Blake Corum provides positive medical update at Big Ten Media Days

If Michigan is going to reach the College Football Playoffs for the third straight year, much of it will ride on the shoulders of star tailback Blake Corum.

Corum suffered a knee injury in the penultimate regular season game a year ago and was a non-factor against Ohio State in the finale before missing the Big Ten title game and the playoffs.

“I would say I’m back. I’m back to me,” Blake Corum said at Big Ten Media Days. “I’m doing everything, cutting, everything. I’m 100%. I’m excited to be back with the fellas. That’s why I’m so excited for next Tuesday, camp to start. I smell it. It’s going to be a great year.”

Corum has been a monster for the Wolverines for the past two seasons.

He’s been the workhorse in a backfield that has made life pretty easy on the Michigan quarterbacks. Corum alone has accounted for 2,415 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground over the past two seasons.

So he knows what he’s about to get himself back into as fall camp approaches.

“I’ll describe it for you,” Blake Corum said. “It’s hard work, long days. Long days. But it’s a great feeling being out there with your brothers.”

Now healthy again, Corum will look to help make life easier on starting quarterback JJ McCarthy. McCarthy seemed to be settling in quite nicely late last year, and if he can take the next step, Michigan will be in excellent position.

As always, though, Corum wants the young quarterback to know he can always lean on the backfield. It’s not just Corum, either.

Fellow running back Donovan Edwards is back after rushing for 991 yards and seven touchdowns a year ago. He’ll help spell Corum and vice versa, leaving Michigan with a fresh option to pound away at opponents throughout games.

“We just complement each other so well. It’s beautiful,” Blake Corum said. “We have a great coach in coach (Mike) Hart, he trains us real well. He gets us ready for the games and he makes sure the running back room is really just great. We treat each other great, but Donovan and I, we complement each other. We sharpen each other. On the field, off the field, it doesn’t matter.

“We’re not selfish players. If I get 10 carries and Donovan gets 15 I ain’t gonna be like, ‘Hey coach, he got five more carries than me.’ There’s none of that. We want the best for each other, and that’s what makes us so special.”