Michigan 2023 RB Recap: Corum has historic season to lead Michigan to National Championship
“He would not be turned away. I instructed the coaches to just toss the ball to (No.) 2. We’ll be good if you deliver the ball to two. He is canine. Hand the ball to him.
The statement from Michigan’s running backs coach Mike Hart was made following the team’s Rose Bowl victory against Alabama, but it could have been said following any game this season. Blake Corum was, to put it simply, a hound for the Wolverines.
It swiftly became the Corum show in a season that appeared to be a shared experience between Donovan Edwards and Corum.
Corum scored a touchdown in every single game in 2023. He ended with a school-record 27 rushing touchdowns in a single season. He would add one receiving in the Rose Bowl, but the most important one came when he rumbled 17 yards on the second play in overtime to help the Wolverines beat the Crimson Tide.
The touchdown in overtime helped him break Anthony Thomas’ all-time Michigan record of 55 rushing touchdowns, etching his name into the record books.
Corum had more yards in 2022 (1,463 to 1,245), but he was more impactful in 2023. He was nearly unstoppable inside the 10 and he made the Wolverines’ red zone offense great.
Corum received some assistance even though he posed a threat to opposition defenses. This year, Edwards didn’t get as much time as he would have liked, but when the lights were shining brightest, he truly shone.
In the National Championship game versus Washington, Edwards scored on his first two touches to help set the tone for the remainder of the match. Giving spectators a taste of what might be in 2024, he ran for 41 yards on his first carry and 46 yards on his second.
His two touchdown runs served as a reminder of his 2022 performance against Ohio State. When Corum was hurt and couldn’t play, he scored the Wolverines’ two biggest touchdowns of the year.
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While Edwards didn’t show as much altogether in 2023, he came up huge when it mattered and helped win the Wolverines a national championship.
Meanwhile, RB3 Kalel Mullings was also pretty good in limited touches. Mullings rushed just 36 times this year, but he averaged 6.2 yards per carry and looked more like a running back than just a bruiser like he was a year prior.
Mullings also showed a lot of growth after his devastating fumble on the goal line against TCU in the College Football Playoff last year. Very rarely — if ever — did he make mistakes in 2023, which is a good sign for things to come since he will be a more featured part of the offense next fall.
With his recent announcement of his return, Edwards will probably be the guy next year, but it will be intriguing to watch who succeeds Mullings and him in 2024. Ben Hall—a legend in the spring game—will it be? Or Cole Cabana, the speedster who missed the majority of his actual rookie season due to injury? Or how about Micah Ka’apana or Jordan Marshall, two incoming true freshmen?
The upcoming season will undoubtedly raise many issues, but let’s not forget about Corum’s incredible season and how he delivered on his pledge to win Michigan a national championship.
