The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com 
Wednesday, September 28, 2022 — 11 

Blake Corum carries Wolverines 
with electrifying performance

JOSH TAUBMAN
Daily Sports Editor

Blake Corum was never con-
cerned about the lack of attention. 
Back before he became the 
unequivocal lead back for the 
Michigan football team; back 
before he bulked up in the off-
season by adding 11 pounds; back 
before he was throwing up stat 
lines that were being mentioned 
in the same breath as players from 
the 1960s. 
Back before the season, before 
anyone had seen how the junior 
running back would look on the 
field, Corum was asked how he 
felt typically being left out of the 
national conversation about the 
best running backs in the country. 
“I don’t really care about the 
accolades,” Corum said on Aug. 19. 
“It’s cool. It’s nice. But I don’t care. 
I don’t really pay attention to that 
stuff.”
In the preseason, college foot-
ball pundits may have overlooked 
Corum’s name as one that could be 
listed amongst the nation’s elite. 
But after his electrifying perfor-
mance on Saturday, they’re sure 
to start paying attention — even if 
Corum won’t. 
Thrust into an outsized role 
on Saturday, the Maryland native 
thrived against his home state 
Terrapins — delivering the offense 

the juice it needed to pull out a vic-
tory. 
With 
sophomore 
Donovan 
Edwards sidelined due to injury 
and an unproven group of run-
ners behind him, Corum was 
bound to shoulder the bulk of the 
ground game. As the game unfold-
ed, though, it became apparent 
that sophomore quarterback J.J. 
McCarthy and the passing game 
wasn’t up to its usual flare that had 
torched secondaries throughout 
the first three games. 
So Corum was called on to will 
the entire offense forward and 
grind out a closer than expected 
win. 
His response? 30 carries. 243 
yards. 2 touchdowns. 
“With my mind set, I feel like 
I’ve always been able to carry the 
ball that many times,” Corum said 
after the game. “I prepare in the 
offseason for a reason.”
As time winded down in the 
first half, the Wolverines leaned 
on Corum to handle one of their 
first bouts with adversity on the 
season. Trailing 13-10 and caught 
in no man’s land, Michigan kept 
its foot on the gas — going for it on 
fourth and inches to keep the drive 
alive. 
Everyone in the stadium knew 
who the ball was going to. But not 
even Corum could’ve envisioned 
what the end result would be. 
After the offensive line sealed, 

Corum opted not to dive forward 
for the easy first down. Instead, 
he cut to the left and accelerated 
upfield — where there wasn’t a 
single defender around to stop 
him. 
“We snapped the ball crash-
ing down, o-line crashed down 
and there was a big old hole,” 
Corum said. “So I’m like, ‘Let’s 
go.’ ”
Corum sent the Wolverines 
into the locker room with the 
lead, and when they returned 
to the field, he made sure that 
a floundering offense would 
have enough to pull out a vic-
tory. As the minutes bled down 
and Maryland remained within 
striking distance, Corum was 
there, over and over, to ensure 
there would be no upset. 
“Thirty carries, I mean we 
knew very well that he could 
handle that,” Michigan coach 
Jim 
Harbaugh 
said. 
“He’s 
trained. This isn’t something 
that he just goes out and does. It’s 
a seven day a week thing for him 
year round to train himself to be 
in a position to do what he does.”
Last season was Corum’s 
first chance to be a contributor 
from the backfield, but he had a 
defined role; he was the speed 
back while Hassan Haskins pro-
vided the power. 
A quarter of the way through 
this season, Corum has laid ques-
tions to rest about who would fill 
out the other half of last year’s 
thunder and lightning duo. 
It’s Corum, himself. 
He rushed to the tune of eight 
yards a carry, constantly surg-
ing forward and embracing con-
tact. It didn’t matter whether 
he needed to bruise it up to the 
middle or break it to the outside 
in space. It was the fact that he 
could handle it all, that a rush-
ing play would inevitably result 
in positive yardage, that show-
cased his irreplaceable value to 
Michigan.

Sports

FOOTBALL

SportsMonday: Panic, or don’t. It’s up to you.

NICK STOLL
Managing Sports Editor

It’s time to panic.
If you want to, that is.
The No. 4 Michigan football 
team certainly gave some cause for 
concern in Saturday’s 34-27 scare 
against Maryland. The game saw 
the Wolverines trail for the first 
time this season. Sophomore quar-
terback J.J. McCarthy of Nazareth 
(Academy) wasn’t the next coming. 
And the defense showed plenty of 
holes against the Terrapin offense.
If you want to take these things 
and run with them, go ahead. But 
there’s a different perspective to 
watching that game that you can 
take — one of learning and tact.
So let’s learn, starting with the 
offense.
McCarthy isn’t always going to 
be the unstoppable prodigy that 
the fanbase wants him to be. He 
showed that he’s human, pair-
ing mistakes with his seemingly-
inhuman feats. Notably, McCarthy 
overthrew open receivers on deep 
routes thrice and underthrew 
sophomore receiver Andrel Antho-
ny on a route of the same ilk. That’s 

on top of fumbling the ball twice 
and launching an ill-advised near-
interception in the endzone on a 
pass intended for fifth-year receiv-
er Ronnie Bell.
“It definitely wasn’t my best per-
formance,” McCarthy said Satur-
day. “I want some things back that 
happened out there.”
Next to him at the podium, 
junior running back Blake Corum 
chuckled before adding, under his 
breath: “I want some back, too.”
It’s a bit of an amusing com-
ment coming from the player that 
just rushed for 243 yards and two 
touchdowns, easily passing the eye 
test as the best player in the Big 
House on Saturday. But it’s also a 
testament to the optimist’s point of 
view of the Wolverines.
They’re touting a potential Heis-
man-caliber running back next to a 
high-upside quarterback and a tal-
ented receiver room. And Michigan 
isn’t even healthy at the moment. 
Sophomore running back Dono-
van Edwards will likely return 
soon, adding an element to both the 
pass and run game, and the offen-
sive line is still recovering from its 
piecemeal solution to an injury-rid-
dled start to the season.

Speaking of which, the offensive 
line — against better competition 
— took a leap forward in terms of 
chemistry, pass protection and run 
blocking.
“(We can) talk about how many 
yards I put up but the o-line killed 
it today,” Corum said. “They make 
my job easy. They allowed me to get 
to the second level defenders real 
quick.”
So there were positives, even 

when the Wolverines’ offense 
floundered at times. And the only 
way to find out whether the good 
or bad will rise to the top is to wait 
and see.
The same holds for the defense.
Michigan’s defense looked sus-
pect throughout the game Satur-
day, allowing 27 points and nearly 
400 total yards. Most concerningly, 
the Wolverines’ pass rush often 
appeared weak, and seemed non-

existent at times. That allowed 
Maryland 
quarterback 
Taulia 
Tagovailoa to deliver through the 
air, going through his reads with 
time to spare and sometimes turn-
ing up field to make a play with his 
legs.
“We’re getting past the quarter-
back a few too many times,” Michi-
gan coach Jim Harbaugh said. 
“And there (Tagovailoa) proved 
to be really slippery and good. We 
had some shots to get him back, 
get him on the ground, but he was 
tough. It’s tough to get him on the 
ground.”
Beyond that, the Wolverines’ 
defensive backs were inconsistent. 
Sometimes, they lost their man and 
gave up easy receptions. But alter-
natively, they came up with two 
improbable interceptions at critical 
times to turn the tide of the game.
Michigan’s 
defense 
showed 
its volatility on full display: look-
ing paper thin on some drives and 
drawing whispers of last year’s 
competent squad on others. That’s 
either a good thing or a bad thing — 
a defense burgeoning with poten-
tial or marred by inconsistencies 
— depending on how you look at it.
The last thing is that Maryland 

JEREMY WEINE/Daily

might be a fully competent team, 
it’s just too early in the college 
football season to know for sure. 
Many programs have already lost 
to teams they “shouldn’t have,” and 
only 20 undefeated teams in FBS 
remain, so Michigan being one of 
them is a feat that should not be 
taken lightly. 
And again, don’t be too rash to 
judge — book, cover, that whole 
saying, you get it. Remember the 
Wolverines’ game against Rutgers 
last year? The unconvincing early-
season 20-14 win led to pundits and 
fans alike writing Michigan off all 
together. That didn’t hold up well.
So while your mind is racing 
about whether the Wolverines can 
reach the same heights they did a 
season ago, remember to put every-
thing in perspective.
There’s plenty to criticize, and 
there’s plenty to worry about. So if 
you want to spend the next week 
— or more — thinking about that, 
feel free. But consider the alterna-
tive: waiting, watching Michigan’s 
game next week, learning more 
about what this team actually is 
and saving yourself some mental 
turmoil in the process.
Or not. It’s up to you.

Following a nerve wracking victory over Maryland, worrying about the football team 
seems reasonable, but there’s more to be learned from Saturday.

Against Maryland, J.J. McCarthy 
shows room for growth

JARED GREENSPAN
Managing Sports Editor

Entering Saturday, J.J. McCar-
thy’s season had followed the 
same, Hollywood-style script. 
The 
wunderkind 
sophomore 
quarterback won a tense battle 
for QB1, unseating senior incum-
bent Cade McNamara. Then, in 
two starts — against Hawaii and 
UConn — McCarthy dazzled, 
lighting up the scoreboard and 
stirring the imagination. 
Saturday, McCarthy deviated 
from the script. 
Michigan’s first true test of 
the season doubled as the first 
true test of McCarthy’s reign, 
too. Maryland’s pass defense is 
pedestrian, ranking 10th in the 
Big Ten in passing yards allowed 
per game. But the Terrapins 
marked a step-up in competition, 
boasting bona fide talent. 
McCarthy’s final line — 18-of-
26 for 220 passing yards and two 
touchdowns, along with two 
fumbles — is striking. In the end, 
he helped usher the Wolverines 
to victory. But his performance 
featured a blend of good and bad, 
a mix of perfection and head-
scratching moments. 
When asked to assess his play, 
McCarthy smiled, per usual. He 
also let out a long sigh. 
“It definitely wasn’t my best 
performance,” McCarthy said. “I 
want some things back that hap-
pened out there. But I was happy 
with the way we were able to 
move the ball when at times we 
needed to respond. … I was just 
happy with the way we respond-
ed.” 
McCarthy 
responded 
well, 
too. Each gaffe seemed to be met 
with a play meant for a highlight 
reel. 
McCarthy opened the fourth 
quarter with a beautiful 20-yard 
touchdown 
strike 
to 
junior 
receiver Roman Wilson, putting 
Michigan up 24-13. He began the 
ensuing drive by short-arming 

a pass to sophomore receiver 
Andrel Anthony. Two plays later, 
he lofted a ball down the sideline, 
hitting graduate receiver Ronnie 
Bell in stride for a 49-yard gain. 
And, three plays after that, he 
tried to force a pass to Bell in 
the front corner of the endzone, 
nearly throwing an interception. 
Michigan settled for a field goal. 
So it goes. 
“I think he did a lot of great 
things,” Michigan coach Jim 
Harbaugh said. “With the game 
on the line, throws to Roman, to 
Ronnie Bell, just to name a cou-
ple. Thought he worked the ball 
to the tight ends. … He just kinda 
settled into playing good funda-
mental football.” 
This is all a process for 
McCarthy; there are lessons to 
be learned on the fly. Harbaugh 
knows that. Crucibles like Satur-
day’s game, a surprisingly close 
contest against the Terrapins, 
allow for McCarthy to develop. 
There are other opportunities 
to learn, too. 
Saturday, 
McCarthy 
held 
court with Charles Woodson, in 
town as a part of FOX’s Big Noon 
Kickoff coverage. The pair talk-
ed, though McCarthy did most of 
the listening, soaking in Wood-
son’s critique and advice. 
“The big thing that stood out 
to me with him was just to use 
my legs more,” Mccarthy said. “I 

mean, God gave me them for a 
reason. And when I’m sitting 
back there and I’m not seeing 
anything open, just run. That’s 
what I took wholeheartedly, 
and that’s something that I 
really need to do.” 
McCarthy’s mobility helped 
separate himself from McNa-
mara, who lacks the same agil-
ity and speed. But there are 
spots to deploy those traits, and 
McCarthy needs to pick and 
choose. That’s what he’s still 
learning. McCarthy’s perfor-
mance Saturday featured the 
full spectrum of decision-mak-
ing, both brilliant and erratic. 
In the second quarter, with 
Michigan facing a third and 
seven, McCarthy eluded a furi-
ous rush of Maryland defend-
ers, 
eventually 
scampering 
for the first down. The crowd 
roared in delight. 
Five plays later, on second 
and ten, McCarthy tried to per-
form similar heroics. Instead, 
he wound up taking a 15-yard 
sack and fumbling the football 
— his second fumble of the day. 
Though the Wolverines recov-
ered the football both times, 
the yardage lost would prove 
costly: Fifth-year kicker Jake 
Moody shanked the 43-yard 
field goal try. 

FOOTBALL

Michigan can’t find the net in draw against Ohio State

The Michigan women’s soccer 
team’s season has been defined 
by trouble in the box — its match 
against Ohio State was no differ-
ent.
Despite a strong defensive per-
formance, the Wolverines (5-3-2 
overall, 0-2-1 Big Ten) couldn’t 
pot the ball against the Buckeyes 
(6-2-2, 1-1-1) in a scoreless draw.
Michigan’s defense held up 
well against a formidable Ohio 
State offense, protecting the net 
from its rival. Even the Wolver-
ines’ attackers made a consistent 
effort to get back on defense and 
protect the goal.
“We wanted to make sure that 
we were good defensively,” Mich-
igan coach Jen Klein said. “We 
knew that they were gonna have 

some very good attacking person-
alities, so we wanted to make sure 
that we were good collectively in 
our defensive press.”
Fifth-year 
goalkeeper 
Izzy 
Nino showed increased comfort 
in her new starting role notching 
five saves — including an impres-
sive leaping grab after a ball came 
whipping at the upper 90.
On the other half of the field, 
sophomore forward Kacey Law-
rence and senior forward Lily 
Farkas sent in cross after cross 
and shot after shot to try and put 
Michigan on the board.
Early in the first half, Michigan 
crowded into the box searching 
for an early lead. Junior forward 
Sammi Woods crossed it in from 
the right side of the field, and 
Lawrence tried to chip it in with 
a cheeky little chop move that 
went wide. The crowd sighed and 
moaned in frustration — a feeling 

that became all too familiar.
“You kinda scratch your head 
a little bit,” Klein said. “We’re in 
really good spots and we’re show-
ing some good balance and tech-
nical ability.”
But the sighs continued to echo 

all night.
In the 32nd minute, Farkas fed 
the ball into Lawrence leaving 
her in a one-on-one with Ohio 
State goalkeeper Katherine Rob-
inson. Robinson slid into Law-
rence’s feet to snatch the ball up.

The first half continued with 
the same energy of discontent, 
frustration and anger on the field.
Lawrence was fouled and 
knocked to the ground multiple 
times, but she remained resil-
ient on the field and continued to 
push up and down.
“Ah man, that girl was on fire; 
the one thing she was missing 
was a goal, Klein said. “She is 
such a spark of energy, her ability 
to go and have one gear. A spark 
plug that just fires and goes. She 
brought some unbelievable ener-
gy and brought some really good 
chances for us.”
The second half started with 
the same energetic push up the 
field. Wolfe sent a shot soaring 
high above the net, and it was fol-
lowed up with a curving corner 
that missed outside.
The crowd once again held 
their breath midway through the 

second half as Farkas faked out 
her defender to launch a would-
be-game winner that slammed 
off the crossbar.
Even with the Wolverine’s 
brilliant efforts on both sides of 
the ball, they couldn’t capitalize 
on their opportunities to win, a 
continuing theme of their lack-
luster season.
Michigan is teetering on drop-
ping to .500 with half the season 
to go — sinking to the bottom of 
the Big Ten rankings.
And if the Wolverines want 
to be competitive in the Big Ten 
with the likes of No. 4 Rutgers 
and No. 17 Penn State, they’ll 
need to shoot better against 
respectable competition. They 
can’t just rely on their admirable 
defense.
As the saying goes, defense 
wins championships — but only if 
the offense can put up points too.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

REMI WILLIAMSON
Daily Sports Writer

SYDNEY HASTINGS-WILKINS/Daily
The inability to capitalize on scoring chances resulted in a scoreless outing for the Wolverines.

JEREMY WEINE/Daily
J.J. McCarthy drops back and surveys the field Saturday.

EMMA MATI/Daily
Junior running back Blake Corum breaks away in Saturday’s 34-27 win over Maryland.
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