Michigan running back Blake Corum earns Big Ten preseason honor
Big Ten football media days run Tuesday and Wednesday in Indianapolis, and Michigan players and coaches will make the trek from northern Michigan to attend. Senior quarterback Cade McNamara, senior tight end Erick All, senior defensive tackle Mazi Smith and senior cornerback DJ Turner will join head coach Jim Harbaugh to meet the media.
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All four have earned some form of preseason honors this year, whether from a magazine or other outlet. One who hasn’t, though is the lone Michigan representative on the Big Ten East Division official preseason list of honorees.
Junior running back Blake Corum ran for 952 yards and scored 11 touchdowns a year ago. A leg injury prevented him from joining back Hassan Haskins in eclipsing 1,000 yards, but he’ll have a great shot this year. The senior averaged 6.7 yards per carry and 79.3 yards per game as the Michigan big play threat out of the backfield. He notched 12 receptions for 141 yards and also returned 12 kicks 304 yards in proving to be an all-around contributor.
Corum also made the Maxwell, Walter Camp, and Doak Walker Award watch lists, among others. He was pleased with his play — and his teammates’ — in spring.
“We put the work in the off-season. The whole spring ball, whole camp, we’ve been putting in the work. We’ve been stacking those bricks,” the Michigan senior said.
“Where we’re at right now, we’re in a strong spot, but we have work to do … these next couple months are going to be huge. But I believe at the end of the day, when it’s all said and done, we’re going to have a great product to show everyone.”
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He should be a big part of it as the favorite to be the featured runner in the Michigan backfield. Sophomore Donovan Edwards will get his carries, too, but Corum is the proven of the two.
A media panel selected the 10-member preseason list, with five representatives each from the East and West Divisions. Ohio State was, not surprisingly, the team most represented in either division. Quarterback C.J. Stroud, a finalist for the Heisman Trophy last season, was the only unanimous selection. Running back TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba joined him on the list, as did Michigan State wide receiver Jayden Reed.
Seven of this year’s Big Ten preseason honorees — Campbell, Reed, Skoronski, Smith-Njigba, Stroud, O’Connell and Herbig — are scheduled to attend Big Ten Media Days this week in Indianapolis.
The Michigan team is currently on a tour around the state of Michigan. They were in Traverse City today and will hit the Upper Peninsula next week, among other stops.
