Corum, Edwards Most Productive Backfield Duo In Michigan Football History
If you're a Michigan Football fan, there's plenty to be excited about when looking ahead to the 2023 season. Defensively, the Wolverines return a ton of future NFL talent up front and in the secondary. On the offensive side of the ball, Michigan might be the best it's ever been during the Harbaugh era - with a veteran offensive line and experienced weapons everywhere.
For evidence, look no further than Michigan's current backfield tandem of Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards. Despite both suffering injuries during the 2022 season, the two dynamic backs put together the most single-season rushing yards of any backfield duo in Michigan Football history - with a combined total of 2,454 yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground.
Michigan fans got a pretty good taste of what the 2023 season might look like during Week 7 of the 2022 season. Facing Penn State with a top-rated rushing defense at the time, Corum and Edwards went off - gashing the Nittany Lion defense for a combined 339 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. It was one of the few times during the season that both backs were healthy and able to showcase their talents together.
Corum is still rehabbing after suffering a knee injury in Week 11 against Illinois that effectively ended his 2022 season, along with his Heisman campaign. Edwards is also still working through an injury that will require surgery later this month. The talented sophomore suffered a fracture in his hand during the first half against Nebraska in Week 10, causing him to wear a hard cast for the remainder of the season.
The good news is that both are expected to be at 100 percent by the time the fall season kicks off on Saturday, Sept. 2 in Ann Arbor against East Carolina. For those counting, that's just 219 days away.
Here's a quick look at some notable accomplishments for each running back during the 2022 season:
Blake Corum, Junior (2022)
2022 Stats/Accomplishments
- Rushing: 247 carries for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns
- Receiving: 11 receptions for 80 yards and 1 touchdown
- Unanimous First-Team All-American (2022)
- Doak Walker Award Finalist (2022)
- Chicago Tribune Silver Football winner (2022)
- Ameche-Dayne Big Ten Running Back of the Year (2022), the first in program history
- Two-time All-Big Ten selection (consensus fist team in 2022)
- Named the team's Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player, as well as the recipient of the Toughest Player and Blue Collar Awards (2022)
- Tied for the Michigan program record with five touchdowns in one game (vs. UConn, Sept. 17, 2022)
Donovan Edwards, Sophomore (2022)
2022 Stats/Accomplishments
- Rushing: 140 carries for 991 yards and 7 touchdowns
- Receiving: 18 receptions for 200 yards and 2 touchdowns
- Appeared in 11 games with three starts at running back; ran 140 times for 991 rushing yards (7.1 yards per carry, No. 3 all time single-season YPC in U-M history)
- Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week following the win at Ohio State
- 4x Offensive Player of the Game honors for his performances against Penn State, at Iowa, at Rutgers, at Ohio State
- Recorded 173 rushing yards on 16 carries with a two touchdowns against Penn State
- Recorded 216 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries at Ohio State
- Big Ten Championship MVP with 25 carries for 185 yards with a touchdown
