Michigan RB Blake Corum: 'I’m ready to leave that legacy'

Michigan Wolverines running back Blake Corum is returning for his senior season in Ann Arbor. The unanimous All-American finished the 2022 season with 1,463 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns before a knee injury in Week 11 prematurely derailed his season.

Corum caught up with Jon Jansen on the In the Trenches podcast to elaborate on his decision:

“I thought about it, prayed about it, talked to my parents, and talked to my close family members. At the end of the day it’s bigger than football, right, it’s bigger than football. It’s about finishing my education, getting that degree from Michigan. It’s about the community, it’s about the University of Michigan. It’s about leaving that legacy and going to get what I came here for.

From my freshman year to my junior year, you know it’s been a tremendous ride. You know it’s been fun. It’s been a lot of ups and downs, especially that first year with Covid, there was a lot of ups and downs. Sophomore year we couldn’t finish. We made it to the College Football Playoffs, beat Ohio State finally, won the Big Ten, but couldn’t. This past year we did the same thing, so we know what it takes.

I’m a Michigan Man through and through. I love Michigan. I love being here and so you know it was a tough decision. But I will be coming back for my senior year and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win it all.

So, I hope Team 144 is ready, I’m going to make sure they’re ready. Best believe I’ll be back in the community bringing everyone together. Like I said I’m a Michigan Man through and through and I’m so happy to be back. It was a tough decision, but I know it’s the right decision and I can’t wait to be back in the Big House the right way. The last time I left it, I left it with a knee injury, but you know I’ll be back full force ready to take on any challenge and win it all.”

The junior running back admitted to wavering back and forth on this decision, but when he weighed all of his options, it was the unfinished business above anything else that swayed his decision to return.

“...You have to make the best business decision for you, but it was honestly bigger than that. Like I say, it’s the bigger picture and I have unfinished business, and I personally couldn’t live with myself knowing that. Especially because I got hurt. If I could have played in Ohio State, the Big Ten Championship, and then in the TCU game I might have felt better. But I can’t feel good knowing that I wasn’t able to go to war.

Yeah, the money, NIL that’s cool, right, or going to get that NFL money that’s cool, but money isn’t everything. So basically, NIL is cool, I’m still going to be giving to the community, probably more than ever. This one last ride, but I really just came back for Michigan. The team, the team, the team, I’m ready to leave that legacy, and I’m trying to tell you it’s going to be fun.”

In one of Corum’s closing answers, he summed it all up so eloquently in less than ten words: “I love Michigan, man, so I’m running it back."