The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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54 THE WOLVERINE ❱ AUGUST 2023 R unning back Blake Corum stunned many by returning for his senior season in Ann Arbor, thanks in part to name, im- age and likeness (NIL) opportuni- ties. Corum was part of the Cham- pions Circle collective's "One More Year" fund, which allowed fans to donate money to go toward opportunities for those who came back. He currently has a $1.1 mil- lion annual NIL valuation, accord- ing to the On3 NIL database. There are many examples of how NIL has hurt college athletics, with rule-breakers running even more rampant and a lack of oversight from both the government and NCAA making things worse, but Corum is one of the best examples of how it can be a positive. From donating turkeys to the less fortunate for Thanksgiving to teaming up with the C.S. Mott Chil- dren's Hospital to giving Detroit-area kids toys at Christmas, Corum has been more than generous. "Football is my passion, but giving back is my purpose," Corum often says, all while putting his money where his mouth is. The more he makes, the more he gives. And he's been smart with invest- ing, too, getting a jump start on his ca- reer as an entrepreneur. Corum has lev- eraged his connections — including at Michigan — to become a businessman. "I bought my first house a couple months ago with my dad, and it just hit the market," he told The33rdTeam.com on a podcast. "So, we're flipping houses now. I'm into real estate and stuff like that. I'm trying to find that next move. I'm going to eventually build an empire." His father, James, who has been in real estate in the past, is a tremendous resource. He's also absorbing lessons from meeting those around U-M. "I'm learning from a lot of alumni," Corum said. "I go to one of the greatest universities — in my opinion, the great- est university — in the world. You really just try to reach out to the people who are doing it, and that's what I'm doing, trying to be a sponge and soak things up from these alumni who are in the game and su- per successful. And then just put it in my toolbox, take it back and build my own." Next year, the 2022 unanimous All- American will be in the NFL beginning what could be a long and fruitful career. Through taking advantage of his time at Michigan, he'll leave the league, when- ever that is, set up for the next phase of life. Corum is a true model for those who come after him. PIECES SHOULD FIT TOGETHER ON OFFENSIVE LINE Michigan is expected to have one of the best offensive lines in the nation this fall, ranking No. 1 by Pro Football Focus and No. 2 by Phil Steele entering the season. That's impressive given there aren't any locks to start at tackle. The depth, though, is what stands out. There are many options for how the depth chart could play out, all of them positive. Up front, the Wolverines have eight players who've started at least one collegiate game, with a combined 148 starts, and 10 players who are 21-plus years old. Adding three transfers — graduate Drake Nugent and senior Myles Hinton from Stanford and graduate LaDarius Henderson out of Arizona State — almost feels like overkill, but position coach and offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore wasn't going to leave any stones unturned in making sure the group is as talented as possible. "A lot of offensive line coaches like to go eight deep on that O-line. I think Michigan could go even deeper than that," Steele told The Wolverine. Graduate Trevor Keegan and se- nior Zak Zinter return at guard, as do graduates Karsen Barnhart and Trente Jones as right tackle. Both of the tackles started games on the right side last season, with Jones beginning the year at the top of the depth chart and Barnhart finishing it. Hinton should also factor into the equation at that position. Henderson is the preseason favorite to start at left tackle, but he's played the majority of his career at guard (1,225 of his 1,802 offensive snaps were at guard at ASU) and didn't officially join the U-M team until this summer. He still has a lot to prove. The good news for Michigan is it still has a lot of different options for how it can build its tackle pecking order (Hinton or Barnhart could move to the left side, for example). The Maize and Blue have won the Joe Moore Award for the nation's best of- fensive line each of the last two seasons, and they are now shooting for three in a row. Steele believes they'll be right back in the mix, despite any depth chart question marks that are more "things to watch" than "concerns." "The overall offensive line play has been fantastic," Steele said. "You have to also factor in the competition that they're playing, like the Ohio State games, for ex- ample. It's just been very impressive." ❏ SAYFIE BLITZ ❱ CLAYTON SAYFIE Blake Corum Is Building 'An Empire' Staff writer Clayton Sayfie has covered Michigan athletics for The Wolverine since 2019. Contact him at Clayton. Sayfie@on3.com and follow him on Twitter @CSayf23. Corum, a budding entrepreneur, said he recently bought a house with his father, James, and they are in the process of flipping it for sale now. PHOTO BY CLAYTON SAYFIE