Blake Corum injury: Update on Michigan RB for Ohio State game
Ohio State and Michigan square off on Saturday with the Big Ten East title and a College Football Playoff berth on the line, and the big question is the status of Wolverines running back Blake Corum.
Now we have an update as Michigan has named Corum "probable" to play in the game, according to multiple reports on Saturday.
Getting an exact definition of these injury designations is difficult, but in a broad sense being labeled probable is one step better than being questionable, and more optimistic than being designated as doubtful.
Corum offered some generally positive news on his condition during the week, saying his knee is "fine," but the player is clearly banged up and feeling less than 100 percent with the injury.
Blake Corum injury update
Corum left last Saturday's game against Illinois with a knee injury after going down in pain on a rushing attempt.
With under two minutes left in the second quarter, Corum ran right on a carry and went down after sustaining apparent contact to his left knee.
Moments after falling to the turf, Corum grabbed his left knee and appeared to be in considerable pain as Michigan trainers assessed his injury.
Corum was able to get up off the turf under his own power and walk by himself towards the sideline, but he walked with a noticeable limp and was directed straight to Michigan's locker room with trainers walking alongside him.
Corum returned to the field at the end of the halftime period, running out of the locker room and taking part in team warm-ups, running through drills with the other running backs, and had a minor limp while walking around and had some visible discomfort when practicing his cuts.
The initial X-rays on Corum's knee didn't show any serious damage and he was available to play in the second half last week, but not for long, taking two snaps before Michigan pulled him out of precaution.
Corum is crucial for Michigan
Corum is considered the premier running back in college football this season and a contender for the Heisman Trophy.
He leads Michigan with 1,457 rushing yards while averaging 5.9 yards per carry and has 18 of the Wolverines' 32 rushing touchdowns. He ran for over 100 yards in eight straight games.
His presence has been key to Michigan's offensive dominance this season and any potential limitation would cut into the team's production.
No. 2 running back Donovan Edwards also didn't play last week for undisclosed reasons. He's second on the team with 471 yards rushing for a 6.7 yard per carry average and four touchdowns on the season.
C.J. Stokes is third with 268 yards and a 5.1 ypc average while posting a single touchdown on the season and should be the primary option if Corum and Edwards are unavailable for any period of time.
(ESPN)
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