Michigan football: Jim Harbaugh talks Donovan Edwards status, level of concern for Blake Corum shouldering the load

Michigan Wolverines football has been without stud sophomore running back Donovan Edwards for the last two and a half games. Edwards rushed 15 times for 90 yards and 2 touchdowns and caught 2 passes for 37 yards, including a 33-yard gain, before leaving the Week 2 contest against Hawai’i with an injury late in the second quarter.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh said last week on 97.1 The Ticket that what Edwards is dealing with has affected him for a few weeks. Edwards has been in street clothes the last two games and in great spirits, one of the most active Michigan players on the sidelines cheering on his teammates.

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Harbaugh was asked about Edwards’ status at his Monday afternoon press conference and did not provide an update, saying he’ll “see as the week transpires.” Host and former U-M All-American offensive lineman Jon Jansen asked the head coach about the running back on the Inside Michigan Football radio show Monday evening.

“It’s possible Donovan will be back this weekend,” Harbaugh replied.

Jansen also inquired about Michigan junior running back Blake Corum and if there is concern about him having to shoulder too much of the load. Corum carried a career-high 30 times and ran for a career-best 243 yards with 2 touchdowns, leading the Maize and Blue to a 34-27 Big Ten season-opening victory over Maryland.

“That’s gone through my mind, but the truth is, Blake is so well-prepared,” Harbaugh said. “He has trained himself seven days a week, year round. I truly believe he can play the noon game, and then take a break, re-suit up and play another game. I think he can play two games back to back every single Saturday — that’s how well-prepared he is.”

Speaking on the Michigan postgame radio show following Saturday’s win, sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy sounded optimistic about Edwards returning for the tilt in Iowa City.

“Having guys like that just makes everyone on the offense so much better,” McCarthy said of his running backs. “With [Corum] in the backfield, and 7 [Edwards] next week, I just don’t see our run game getting challenged this year.”

The 30 carries also allowed the Michigan running back to get into a groove that he perhaps hasn’t had while in college. Last year, he split time with Hassan Haskins, and he had never rushed more than 15 times in a game just three times before Saturday.

“He’s a tremendous player,” Michigan’s head coach said. “It was really good to see him get into a rhythm — 30 carries — and show his talents, which are many. Great balance, great vision, the ability to make the shallow cut, to make the defender, the tackler, miss, and miss by the most narrow margin. Sometimes he gets up there about six inches away from a would-be tackler and makes his cut. Where, lesser backs, lesser runners will make that cut three yards away or two yards away or a yard away. It’s rare that I think you can get up and make him miss inside the range where you can smell their breath.”

A big question coming into the season was Michigan’s ability to pick up tough yardage when needed. While the run game isn’t a finished product, Corum and the Wolverines have shown that they can break big plays, too, and that while the power run game may look different, it can still be effective.

“Both the touchdowns that he made on those short-yardage [plays] when they had big people in the game, where it was an all-out trying to stop the 4th and 1, no depth to the defense … once you get past that first level, then it was all end zone in front of him,” Harbaugh said. “Just a tremendous job with the vision and seeing where the soft spot was around the left side. That was special. Those are some of the special things he does.

“There were some five-yard runs in there that were special, as well. Just a great, great game. Always happy for the other guy’s success; Blake sure had a great game — Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. No surprise there. 

“I thought our line did play well, and then any time there was a mistake made, he was able to cover it all up with his special ability. 

Corum now leads Michigan all-time with 6.47 career yards per attempt, passing Jon Vaughn (6.29, 1989-90).