After winning Offensive MVP in the national championship game, it's officially time to state the simple fact that Blake Corum belongs on Michigan Football's Mount Rushmore.
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That's no small honor when we're talking about one of the most storied programs in college football history. But after his accomplishments to wrap up this season, Corum's career is deserving of no lower accolades.
If there’s one phrase to describe Blake Corum…
it’s man of his word. pic.twitter.com/zvziFegZy9
— 𝗛𝗨𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗜𝗡 〽️ (@CookedByHuss) January 9, 2024
Let's start things off by saying that this is about college accomplishments only — Corum might not have all that much left in the tank to put together a long, successful NFL career after everything he's done in college. Nor is this about comparing him to Tom Brady or any of the other Wolverines with tremendous NFL resumés. This is solely a nod to what Corum has done while wearing maize and blue compared with what everyone else has done during their time in Ann Arbor.
To start building Corum's case, let's look at some hard numbers. He's the program's all-time leading rushing touchdown scorer, both in terms of a career — with 58 — and of the season, as he also owns that record with a remarkable 27 ground scores this year.
After starting the year slowly, Corum was used more and more as the schedule got tougher. He scored once in every game this season, and at least twice in each of the team's final seven games. That final stretch included ranked opponents with top defenses such as Penn State, Ohio State, Iowa and Alabama — as well as Washington, of course, on the biggest stage of all.
BLAKE CORUM 22 YARD TOUCHDOWN FOR THE WOLVERINES‼️‼️
Michigan 24 Ohio State 17
pic.twitter.com/BmxvJuPDkJ— Lukas (@LukasAGS) November 25, 2023
Corum's touchdowns also seemed to come in the biggest moments, when his team needed him the most. Against Ohio State, he scored a huge touchdown the play after All-American guard and team captain Zak Zinter suffered a horrific broken leg. That play completely reset the momentum, buoying the Wolverines for the win and eventually the national championship.
Blake Corum’s college highlight reel is endless but this might be the best of them all.
Rose Bowl-winning touchdown in OT to knock off Alabama and send Michigan to the national championship.
Legendary player making a legendary play in a legendary game.pic.twitter.com/RVBFkdFt09
— Brandon Koretz (@BrandonKoretz) January 2, 2024
Then, against Alabama, Corum broke free in overtime, powering through a vicious face mask hold to find the end zone. Alabama got to possess the ball next, but his score turned out to be the game-winner in the Rose Bowl — another essential moment in Michigan's path to a national championship. And who could forget his game-sealing scores in the final matchup with Washington?
Michigan's Blake Corum is known for toting the rock.
Today, he was toting the turkey.
Corum was inspired to start a turkey giveaway after spending time with kids at a local summer camp.
"What can I do, maybe Thanksgiving or for Christmas, to give back to them?" @CLRAcademy pic.twitter.com/3V62nlWmPD
— Yousef Nasser (@YousefNasserTV) November 20, 2022
Beyond his football ability, Corum's character must be commended. Even as a running back — who may not have a long, profitable NFL career — he has always made a point of donating portions of his NIL (name/image/likeness) money to those in need, even helping to hand-deliver Thanksgiving turkeys while walking on a torn ACL back in 2021.
Blake Corum vs Penn State
26 attempts
145 yards
2 touchdownsI can’t wait to see a healthy Corum vs Ohio State pic.twitter.com/X8NrSJB4at
— ashlyn victoria ◡̈ (@AshlynKonieczka) November 13, 2023
Speaking of that ACL injury, the determination and loyalty displayed by his return to Ann Arbor is nothing short of inspiring. Whether it was a bloodied nose against Penn State or the desire to regain momentum and score despite that face mask in overtime of the Rose Bowl, no physical pain could deter Corum from reaching his goals, for both himself and the team.
So who else belongs in the program's all-time top four? Well, if we're talking about lifetime achievements, Jim Harbaugh deserves a spot for starring as the Wolverines' quarterback and, of course, winning a national championship as the head coach. But let's keep this confined to playing careers and nothing more.
The simplest answer is that the three players to join Corum should be Tom Harmon, Desmond Howard and Charles Woodson — Michigan's three Heisman Trophy winners. No, Corum did not achieve college football's highest individual honor as each of these three did, but he might have done so last year had he not torn his ACL with just a couple of games to go. More importantly, he has a few things none of them can claim — his handful of concrete program records and, of course, an undisputed, unshared national championship.
