Blake Corum Puts The Rest Of The Big Ten On Notice

Blake Corum was exceptional in 2022 and he plans to be even better in 2023.

Whether it was intentional or not, Blake Corum got every Michigan opponent's attention during Big Ten Media Days by saying that he's back and better than ever.

"My cutting ability, my motion, everything, mobility, everything is great," Corum said of the knee he injured against Illinois last season. "It's phenomenal. If anything, I'm better than ever. My knee is feeling strong, I'm feeling really strong. It's feeling great."

That's pretty scary considering that he ran for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns last season while finishing seventh in Heisman Trophy voting despite missing 2+ games down the stretch. Corum has been grinding all offseason in order to be ready for fall camp, and recently, he felt the switch flip.

"A couple weeks ago, that's when I realized that most of my speed was coming back," Corum said. "And then I started feeling the burst. There was definitely a point in time where I was like, 'Okay, I like where this is heading.'"

Now, with camp just days away, it's all about staying healthy and returning to form for No. 2. Luckily, Corum is in good hands because of his position coach, Mike Hart. As a former, high-level Michigan running back, Hart understands the position, the grind, how to manage pain and injuries and, most importantly, how to get every bit of production out of a runner.

"He knows how to manage how many reps and things like that," Corum said. "I'm not worried about that. I'm going into camp with the mindset of I'm fully healed. If they want me to do a hitting drill, I'll do a hitting drill."

Blake is back, and if he really is better than before, look out. And, oh by the way, if Blake does have to come to the sidelines for any reason, Hart can just trot out a hell of a "backup" in Donovan Edwards. Michigan is loaded up front — AGAIN — and has the best one-two punch in the country in the backfield. There's also speed and talent oozing from the receiver and tight end rooms and it's all orchestrated by a junior JJ McCarthy riding as high as he ever has. 

If the back-to-back titles weren't enough to put the conference on notice, a better, faster, stronger Blake Corum ought to do the trick.