On a first-and-10 in the third quarter Saturday against UNLV, Michigan running back Blake Corum showcased his explosive speed and agility, leaving fans in awe.
During his remarkable Heisman Trophy campaign last season, Corum thrilled spectators with his ability to break off long runs, elude defenders, and sprint to the end zone. However, after undergoing offseason knee surgery, he is still working on fully regaining his home-run ability.
Despite this, Corum's potential was evident on that third-quarter carry, where he gained 19 yards before being tripped up by a UNLV defender. Running backs coach Mike Hart, who also served as interim head coach for the second half of the game, believes Corum's injury is no longer hindering him.
"I think he's 100% as far as injury-wise," Hart stated. "That's not slowing him down. I just told him he's thinking too much. Just run. You can't always look for the big play. Just go and it will happen. He knows that, and he was better this week than he was last week, and he will be better next week."
Despite the ongoing recovery process, Corum still displayed his knack for finding the end zone, scoring three touchdowns against UNLV on carries of 3, 2, and 5 yards. However, he couldn't help but feel that he could have had an even more productive day.
As Michigan's schedule becomes increasingly challenging throughout the season, the team recognizes the importance of having a healthy and effective Corum to complement their offense.
"He wants to be perfect in everything that he does, and when he's not, he's frustrated because he's a perfectionist," Hart revealed. "Really, it's my job to keep him confident and keep him doing what he's doing because Blake Corum is going to be Blake Corum, and Blake is going to have a lot of long runs this year."
