Blake Corum compares Alabama defense to familiar Big Ten foe
The Michigan Wolverines are getting ready for a showdown with the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl, and it will have senior running back and captain Blake Corum there to lead the way. That is something that he is not taking for granted.
Last year, Corum missed the postseason after knee surgery. He made the trip to the Fiesta Bowl to support the team, but witnessed a tough toss to the TCU Horned Frogs that ended the season abruptly.
“It sucked,” Corum said this week. “I was there for my teammates, I was trying to tell them what I saw on the field. I wanted to be out there. I wanted to be out there trying to make a play, trying to make a play for Michigan. Finally, 365 days later, we’re here almost. Super excited to be back in the College Football Playoffs, playing a great team. And being on the field with my teammates instead of on the sideline on crutches.”
There will be no overlooking this year’s opponent. Alabama has made a habit out of getting to the CFP and making as much noise as possible. They will be a load to handle for the Wolverines with as many as four first-round picks on defense this spring. EDGE duo Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell lead the way there, and Corum agreed with a Michigan reporter who compared the challenge to what Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac presented when U-M played Penn State.
“We’ve played some great defenses,” Corum said. “I feel like the last three out of four games. probably played top-five defenses: Penn State, Ohio State and Iowa. Alabama is up there. They’re a team that is coached really well, a team full of athletes, they just fly around, trying to race each other to the ball. They’re disciplined. Their D-ends are really good, corners are really good. They’re right there up there with the Penn States, Ohio States and Iowas — great defenses that we faced this year, especially the last four weeks. They’re right there, hand in hand. Great players that love the game of football. That’s what I see in the film.”
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Alabama brings the nation’s No. 18 overall defense into the game, allowing 313.3 yards per contest. The Crimson Tide rank 29th against the run, allowing 124.5 yards each time out. The pass defense ranks 23rd at 188.8 yards per game, but is held down by cornerback duo Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold.
“Their defense is kind of like our defense — but we’re the number one defense in the nation. They definitely have players like Chop: Dallas Turner, Chris Braswell,” Corum said. “Great D-ends, guys that get off the ball really fast, big and strong, can run sideline to sideline. I would say they do resemble Penn State with Chop, and the linebackers that they had. Athletes that love the game of football, stick to the game plan that the coaches put in.
“Great defense, great defense that we’ll have to play against come January 1, but we’ll be ready. We’ll be ready.”
Michigan and Alabama’s matchup in the Rose Bowl is set for Jan. 1 at 5 p.m. ET from Pasadena, California with the Wolverines set as a 1.5-point favorite. The winner will head to Houston on Jan. 8 to play in the College Football Playoff national title game against either Texas or Washington, who play in the Sugar Bowl at 8:45 p.m. on New Year’s Day. Both games will be broadcast via ESPN.
