Blake Corum was Michigan’s workhorse at running back for most of the 2022 season, a Heisman Trophy candidate all year who might have won the award if he had been able to give it a go against Ohio State in the team’s regular season finale.
Instead, Corum injured his knee in the final home game against the Illinois Fighting Illini before watching backup Donovan Edwards and the team’s award-winning offensive line shred the Buckeyes and Purdue Boilermakers en route to an undefeated regular season.
Last year, Corum made a prediction that will go down as one of the most prophetic in the Wolverines’ storied history.
While walking off the field after the team’s College Football Playoff loss to Georgia, Corum said the following words to the gathered fans who had been watching him at the time.
Man of my word?? pic.twitter.com/GkLWf4Oaiw
— #2⃣BeSavage (@blake_corum) December 27, 2022
Essentially, for those who can’t see the video above, Corum guaranteed that Michigan would be back — and now they are, despite the fact that the Marshall, Virginia native won’t be able to play this time around.
Corum ’50/50′ on Returning to Michigan Next Season
Corum finished number seven in the Heisman Trophy voting this season despite missing the final two games, finishing just 16 total points behind last year’s winner, Bryce Young of Alabama (141 to 125).
Recently, Corum, who will not play in Michigan’s 2022-2023 playoff run against TCU and the winner of Georgia-Ohio State if the Wolverines happen to beat the Horned Frogs, said that he is ’50/50′ on returning to the Wolverines next season.
He added that he will come to a decision “sooner than later” according to Angelique Chengelis of The Detroit News.
The deadline for players to announce their decisions for the 2023 NFL Draft is January 16.
Corum, 22, just finished his third season with Michigan, rushing for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also caught 11 passes for 80 yards and a TD.
Meanwhile, Edwards has carved out a role for himself as the team’s latest star since Corum went out.
Edwards rushed for 216 yards against the Buckeyes and 185 yards against Purdue.
He was seen with a cast on his right arm leading up to the Fiesta Bowl matchup, although it is smaller than in previous games.
If Michigan is to win their first playoff game and move on to the final showdown in Inglewood, California, it will have to rely on the sensational play of Edwards and quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
The high-powered duo comprises the latest, and greatest, youth movement for a team with title aspirations heading into the postseason, with a rematch with either Georgia or Ohio State firmly in their sights.
