Michigan football: Jim Harbaugh thinks Blake Corum is the Heisman 'frontrunner,' wants pass protection to improve

Michigan Wolverines football head football coach Jim Harbaugh has gone from calling junior running back Blake Corum an MVP to a Heisman Trophy contender to now the favorite to win college football’s most prestigious individual award.

Corum is third nationally with 1,349 rushing yards and second with 17 rushing touchdowns, while having added 9 receptions and 1 receiving score. The star has picked up 766 of his yards after contact (tied sixth nationally), picked up 91 first downs (first) and forced 63 missed tackles (tied sixth).

According to DraftKings, Corum has the third-best odds to win the Heisman (+550), behind Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud (+140) and Tennessee signal-caller Hendon Hooker (+350). Corum is tied with North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye.

“The amount of first downs he picks up, the amount of yards he gets after contact,” Harbaugh said on the Inside Michigan Football radio show of what’s most impressive about Corum. “There was a time there maybe four or five games ago where I would’ve thought he deserves to be in New York for the Heisman Trophy [ceremony]. Now, I think he’s the frontrunner for it.”

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In Michigan’s 34-3 win over Nebraska over the weekend, Corum rushed 28 times for 162 yards and 1 score. He also had a pancake block on sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy‘s 3-yard touchdown run and received the play fake on a McCarthy scoring toss to graduate wideout Ronnie Bell. The most amazing aspect of Corum’s performance was that he gained 162 yards without having a rush of over 12 yards. He bled the Nebraska defense to death with positive gain after positive gain.

“This past game, maybe four or five times where it was a two-yard, three-yard gain, and then he’s moving the pile, the offensive line is pushing, and past the first down they go, averaging 5 yards a carry and then 7 and then 9,” Harbaugh said.

“I don’t think there’s a better back in the country right now than Blake Corum. He’s having a tremendous season, he’s having an MVP type of year, he’s having a Heisman Trophy type of year.”

Jim Harbaugh pleased with offense but wants pass protection to improve

Michigan’s pass protection has been solid all season long, but it’s struggled a bit as of late. McCarthy has been pressured just 53 times this year, but 15 of those came over the last two weeks against less-than-stellar opponents (Rutgers, Nebraska). Some of that has to do with the offensive line shuffling in and out different players due to injury, but Harbaugh wants to see better.

Host Jon Jansen revealed on the show that Michigan is averaging 4.65 seconds before its 12 sacks allowed this year. Harbaugh hadn’t heard the number yet.

“That’s good. I had never heard of that stat,” Harbaugh said. “I think the offensive line has done tremendous. I think [offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator] Sherrone Moore has done a tremendous job. I think our pass protection can be better. This past game, we had a couple free runners in there, and those are some of the things we’re continuing to build on.”

The Michigan offense hasn’t hit the 200-yard passing mark since five games ago, Oct. 8 at Indiana. The run game has carried the load because opponents have yet to slow it down, though, and Harbaugh has been pleased with McCarthy’s performances.

Jansen asked if he’s exceeded expectations.

“You never know until they’re out there playing every game, playing every snap,” Harbaugh said. “We knew he was very talented, but his poise has been remarkable, whether it’s on the road, at home, behind, ahead, people chanting, ‘J.J.! J.J.! We love J.J.!’ or whether he’s getting booed, hit. It’s just been great. 

“If he’s got the protection and somebody’s open, he’s going to find ‘em and hit ‘em. It’s been good to watch, and he keeps getting better, too. He keeps improving every week. Super happy.”

He also loves where the Michigan offense is at as a whole.

“They’re doing so many things that are winning football — time of possession, drives, no turnovers, scoring points. It’s really good; I’m really happy with where we’re at offensively,” Harbaugh noted.