College FootballFix: Blake Corum, Michigan Wolverines Running Back

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That's ShipStation.com slash audio. We miss college football. Bennett takes the snap and the shotgun, throws for the corner, Brock Bowers one-on-one, caught, touchdown!

He ate him alive! Falls down into the end zone. Six more for Georgia. We can't wait for the 2023 season.

Caleb Williams throws the fade in the corner, touchdown Trojans! And we're counting down the days to kick off. Are we there yet? No. Are we there yet? We said no! Are we there yet?

What's wrong with your ears? Here is your college football fix, only on the Zach Gelb Show. All right, and we continue. It is the Zach Gelb Show, coast to coast on CBS Sports Radio, 10 days away from the back-to-back Big Ten champions kicking off their football season as they'll do so up against the Pirates of ECU. We'll go out to the guest line right now and welcome in my favorite player in college football.

He's also the best running back entering the 2023 college football season in the sport, and that is Michigan star in Blake Corum. Blake, always great to have you on the show. I appreciate the time. How you been? I've been good, and you? I'm doing fantastic. So, everyone wants to know, as we're 10 days away from the start of the Michigan season, how is your knee feeling?

Everything okay from a health standpoint? Oh, everything's great. I'm ready to rock and roll.

You know, I've been on a couple of interviews the past couple weeks. I've been around 98, 99 percent. But, you know, I'm at 100 percent. I'm ready to go.

I'm locked and loaded. So, no snap count for game one? You're a full go, and we could expect the full Blake Corum from a year ago.

The full Blake Corum is available. You know, now it's just up to the coaches. How many reps do they want me to get in game one, game two, game three?

And, you know, that's up to them. But, for me personally, you know, I'm good for 30. Love to hear Blake Corum here with us. We know physically what you went through last year with the knee injury, right when it looked like you were going to be a finalist for the Heisman, and we know Michigan was well on their way back to another college football playoff. I wonder, though, mentally, how did you handle some of that adversity that was thrown your way late in the season? You know, it made me a better man.

It made me a better person. You know, at the time, you know, when things first happened, you know, I had some questions saying, like, why? Why did this have to happen? You know, I'm having one heck of a season.

You know, some people might have called it a legendary season. You know, why did it have to happen that way? But, you know, I'm thankful. I'm thankful for that adversity that I faced and, you know, those challenges because, you know, it made me a better person. You know, I'm back here now with my guys, and I'm just blessed, man.

I'm blessed to be here. I think everyone would have understood if you elected to declare for the NFL Draft. You ended up wanting to come back, and you're getting ready to kick off another season. Why did you want to return to Ann Arbor? I had unfinished business. You know, for one, you know, getting my degree, that means a lot to me. It means a lot to my family, so getting my degree was huge, and, you know, I had that. You know, we have one heck of a team, and, you know, you only get to play college ball once, and the NFL, you know, it's not going anywhere.

So why not? Why not come back, bring some guys back with me and chase this, you know, this process of winning a national championship so we can have a parade, you know, on State Street or Main Street, wherever we want to have that parade. But, you know, it was all about the bigger picture, you know. For me, there's too many opportunities left at hand, and, you know, I wanted to take full advantage of all those opportunities. Was it a difficult decision for you?

Oh, most definitely. You know, some days I would wake up going to the NFL. Some days I wake up, you know, I'm coming back. It was a long, you know, thoughtful process, you know, that I talked to my, you know, my inner circle with, you know. But, you know, after a lot of prayer, a lot of talk from family, you know, it was best that I come back.

Talking to Blake Coram right now. So we know what this team has accomplished the last two years. You've beat the side out of Ohio State. You've gone on to win two Big Ten championships. Then you get into the college football playoff and things just haven't gone the way that it should be for the Michigan Wolverines. You know, when that happens, people appraise you for what you did, but then they question if you could take it that next step further.

I love this football team heading into this season. Just how do you kind of respond to the people that are doubting you saying that Michigan can't win a national championship? You know, there's always going to be those people that doubt you, right, until you prove them wrong. There's still people out there that are saying, you know, back-to-back years were fluke, you know. So, you know, for us, for this team, you know, we kind of just don't listen to the outsiders.

You know, we only, we keep everything inside Schimbeckler Hall, right? You know, we don't get big-headed. You know, we're always striving to get better.

And we know we have to take it day-by-day, week-by-week, and month-by-month. You know, and like you say, you know, the first games at VCU, you know, that's all we're focused on right now. You know, so, you know, we let people believe what they want. We let people write what they want. And, you know, it's just our job to prove them wrong.

And then, you know, as soon as we prove them wrong, they want to hop on the bandwagon. So, you know, that's our mentality. You know, we're always striving to be better than we were yesterday. And that's what we've been doing, man. You know, we have a really good team right now.

And, you know, I'm excited to get this thing kicked off next week on the second. And it came in your absence, Blake Coram. And we know the season Donovan Edwards had, but a lot of people started to appreciate him more when you weren't available, unfortunately, because of the injury. What did you kind of see from Donovan Edwards this year? Because, man, that is some one-two punch for this upcoming season with yourself and Donovan. Yeah, you know, I knew what Donovan could do, you know, all along.

You know what I'm saying? You know, he's been a great running back since he's gotten here. You know, and he's only gotten better. So, you know, that's what I expected. You know, I didn't expect anything less. You know, I expected him to make those exclusive plays. I expected him, you know, just to step up in that role.

You know, I didn't expect no fall off. You know, he comes in. You know, he works hard every day.

You know, he's in the film. You know, and so, you know, it's just great sharing a running back with Donovan. You know, it makes me better. It makes the team better. And, you know, we have a great relationship, you know. So, you know, a lot of people, you know, would be like, dang, like, you know, I don't want another great running back on the team. Or, you know, why is he getting ten touches?

I'm getting five. Like, you know, there's no hatred. There's only love.

And, you know, we always push each other to be the best version of ourselves. And your quarterback had some ups and downs last year, but I think he could be a heck of a player in J.J. McCarthy. What do you see out of your quarterback in J.J. McCarthy's people get ready for another year of Wolverines football? You know, it's not that he could be a heck of a player. He is a heck of a player. And, you know, he's made huge strides, you know, as you guys could see at the end of the year.

You know, everyone was down the path game, right? And then he just started letting it fly. You know, with another year under his belt, you know, what I've seen this all season from his game, you know, he's going to be that general on the field. And he's going to be a great QB. You know, he's going to, you know, show everyone, you know, what he has to offer, you know, all the tools.

And I think people saw that. But he's going to take it to a whole other level this year, you know. Number nine, he's going to have a heck of a year. I'll tell you, I'm really optimistic to see what Colston Loveland is going to do because I have big expectations for him, Blake.

Oh, yeah. In my opinion, you know, he's up there with the best. You know, if it's Bronc Bowers, you know, or any other Titans out there, you know, he's up there with the man. And to be only, you know, a sophomore this year, I can't wait to see, you know, just how good he can get, you know, because he's already pretty darn good, you know. But, you know, like I said, we're chasing perfection. We're chasing greatness. And, you know, he's made big strides this all season as well. So, you know, I expect a big year out of him as well. You being an upperclassman with this football team, and I say that the team's best player, and you kind of have the heartbeat of this team. Who else has really impressed you this summer that you look around the offensive side of the ball, even defensive side of the ball, and you go, man, that player is really going to be something this year? Man, you know, it's so hard to say, you know, who stood out, you know, who's the best, because I'll tell you, man, this team is full of just like, you know, savages, you know. And, you know, you start with the offensive line, you know, we have two deep that could, you know, start anywhere.

You know, our ones and our twos, you can't tell the difference. You know, that's how good we are up front, you know, and then you go to the quarterback position. You know, we're really strong there, running backs, receivers, you know, defensive line, oh, man, the defensive line looks great right now. Then you have the linebackers, you know, you have juniors, you have Mike B, and then we have the transfer from Ernest, you know, and then we go to the secondary. You know, Mikey Sangers, though, you know, heck of a nickel, heck of a ball player. Will Johnson, that corner, you know, he's a big corner, you know, and then we have a transfer. Josh Wallace, you know, he stepped up big time, you know, that was a good grab from the transfer portal for us, and he's done a lot of good work. And then, you know, from the safety position, McCarrie and Rod, you know, one player doesn't stick out to me. Man, I'm just really impressed with this team so far, this camp, and I'm excited to, you know, face someone else with a different colored helmet, different colored jersey.

It's going to be fun. So, I was just watching the Florida docuseries, and those guys had two national championships, but they talk about that final season where they kind of discussed it the way that you just were, where they had a loaded roster, and they were chasing perfection, and they felt at times, even though they were so dominant and only lost one game, that nothing was ever good enough, and it was so tough to meet that standard. How do you guys just really, even though you know what the goal is to go win a national championship game, and I know everyone says, hey, it's one game at a time, one game at a time, but how do you guys really make sure that you only focus one game at a time and not go too far ahead? You know, something that I've been preaching to the guys and even myself, you know, is just, you know, being where your feet are. You know, and if you can really, you know, take that in and take in the meaning and actually apply it to your everyday life, that's how you're going to, you know, get to the national championship. You know, not thinking too far ahead.

Maybe you can zone off while you're in class or something and think about, you know, what the future may hold. It might be like, but just being where your feet are every day. You know, taking advantage of every opportunity because, you know, every new day is a new opportunity to get better.

So, you know, that's how we're, you know, taking this season and we're living by that, you know, just day to day, man, just stacking those bricks so we can build a brick house. How much would the Heisman mean to you if you were able to win it? Because I'm a Heisman voter, and I said this on the air, I'll say it again, if you didn't get hurt, it would have been tough for me not to put you number one on my Heisman Trophy ballot. You know, I appreciate that. You know, before the season, you know, I've never even thought about the Heisman.

And, you know, I tell a lot of people this, you know, with team success comes individual success. And honestly, you know, the Dope Walker, all those awards that, you know, I may have been up for before I got hurt, they weren't even a thought to me. You know, before the season started, I never even thought about that stuff, you know. And so, you know, I got into the race and, you know, it was pretty cool.

But my mind still wasn't there. It was still just about the team, man, you know, because I love winning. You know, I love being a winner. You know, there's nothing worse than losing. You know, you can win the Heisman and still lose.

That just doesn't sit right with me. So, you know, I was really just focused on winning. You know, of course, it would have been nice to win the Heisman. You know, I have another shot to do it this year, but I'm not even focused on it. You know, you know, everything will come, you know, my way if that's what's planned. But right now, you know, I'm just focused on, like I said, being with my feet or, you know, winning and getting my team together and getting ready for this long season.

Is it kind of crazy on the way out with Blake Coram, Michigan star football player, had a tremendous season last year, over 1,400 rushing yards, 18 rushing touchdowns, and also had a receiving touchdown as well. When you look at this journey, you've been there now. This is going to be your fourth year. This is your senior season. Is it crazy just how quickly time goes by?

Oh man, time flies. You know, as a kid, you know, a lot of people want to grow up, you know, including myself. Like, you know, I can't wait to be in college.

You know, I can't wait to go to NFL. And it's like, you know, once you get here, it's like, damn, I wish I could go back and be a kid again. But, you know, time flies, man.

You know, me, you know, COVID was freshman year, so I didn't really have a freshman year. You know, I can't believe, you know, I'm this far as of right now. You know, and that's why I'm really just trying to take everything in, be where my feet are, because, you know, time flies. You know, we have some right here, you know, days go by slow, but the years go by quick. And, you know, that's true. You know, and, you know, you just have to take advantage of every opportunity you get, you know, just in life. And, you know, that's what I'm trying to live by.

That's what I'm trying to do, man. Your head football coach, Jim Harbaugh, it's been well documented, right? He was going to get suspended, then not. Now he is. I don't like what the NCAA is doing to him, but the university self-imposed their three-game suspension on Jim Harbaugh. Just how did you react to that when you saw that news a few days ago? You know, obviously, you know, I don't necessarily agree with it, you know, but it's something we have to live with.

And, you know, it's not a big deal. You know, like coach says, he doesn't get better, he gets better. And he really lives by that. You know, as soon as they did that, before practice, I saw him in the weight room lifting. You know, so, you know, he was getting better. You know, and that's what we're going to do as a team. You know, even though he can't be there on game day, he's going to be there during the week, and we're going to get better each and every day during that week. You know, and then we're going to get better on Saturday, and then we're going to repeat for those three weeks. You know, we're going to do it for coaching, and, you know, we're going to do it the Michigan way. And so, you know, although it, you know, it sucks, you know, he's still going to be there through the week, you know, getting us prepared and doing what coach is doing.

I know he's going to be watching, whether it be at Shim or his house on TV, you know, I know he's going to be there. But, you know, we don't get better. You know, we get better. And, you know, that's what he lives by.

That's what we live by. Well, good luck this season. I have some of my closest friends that attended Michigan, so I'm going a few games this year. I'll be at the Nebraska game, and then I think we're trying to check out that big game at the end of the season in the big house up against Ohio State.

Yeah, go ahead. You definitely want to come to that one. That's going to be a good one, man.

It's definitely going to be fun. So, good luck this year, and good health, and all the best to you. Always appreciate you when you come on with us. Nah, appreciate it, man. Have a good one.