SPORTSWEDNESDAY

Corum, Wolverines 
give Cornhuskers 
nightmares in 34-3 rout

T

he identity of the No. 3 Michigan 
football team is already known.
On defense, it’s inspired by its lineman, 
touting the No. 1 run defense heading into 
Saturday’s game and consistently pressuring 
opposing quarterbacks. On offense, though, the 
identity is one man:
Junior running back Blake Corum.
Leaning on Corum once again, the Wolverines 
(10-0 overall, 7-0 Big Ten) trounced Nebraska (3-7, 
2-5), 34-3 in a gritty, ground-powered game that 
was all but decided from the opening kickoff.
“Blake, another great game by him,” Michigan 
coach Jim Harbaugh said Saturday. “… There 
wasn’t a long (run), there wasn’t a 50-yarder today 
like there has been. Just really, really good, tough 
running.”
From their first drive, the Wolverines did 
nothing to hide their hard-nosed identity, and the 
Cornhuskers did nothing to stop it.
The first play, a pass, went to Corum. Seventy-
eight yards and six Corum carries later, Michigan 
was on Nebraska’s two-yard line. Another touch 
and the Wolverines were on the board with the 
ball in Corum’s hands.

For the rest of the game, Michigan’s gameplan 
remained the same — just as it has all season. 
Corum, drive after drive, proved why. And Corum 
wants it that way.
“I always go into each game wanting the ball,” 
Corum said. “I want it as many times as they’re 
going to give it to me.”
Every time the Wolverines trusted their 
Heisman-hopeful 
back, 
it 
paid 
dividends. 
Whenever Michigan strayed, a struggling pass 
game reminded everyone why Corum averages 
over 22 rushing attempts per game.
On both the Wolverines’ second and third 
drives, this reality showed. On the first, a five-yard 
Corum run was negated by a sack on a dropback 
and an incomplete pass to graduate receiver 
Ronnie Bell for a three-and-out. The second, 
Corum blasted through for a 12-yard gain, only for 
three-straight pass plays to fall incomplete.
Conversely, when Michigan let Corum set the 
offense up, it prospered. In the second quarter, on 
a drive where he racked up 29 yards and two first 
downs on four carries, just the threat of Corum 
opened up two gaping holes for passes. The final 
play, a teardrop touchdown pass from sophomore 
quarterback J.J. McCarthy to Bell, was enabled 
by a play-action call and the gravitational pull 
Corum demands.
“That got me really excited because during 

practice this week we emphasized bending it 
back,” Corum said. “So the safety came down 
thinking he had a free shot on J.J., and when 
I went to fake to the right, I bent it back to the 
left and surprised ‘em and made him completely 
stop. And (so) Ronnie was wide open. Oh, it was 
beautiful.”
While Corum supported the offense, the 
Wolverine defense held up its end of the bargain. 
Constantly pressuring Nebraska’s quarterbacks 
and stymying run after run, Michigan’s defenders 
set their offensive counterparts up for success.
Both trends carried into the second half, where 
Corum continued to power forward and the 
defense appeared to share DNA with a brick wall. 
And it was nothing but maize and blue for the 
remainder of the game.
The 
Wolverines 
punched 
in 
two 
more 
touchdowns in the second half, including a 
McCarthy scramble in which Corum “pancaked” 
a defender, clearing the way. On the final 
touchdown, Bell fumbled the ball toward the back 
of the end zone where sophomore receiver Andrel 
Anthony fell on it, making the score 31-3. 
Monday, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh 
compared Corum to future Hall-of-Famer Frank 
Gore, who played four seasons under Harbaugh 
with the 49ers. That comparison goes beyond 
Corum’s physical prowess, also including his 

innate ability to read defenses and make the right 
decision.
“Two outstanding students of the game, know 
the game and also have a tremendous feel for the 
game,” Harbaugh said. “There’s no doubt that 
Blake will be, in my opinion, right on that same 
dance floor as Frank Gore in every way, as a 
player.”
Saturday, Corum looked worthy of that 
comparison once again, unlocking the offense 
and being the bellcow he’s proven himself to be. 
Even after being pulled in the fourth quarter to 
preserve his health, Corum posted 162 yards and 
one touchdown on 28 attempts — 33 more yards 
on his own than the Wolverines had total through 
the air
Heading into the game, the Cornhuskers knew 
what the Wolverines wanted to do. Still, Corum 
imposed his will. In doing so, he gave Michigan 
an easy path to victory. Despite all the carries, and 
the continuous burden on his shoulders, Corum 
just wants to keep rolling.
“I can play a whole ‘nother season,” Corum 
said. “I’m good. I’m feeling great. I feel that I just 
continue to get better.”
Whether he keeps getting better or not, the 
Wolverines will keep relying on his production. 
And until a team can stop him, there’s no reason 
not to.

NICHOLAS STOLL
Manging Sports Editor
CHILDREN OF THE CORUM
CHILDREN OF THE CORUM

An adult 
nightmare.

SOPHIA AFENDOULIS/Daily | Design by Sophie Grand and Fiona Lacroix

