The Sky Is the Limit for Michigan's Blake Corum

Michigan's sophomore running back continues to outwork the competition.

While most of the competition sleeps, Blake Corum is already hard at work during the early morning hours perfecting his craft and preparing for next season. For Corum, much of his work ethic is the result of following his fathers example. At an early age, he found inspiration by watching his father create a successful landscaping and construction business from nothing. According to Corum, his father's success served as proof that hard work always pays off.

“My dad always told me that if you put your mind to something then you can do it.”

Those Michigan fans who are just getting to know Blake Corum will likely find his work ethic to be quite impressive, but his father says it’s something he’s been working on since the age of five. During the off-season, Corum would often be found heading to the gym around 4 AM - and that was before he put in a full-day of manual labor working for his fathers company.

“I own a landscaping and construction company. [Blake] would train at 4:30 AM and meet me and the crew at the shop at 7 AM.”

Over the summer, Corum would often share photos of himself on social media loading a full-size pickup truck with logs and branches. For Corum, working for his fathers company made a significant difference in what he was able to accomplish in the weight room and on the football field. As he put it, there’s a pretty big difference between weight room strong and “country” strong - something I’m certain that many Michiganders can relate to.

Corum’s unmatched work ethic continued as he made the transition from high school to college. There’s no question that his refusal to be outworked played a significant role in his ability to earn early reps as a true freshman. Even with limited reps during the 2020 season, the former St. Francis Academy product showed flashes of what made him such a highly rated recruit out of Maryland and one of the highest rated running back recruits in the nation.

On the very first play of the 2020 season, Corum took a short pass out of the backfield from Joe Milton and turned it into a 24 yard gain. It was a big moment for Corum, but an even bigger moment for his father as he watched from the stands at TCF Bank Stadium. “Just watching him on the field for the first time was amazing”, said Corum’s father. “I was filled with tons of emotions, it was definitely something I’ll never forget.” For Corum himself, that moment served as yet another reminder of what he learned years ago from his father - hard work always pays off.

Corum is now applying that mentality and belief to the 2021 season.

Unlike the crowded room of the 2020 season, the 2021 group seems to be a bit more settled - at least for now.  Along with veteran running back Hassan Haskins, Corum figures to play a major role within the Michigan offense in 2021.  Donovan Edwards, arguably the top running back in the country for the 2021 class, is also someone who will push both Haskins and Corum for reps. While the competition remains strong, Corum remains intent on becoming bigger, faster and stronger. 

Though several questions remain for the Michigan football program heading into the 2021 season, there is definitely one thing that all Michigan football fans can take to the bank: Blake Corum will never be outworked.