Michigan's Blake Corum Off To Historic Start

The junior running back has been incredible through four weeks, placing his name among some of the best to ever do it at the University of Michigan.

Michigan running back Blake Corum is off to an incredible start for the 2022 campaign. Four weeks into the season, Corum ranks seventh in the country in rushing yards (478), fifth in yards per carry (7.47), and first in rushing touchdowns (nine). 

Here are a handful of other incredible statistics that help put Corum's start into perspective:

• In Michigan's modern era, no player has rushed for as many touchdowns through the first four games of the season than Corum has this year. Tyrone Wheatley's 1993 season is closest (eight). The last Wolverine at any position responsible for nine touchdowns in the first four games of the year was Shea Patterson in 2019 (six passing, three rushing).
•  Corum's career-best 243 yards last weekend were the most by a U-M back since Tshimanga Biakabutuka in 1995 (313 yards vs Ohio State). Denard Robinson's 2010 performance against Notre Dame (258 rushing yards) was the last time any Wolverine had a game on the ground like Corum did against Maryland.
• Among backs with at least 30 carries, Corum's 7.5 yards per attempt ranks eighth in the country. As a freshman, Corum averaged 3.0 yards per carry on 26 rush attempts. In the ensuing 207 carries across 16 games, he has averaged better than 6.9 yards per carry, including 6.35 yards per carry in Big Ten play.
• Corum has produced eight of Michigan's 26 explosive offensive plays (20-plus yards). PFFCollege credits him with 11 designed runs of 15-plus yards, most among FBS ball carriers.
• More than two-thirds of Corums' 243 yards against Maryland came after contact (165), via PFFCollege. The service also credits Corum with 18 missed tackles forced on 63 carries this season, and notes he has picked up 26 first downs, eighth-most in the country.

Interestingly enough, Iowa has the nation's No. 1 scoring defense (5.8 points per game), having allowed only two touchdowns and 23 total points this season. No team has scored a rushing touchdown against them through four games.

The No. 4 Wolverines (4-0) square off against the Hawkeyes (3-1) this weekend in Iowa City at 12 PM EDT on FOX.