The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1513253
JANUARY 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 27 Your Shot: A Sport-Inspired Guide to Living Your Best Life." "Excuses are tools of incompetence used to build bridges to nowhere and monuments of nothingness, and those who use them seldom specialize in any- thing else," Corum noted, a withering comeback and a saying he backs up every single day. No excuses. Not when Michigan loses a football game, which hasn't happened much the past three years. Not when he's found himself kept from the training room by those concerned he was over- doing things in his maniacal approach to physical preparation. Not when his body betrayed him last November, a knee injury effectively ending his season early. Even then, he tried to give it a go against Ohio State. But the body, the trainers, and the coaches concurred — it wasn't to be. That led to perhaps Corum's darkest time at Michigan, a long winter of healing and rehabilitation. He couldn't do any- thing but watch helplessly as Michigan pulled off its first victory in Columbus since 2000, when the Wolverines won the Big Ten title in the beat-down of Purdue, and when the train slid off the rails in the shootout loss to TCU in the College Foot- ball Playoff. Corum recalled his darkest winter in Ann Arbor, even while this year's confetti flew maize and blue at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. "It was a beautiful journey," Corum assured. "A journey that taught me a lot of things about myself. I remember on Dec. 2 last year, I was going into surgery … how the whole 365 [days] can change. It was a beautiful journey. I went through some trials and tribulations. I found my- self again, and I became a better man, on and off the field. "But to be back out here, with my guys, it felt great. It's been a heck of a journey — but the journey's not over. I'm super excited to see what this next month has to offer, what the game has to offer. I know it's going to be glorious. I know it's going to be great. But to summarize everything, what I've been through from last year to now has been great. I wouldn't change anything in the world for it." 'AN HONOR TO BE AROUND HIM' Whereas Corum might not change the difficulties that forged in him resilience, ruggedness and the fire to keep pushing, there are things he would change, if he found it in his power. Someone else's day, for instance — with a smile, with a mo- ment, with an acknowledgment as he sees a young person with awestruck recogni- tion as they meet him out and about. He's certainly been blessed with name, image and likeness money since the ad- vent of NIL, but he doesn't hoard those funds. He's put them into free football camps for kids back in his home area. He's also been the bird-in-the-hand man, changing Thanksgiving for hundreds of underserved families in Ypsilanti, Mich. "I'm just someone that believes my purpose on earth is bigger than football, and I believe my purpose is giving back," Corum told Fox News. "I've been blessed throughout my whole life, but especially now through NIL to be able to give back to the community – especially the com- munity that is less fortunate. "Throughout the year, I do my big tur- key drive, which has gone up each and every year. We started with 100 turkeys. Last year, it was 300 turkeys." This year, he took a huge jump up in those numbers, and the total hit 600 tur- key dinners for his "BC2 Give Back 2 Give Thanks" event. He doesn't just foot the bill, either. He gets out and hand delivers, lending a personal touch that spreads hol- iday smiles to many. Those smiles don't end on Thanksgiving, either. "Backpack giveaways, back-to-school With 24 rushing touchdowns this year, Corum holds the Michigan single-season record, and with 55 rushing touchdowns in his four years, he is tied for the school's career mark as well. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER