/0 5/55 Neutral Michigan 11 16 88 237 18/36 2 2/1 4/30 66,839 Georgia 34 21 190 328 21/31 0 0/0 5/70 Neutral THE BEST AND THE WORST BEST WIN: OHIO STATE A tilt two years in the making after 2020's rendi- tion of the rivalry was canceled due to COVID-19, "The Game" lived up to the hype. Behind 111,156 fans at The Big House, the Wolverines knocked off Ohio State for the first time since 2011, 42-27. The offense battered the Buckeyes' defense to the tune of 297 rushing yards and 5 scores, while also mixing in the pass game, accumulating 190 yards through the air. The Maize and Blue scored on each of its four second-half drives, not including the kneel-down at the end, while the Buckeyes' prolific offense was held in check. Entering the game, OSU averaged 7.8 yards per play, which was good for tops in the country, but it mustered up just 5.8 yards per play and went 8 of 18 on third down against U-M, which made two red-zone stands to force field goals. WORST LOSS: MICHIGAN STATE The Wolverines lost only two games — Oct. 30 at Michigan State (37-33) and Dec. 31 vs. Georgia in the College Football Playoff (34-11). While the latter game's score was more lopsided, the Bulldogs fielded a generational defense and went on to win the national title. Against the Spartans, who fin- ished third in the Big Ten East, U-M blew a 16-point lead in the game's final 19 minutes. Despite racking up a season-high 552 yards of total offense, self-inflicted wounds did the Wolverines in. They turned the ball over twice and gave it over on downs another two times in the second half. U-M also settled for four red-zone field goals over the course of the game. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL 134-139.2022 Year In Review.indd 138 134-139.2022 Year In Review.indd 138 6/27/22 3:29 PM 6/27/22 3:29 PM THE WOLVERINE 2022 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 139 "They're fighters. The way they train, the way they play, it means everything. Those are my friends." — Jim Harbaugh on his 2021 team "They may have thought they saw a ghost. They didn't. It was No. 25 — Hassan Haskins." — Jim Harbaugh on Haskins' 169-yard, 5-touchdown performance against Ohio State "We climbed mountains this season that no one thought we could. We did some things that nobody expected this Michigan team to do. And I think we set the standard for the future of Michigan football, and really helped this program tremendously for the future." — Aidan Hutchinson on the 2021 campaign THEY SAID IT "When I came to Michigan, especially with the class that I came in with, we wanted to be the change, we wanted to make a difference. This is a testament to that. I've said it multiple times before, this team is different. I couldn't love those guys any more." — CADE MCNAMARA TO ESPN AFTER U-M'S 21-17 WIN OVER PENN STATE 2021 GAME-BY-GAME STARTING LINEUPS OFFENSE Opponent WR LT LG C RG RT TE WR/TE WR QB TB Western Michigan Bell Hayes Keegan Vastardis Filiaga Stueber Zinter Honigford Johnson McNamara Haskins Washington Johnson Hayes Keegan Vastardis Zinter Stueber All Schoonmaker Wilson McNamara Haskins Northern Illinois Johnson Hayes Keegan Vastardis Zinter Stueber All Baldwin Sainristil McNamara Haskins Rutgers Johnson Hayes Keegan Vastardis Zinter Stueber All Schoonmaker Baldwin McNamara Haskins Wisconsin Johnson Hayes Keegan Vastardis Zinter Stueber Honigford Baldwin Sainristil McNamara Haskins Nebraska Johnson Hayes Keegan Vastardis Filiaga Stueber All Baldwin Sainristil McNamara Haskins Northwestern Johnson Hayes Barnhart Vastardis Filiaga Stueber Honigford Schoonmaker Baldwin McNamara Haskins Michigan State Johnson Hayes Barnhart Vastardis Zinter Stueber All Honigford Schoonmaker* McNamara Haskins Indiana Johnson Hayes Keegan Vastardis Zinter Stueber Jones Schoonmaker Honigford* McNamara Haskins Penn State Johnson Hayes Keegan Vastardis Zinter Stueber All Schoonmaker Wilson McNamara Haskins Maryland Johnson Hayes Filiaga Vastardis Zinter Stueber All Schoonmaker Wilson McNamara Haskins Ohio State Johnson Hayes Keegan Vastardis Zinter Stueber Schoonmaker Wilson Sainristil McNamara Haskins Georgia Johnson Hayes Keegan Vastardis Zinter Stueber Schoonmaker Wilson Sainristil McNamara Haskins Georgia Johnson Hayes Keegan Vastardis Zinter Stueber Jones All Schoonmaker* McNamara Haskins *Started in three-tight-end formation DEFENSE Opponent DE DT NT DE MLB WLB OLB/NICKEL CB SS FS CB Western Michigan Hutchinson Hinton Smith Ojabo Ross Hill-Green Hill Green Hawkins Moten Gray Washington Hutchinson Hinton Smith Morris Ross Hill-Green Hill Green Hawkins Moten Gray Northern Illinois Hutchinson Hinton Smith Jenkins Ross Hill-Green Harrell Green Hill Hawkins Gray Rutgers Hutchinson Hinton Smith Morris Ross Hill-Green Hill Green Hawkins Moten Gray Wisconsin Hutchinson Hinton Smith Jenkins Ross Hill-Green Harrell Green Hawkins Hill Gray Nebraska Hutchinson Hinton Smith Ojabo Ross Hill-Green Hill Green Hawkins Moten Gray Northwestern Hutchinson Hinton Smith Harrell Ross Colson Hill Turner Moten Hawkins Gray Michigan State Hutchinson Hinton Smith Welschof Ross Jenkins* Morris Turner Hill Hawkins Gray Indiana Hutchinson Hinton Smith Morris Ross Colson Barrett Turner Hawkins Hill Gray Penn State Hutchinson Hinton Smith Ojabo Ross Colson Hill Turner Hawkins Moore Gray Maryland Hutchinson Hinton Smith Ojabo Ross Colson Hill Turner Moore Hawkins Gray Ohio State Hutchinson Hinton Smith Ojabo Ross Colson Hill Turner Hawkins Moore Gray Iowa Hutchinson Hinton Smith Jenkins Ross Colson Harrell Hill Hawkins Turner Gray Georgia Hutchinson Hinton Smith Ojabo Ross Colson Hill Turner Moore Hawkins Gray *Started with five players on the line of scrimmage PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL 134-139.2022 Year In Review.indd 139 134-139.2022 Year In Review.indd 139 6/27/22 3:29 PM 6/27/22 3:29 PM Page samples from a previous edition. 50 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2022 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY JOHN BORTON B lake Corum doesn't give an inch on the football field, despite his 5-foot-8, 200-pound stature. Away from it, the junior tail- back can't seem to give enough. Corum delivered for the Wolverines in a huge way last season. He rushed for 952 yards and 11 touchdowns, averaging 6.7 yards per carry, best among Michigan's run- ning backs. He hauled in 24 receptions for 141 yards and another TD. He brought back a dozen kickoffs for 304 more yards. But before his breakthrough season even ended, Corum found himself delivering in other substantial ways — handing out free turkeys at Thanksgiving, while supplying aid and inspiration in his tiny hometown of Marshall, Va. Corum emerged this spring as the clear leader in Michigan's running backs room. He's also not afraid to issue bold public statements, harkening back to his position coach, Mike Hart, in his playing days. Ask Corum about Michigan's offense for 2022, and he doesn't back down. "I feel like we're the best offense in col- lege football, just because of the threats we have everywhere," Corum insisted. "I think we have the best offense." Corum doesn't leave it at that. He points to a "dominant" offensive line, noting: "When you look at our O-line, you can tell that's going to be a dominant offense." He speaks of senior Cade McNamara and sophomore J.J. McCarthy as a pair of quarterbacks who can take over a game. He heaps praise on U-M's array of talented receivers, and he acknowledges the one-two punch of himself and sophomore tailback Donovan Edwards isn't half bad, either. All tallied, it adds up to some 2022 dyna- mite, Corum assured. "We will be better than last year's offense, due to the fact that Cade has become smarter, and I personally have become smarter," Co- rum reasoned. "Everyone's IQ for the game has gotten better. "Gaining some new guys and getting [graduate wide receiver] Ronnie [Bell] back, I feel like we're going to be very, very dan- gerous." Individual Gains, Team Surges Corum sees big gains not only in his own game, but also individually among his team- mates and for the group as a whole. He served as a complementary piece of the puz- zle in the COVID-truncated 2020 campaign, rushing 26 times for 77 yards as a freshman. That all changed last fall, following an offseason of maniacal workouts. The buffed- up Corum not only flexed physically, he also gained a mental savvy revving up his reactions. "I can play at my speed now," he said. "Before, I had a lot going through my head — who is coming on the blitz and such. Now, I can tell what defense they're in. I can tell who is coming before the play. As an athlete, when you can play at your speed, that's when you're dominant. "I don't really think too much anymore. I just play ball. When you can just play ball, that's what you do. That's where I've grown — the IQ of the game." Playing ball has always moved him, almost as far back as he can remember. Growing up in Marshall, he found him- self almost immediately drawn to the au- tumnal action. "I've always loved football," he said. "I was telling my dad the other day, this is like my 16th or 17th year of playing foot- ball. I started at 5. "I just love the game. I love being out there with the guys. I love being on a team. I love working hard in the offseason. "All of those things contribute to the game of football. My love for the game runs deep. I can't imagine having to retire someday. I love everything that comes with it, the stuff it teaches you. It's the best game in America." Those sorts of feelings make it easier to do the tough part. Everyone loves rushing out on Saturdays before 110,000 adoring fans and millions more watching on televi- sion. BIG GAINS, BIG HEART Running Back Blake Corum Combines Grit And Generosity PHOTO COURTESY BLAKE CORUM / TWITTER 50-53.Blake Corum.indd 50 50-53.Blake Corum.indd 50 6/27/22 1:02 PM 6/27/22 1:02 PM THE WOLVERINE 2022 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ■ 51 For some, it's a different story when it's midsummer, and the workouts keep grinding away. Nobody's cheering then, and the sweat flows even more freely. Corum clearly embraces that aspect of it. He's been hailed as a workout warrior by head coach Jim Har- baugh, as well as by Hart and many of his teammates. The transformation of his body to ready it for down-by- down contact became one of the big offseason stories in the months leading up to the 2021 campaign. Corum didn't disap- point. In fact, had he not missed a pair of games with an ankle injury, the Wolver- ines would have fea- tured a pair of 1,000- yard backs. Yes, Corum admits, the breakthrough 2021 season did wonders for the Wolverines and for his own confidence. After all, U-M took down Ohio State, won the Big Ten and landed a first- ever College Football Playoff appearance. Last year isn't what it's all about now, he quickly admonished. He sees a team moving on — and up. "A lot of confidence comes from last year, but this is a new year," Corum emphasized. "That was last year's team, Team 142. Now, our confidence comes from the way we did our workouts, the way we attacked spring ball, and the way we're attacking workouts right now. "That's where this team's confidence is coming from. It's easy to reflect on last year. We had a great year — offensively, defen- sively and special teams. But coming into this new year, it's a new team. We lost guys, and we gained guys. "It comes from the work we've been put- ting in." Glow From OSU Win Only Spurs More Hunger Corum acknowledges the smiles from re- membering the Wolverines' 42-27 victory over Ohio State "will always be nice and wide." That said, he wasn't shocked by it. He won't be fooled by it. He will not rest on it, he claimed. "We were confident," Corum pointed out. "Going into the game, we believed we were With an eye-popping average of 6.7 yards per carry (143 for 952 yards and 11 TDs), Corum earned a rushing grade of 91.1 from Pro Football Focus in 2021 — the highest mark among all Big Ten running backs. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL 50-53.Blake Corum.indd 51 50-53.Blake Corum.indd 51 6/27/22 1:03 PM 6/27/22 1:03 PM Preorder The 2023 Michigan Football Preview For Only $18.95 $18.95 SAVE $5 with FREE Shipping Regularly $18.95 plus $5.00 shipping With over 160 full-color, glossy, action-packed pages of Michigan football information, this magazine is a must-have for the upcoming season! • Player Features • Historical Articles • Detailed Position-by-Position Analysis • Opponent Previews • And much more! Offer expires June 19, 2023 Mails in July REMINDER - This special edition is INCLUDED with a regular subscription to The Wolverine magazine. 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