Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards Could Be The First Since 2003 To Win This Honor
Michigan has, not even arguably, but has the best one-two punch in America regarding the running back position. The Wolverines return both Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards which will combine for a lethal backfield in 2023.
It was announced on Wednesday that both Corum and Edwards made the preseason Doak Walker Award watch list heading into the season. Michigan has had just one player win that award, and you have to go all the way back to 2003 when Chris Perry won the award.
The Doak Walker Award is handed to the nation's best running back and both Michigan running backs have a legit chance to win the award.
Corum finished 2022 as a Doak Walker semifinalist and was a Heisman candidate. Unfortunately, Corum suffered a knee injury against Illinois and didn't play the last three games to end the season. He still finished 2022 by rushing for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns. He is back and rearing to go in '23.
In Corum's absence, Edwards shined -- even while he was injured himself. During the three-game stretch as the stater (Ohio State, Purdue, TCU), he rushed for 520 yards and three touchdowns. While he may be the backup on Michigan, it's insane to think he won't see plenty of carries and the Wolverines may have a pair of 1,000-yard rushers.
Here's more about Corum via the press release:
• Unanimous first-team All-American (2022)
• Seventh in 2022 Heisman Trophy Balloting
• 2022 Chicago Silver Tribune Football winner, Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year
• 2022 Doak Walker Award Finalist
• Two-time All-Big Ten selection (consensus first team, 2022; third team, 2021)
• 30 career games out of the backfield with 13 starts
• Totaled 416 carries for 2,492 rushing yards with 31 touchdowns; added 40 receptions for 294 yards with two touchdowns and another 400 yards on kick returns
• 2022 season (1,463 rushing yards) was No. 8 single-season rushing total in U-M history
• Ranks 17th in all-time rushing yards (2,492), No. 6 in yards per carry (6.01) and tied for seventh in rushing touchdowns (31) at Michigan
• Team MVP, Toughest Player, Blue Collar Award (2022) and Offensive Skill Player of the Year (2021) winner
More information about Edwards from the release:
• 2022 Big Ten Griffin-Grange Championship Game MVP
• Totaled 991 yards rushing on 140 carries across 11 games in 2022; No. 3 single-season yards-per-carry average in program history and NCAA leader for 2022
• Added 200 yards receiving; totaled 465 receiving yards on 38 career catches (12.2 yards per catch) with three touchdowns
• In his three starts to close 2022 season, carried 22 times for 220 yards with two touchdowns at Ohio State; 25 carries for 186 yards and one touchdown against Purdue; and 23 carries for 127 yards against TCU
• Set program record for single-game catches by a running back (10) as a freshman at Maryland, reaching 170 yards with a touchdown
• 23 career games out of the backfield with three starts
• 2021 Team Offensive Rookie of the Year
