Michigan RB Blake Corum updates health status, talks Mike Hart, giving back to the community, more

Michigan football running back Blake Corum has made some game-changing plays in the team’s final two outings. In the Wolverines’ 42-27 win over Ohio State, he dashed for 55 yards to set up a touchdown, and he had a 67-yard score in a 42-3 Big Ten championship game win over Iowa the following week.

Both of those runs came on a high-ankle sprain that wasn’t fully recovered, after he suffered the injury Nov. 6 against Indiana and missed the remainder of that game and the next two, before returning in a limited role. Corum has some time to recover before the Dec. 31 Orange Bowl against Georgia, and he’s already taken strides since the Big Ten title game.

“Getting there,” Corum said of being fully healthy. “I’m feeling good. I don’t know what I’m percentage wise, but I’m there. I’m able to do the things I need to do. I’ll be good regardless. By game time, I’ll be 100.”

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Michigan players had a week off from practices and meetings directly following the trip to Indianapolis, and it gave Corum some time to rest up.

“It helped a lot,” Corum said. “I got to go home and see my fam for a little bit, which was nice being back, chilling with my sisters. Being home and relaxing helped my ankle. It was good, but came back a little early. It felt good getting back as well.”

If it weren’t for missing time, Corum would have already joined redshirt sophomore Hassan Haskins in reaching and surpassing the 1,000-yard rushing mark. He sits at 939 rushing yards for the season, and with at least one game left, becoming the team’s third running back in the last decade to reach the century mark is within reach.

“It would mean a lot,” Corum said of hitting 1,000 yards. “We’re almost there. I’m only like 60 yards away. It would mean a lot to me, and it would mean a lot to the running back room and [position] Coach [Mike] Hart. We’ll get it.”

Hart hit the landmark in three of his four seasons while playing for Michigan from 2004-07. Since he returned to the program as the running backs coach this past January, Hart has had a huge impact on the players he’s coached, with Corum crediting him for a lot of his success.

“Oh, it’s just been phenomenal,” Corum raved. “I’m blessed to have a running backs coach that is a legend. He’s taught me so much ever since he’s got here. I’ve learned from him; I’ve watched his film. It’s been great having a coach like that, who can teach you different ways — not only on the field, but film, life lessons, whatever it might be.

“He’s just a good person; a great guy. And I’m blessed to have him as my running backs coach.”

‘Everybody Wants To Be Surrounded By Winners’

Corum has become a Michigan fan favorite and household name across college football this season, and it’s led to advertising and endorsement deals. In addition, Corum has launched his own apparel brand and is selling shirts, hats, hoodies and more.

Still, he’s not overly focused on the business side of things, saving his aggression for the gridiron.

“I have someone that helps me out with it,” Corum revealed. “So I just focus on the football aspect, and the main purpose — which is winning and doing everything I can for this team. That’s not first to me. I don’t really think about NIL too much; I just let it come to me, and I pick out what good deals there are. “

After all, Corum said, team success has led to more deals, validating his decision to hone in on football (and school) rather than NIL.

“Whenever you’re winning, everybody wants to be surrounded by winners,” Corum said with a smile. “I believe if we were losing, I probably wouldn’t be getting as much attention and NIL deals than I am. But we’re winning, so I don’t even have to think about that.”

Corum has used the money he’s made to give back to the community, saying “football is my passion, giving back is my purpose.” He believes it’s the least he can do.

“I think it’s really just how my parents raised me,” Corum said. “My parents have raised me to always be a giver. I’m a firm believer in God, and God gave his life. So me just giving back to whoever it may be — whether it be the turkeys I gave away to helping people have a good Thanksgiving dinner, to helping the youth — I like putting smiles on peoples’ faces.

“If something small can go a long way, that’s what I’m going to do. Throughout the year, I’m going to keep giving back, I’m going to keep holding different events.”

It’s no surprise then that the Michigan running back’s logo and motto for his brand includes a message about leadership.

“I have a website up. It’s called TheBlakeCorum.com,” he said. “I have all my merch there. BC2 — the Duce is loose. Instead of D-E-U-C-E, it’s D-U-C-E, which means ‘leader.’”