The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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[ R U N N I N G B A C K S ] 58 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2023 FOOTBALL PREVIEW room right now with the depth that we have and the guys who can play." And that was after a spring that didn't include Corum and Edwards. "I think we could show up today and play a game right now with the guys we have — and that's without Blake and Donovan, two of the best players on the team and in the country," Hart said. "We're in a really good situation in the running back room." One player stood out in their absence, and it was a bit of a surprise. Hall was a three-star prospect who split time his senior year at North Cobb High in Ken- nesaw, Ga., but exploded to lead U-M in the spring game with 16 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown. "He's going to be special," Hart said. "Kalel, CJ, Benjamin, Cole Cabana … the list goes on and on," Moore added. "Starting with Blake and Donovan, those guys are as elite a group as I've been around, but they're even better kids … and they just work tirelessly to be great." ❑ Elite Company Michigan has had only four players in history average more than 6.0 yards per carry in a career, and Blake Corum is one of them. The senior enters the season fourth on the list at 6.01, meaning he'll need another big year to stay there after averaging 6.66 per carry in 2021 and 5.92 last year. Here are the U-M top five in the category and how they got there (minimum 200 carries): 5. Rob Lytle, 5.96 yards per carry (1973-76): Michigan was loaded at running back in the 1970s, running a lot of option and wishbone. The late Lytle led the team in rushing as a sophomore fullback (802 yards) in 1974. He'd play fullback again in 1975 before moving between fullback and tailback in 1976, earning consensus All-America honors with 1,469 yards, averaging 6.6 yards per carry and scoring 14 touchdowns. 4. Blake Corum, 6.01 (2020-22): Corum had a role in 2020 that picked up the following year in which he split time with Hassan Haskins. He played through injury to rush for 952 yards and average 6.7 yards per carry as a sophomore, scoring 11 touchdowns. He had 4 runs of 50 yards or more to establish himself as a true breakaway threat. He followed that up with 1,463 yards (5.9 per carry) and 18 scores last year before his injury sidelined him for the last two and a half games. 3. Tyrone Wheatley, 6.07 (1991-94): Few backs have ever combined Wheatley's size and elite speed. He averaged an amazing 7.3 yards per carry in 1992, rushing for 1,357 yards as a sophomore with 13 touch- downs. Two of his longer scoring runs came in the 1993 Rose Bowl win over Washington (56 and 88 yards). He averaged 5.5 and 5.4 yards per carry in his last two years, amassing 4,178 total yards. 2. Denard Robinson, 6.22 (2009-12): Most knew Robinson was going to be special when he ran 43 yards for a touchdown on his first play at quarterback as a freshman, a broken play versus Western Michigan. It only got better from there. His 258-yard rushing game at Notre Dame in 2010 is legendary, and he averaged a whopping 7.2 yards per run in 2012 (that still includes sack yardage against). 1. Jon Vaughn, 6.29 (1989-90): A converted defensive back, Vaughn burst onto the scene with a 201-yard game at Notre Dame in 1990. He became the first U-M back to eclipse 200 yards in back-to-back games with 288 against UCLA a week later. Vaughn earned Big Ten co-Offensive Player of the Year honors with 1,364 yards, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. — Chris Balas Denard Robinson averaged 6.22 yards per carry in his electrifying Michigan ca- reer. He is currently U-M's assistant director of player personnel. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN ❱ ❱ X-FACTOR X-FACTOR Last year, Michigan had to piece together what its third running back spot would look like if Blake Corum or Donovan Edwards needed a break. The Wolverines have a lot more options this time around, and freshman COLE CABANA could be a perfect fit as a versatile piece out of the backfield. He racked up 5,781 all-purpose yards and 79 TDs in three seasons at Dexter (Mich.) High and has a chance to be a return man and offensive gadget player for the squad this season. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND BIOS POSITION COACH Mike Hart is entering his third season with U-M football as its running backs coach and run game coordinator. He has been a steady hand and a developmen- tal guru for the running backs since arriving in Ann Arbor. Hart just barely missed out on helming a room with a pair of 1,000-yard rushers last season with Blake Corum (1,463 yards, 18 touchdowns) and Donovan Edwards (991 yards, 7 touch- downs). Michigan averaged 238.9 yards on the ground in 2022, good for fifth-most in college football, and 41 rushing touchdowns, which was No. 2 in the nation. Hart's first year at his alma mater in 2021 saw the squad rank 15th nationally with 3,001 rush yards and an NCAA-best 39 touchdowns on the ground. Under his tutelage, Hassan Haskins rushed for 1,327 yards and 20 touchdowns, while Corum ran for 952 yards and 11 scores. Prior to U-M, Hart served as associate head coach (2020) and running backs coach at Indi- ana (2017-20). He has also coached at Syracuse (2016), Western Michigan (2014-15) and Eastern Michigan (2011-13). Hart starred at running back for Michigan (2004-07) and is still the school's all-time leading rusher with 5,040 yards on 1,015 carries and 41 touchdowns, among other benchmarks. RETURNING PLAYERS BLAKE CORUM • RB Sr. • Marshall, Va. Ht.: 5-8 • Wt.: 210 • Appeared in 12 games with 12 starts in 2022, running for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns, adding 11 re- ceptions for 18 yards and a touchdown. • Unanimous First-Team All-American. • Doak Walker Award finalist. • Won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football and Big Ten Running Back of the Year awards. • Played in 12 games during his sophomore campaign in 2021, rushing 143 times for 952 yards and 11 touchdowns; also caught 24 passes for 141 yards and 1 score, and returned 12 kickoffs for 304 yards. • Earned All-Big Ten honors in 2021 (third team, coaches; honorable mention, media). • Made an appearance in all six games as a freshman in 2020, including a start at run- ning back in the season opener at Minnesota. Rushed 26 times for 77 yards and 2 touch- downs, while also catching 5 passes for 73 yards. • Enrolled early in 2020 after playing high school ball at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore.