Blake Corum on NIL fund: 'Being able to give them cheese, I think it's amazing'

INDIANAPOLIS – The sports marketing agency Valiant Management Group announced an NIL fundraising campaign in January called the “One More Year Fund.” A fundraising website said the goal was to “retain key Michigan football players” and it specifically named four players.

All four players – running back Blake Corum, wide receiver Cornelius Johnson, left guard Trevor Keegan and right guard Zak Zinter – returned to Ann Arbor for the 2023 season.

Corum was a unanimous first-team All-American last season after he rushed for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns. Keegan and Zinter earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from the conference’s coaches. Johnson caught 32 passes for 499 yards and a team-high six receiving touchdowns last season.

“It was great being able to get some of the other guys that might not necessarily be targets in the marketing world,” Corum said Thursday at Big Ten Football Media Days. “Sometimes it’s unfair. I want my offensive linemen to get as much marketing as they can and sometimes these businesses don’t necessarily go to the offensive linemen.

“They go to the skill players, the guys that score the touchdowns. But without them, we ain’t scoring no touchdowns. Being able to give them cheese, I think it’s amazing. Like I said, NIL has been really good to us, my teammates and me. It’s a bonus. It’s still all about ball but who would turn down a little bit of money while you’re playing a little bit of ball?”

Valiant Management Group said the One More Year Fund ultimately raised more than $135,000 for NIL deals for Michigan athletes.

Valiant Management Group also runs a Michigan collective called Champions Circle.

Jim Harbaugh: ‘We support our collective’

Corum announced his return the day after the campaign launched, although he may have already made a decision privately.

“By that time, I already said I was coming back,” Corum said.

Run it back! Go Blue〽️ pic.twitter.com/xQiKgdl1R1

— #2⃣BeSavage (@blake_corum) January 9, 2023

Senior defensive tackle Kris Jenkins said NIL opportunities didn’t impact his decision to return.

“It’s cool to see happen and continue to happen for us and a lot of other athletes,” Jenkins said. “Really grateful to be here playing college football at this time.”

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh was fairly muted when On3 asked about the campaign.

“We support our collective,” Harbaugh said. “Former player Jared Wangler, everybody that cares about Michigan. Can’t wait. Have a great golf tournament coming up on July 31st. And looking forward to building, to building on that.”