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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Wolverines had but two offensive early-enrollees this year, with one being offensive lineman Zak Zinter. True freshmen on the OL are unlikely to play right away if a roster is managed well, but the skill positions are a different story entirely.
Enter Blake Corum, the former four-star running back from Baltimore (MD) St. Frances Academy.
Though Corum didn’t get the opportunity to showcase his abilities in spring ball, he did get to go through the entirety of winter conditioning, all while acclimating to the team, learning the playbook and what’s to be expected in college football. There’s no doubt that he’ll not only have an opportunity to play early, in just his first year on campus, but if Michigan can find a way to get him on the field, it will do so as often as possible.
And to hear his offensive coordinator in Josh Gattis speak about him, it seems to be more of a when rather than an if Corum gets significant playing time.
“Blake Corum is as fast as advertised!” Gattis said. “We timed him in the spring when we did our spring testing. Blake ran in the high 4.4 range. Just an exciting kid, just tough, physical kid. I’ve known Blake since his ninth grade year in high school. Just excited about that kid and his maturity. Leadership he already brings. He brings a toughness mentality. He’s got a great skill set. He’s a physical runner. People look at him as an undersized guy because of his height, but the heart, the strength and the speed that he brings packs a punch. So we’re really excited about him from that standpoint.”
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However, for the first time in awhile, Corum enters a running backs room that is not a position of need.
While there have been some stellar backs as of late — Karan Higdon eclipsed 1,000 yards his senior year after coming just six yards short in 2017 — and Chris Evans constantly challenged for significant minutes throughout his career, with Evans’ return as well as Zach Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins entering their second-year at the position — and that’s not even mentioning heralded Georgia tailback Christian Turner, who has been injury-plagued in his career — getting all of the above their opportunity to make something happen with the football won’t be easy. And that’s without even mentioning Corum’s entrance into the fray.
Gattis has some ideas of how to work Corum and the other guys in, but it’ll be a precarious situation, regardless.
“I think Blake brings that same skill set (as Chris Evans),” Gattis said. “I’ve been adding those guys to the mix of what we already have. I just think that when you look at the depth right there at the running back position, obviously, we’ve got some good choices.
“It’s always tough to balance all the playing time and all the touches. There’s a level of having depth that you love and there’s a level of having depth that creates problems. And the problem there is the balance of trying how to fit all the different pieces together. But it’s gonna be our job and it’s gonna be a challenge to make all the pieces work together. Obviously, other ways we can complement that with some two-back stuff, when it’s split backs, and try to use your personnel as much as you can. Everything comes with a cost and reward. Personnels – which one you want to play in, who you want to pull off the field, who you want to put on the field.”
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For now, Corum has to do what he can in his home classroom compared to inside Schembechler Hall and in the Al Glick Fieldhouse. He’ll be waiting his turn in one way or another, but once it comes, he certainly has the chance to make the most of it.
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