With Blake Corum out, Michigan turns to Donovan Edwards to carry the load

In the fourth quarter of Michigan’s second consecutive upset of Ohio State, the running backs and their position coach, Mike Hart, huddled in a semicircle along the visiting sideline. Hart led the discussion during their between-possessions discourse, and his pupils listened intently as the Wolverines inched closer to another berth in the Big Ten Championship game. 

Just off Hart’s left shoulder was his only unhealthy pupil, Blake Corum, the player whose 5-foot-8, 210-pound frame supported the Michigan offense all season until a low tackle in the penultimate game against Illinois injured his left knee. Corum tried gritting his teeth and bracing his knee to play in the Wolverines’ first trip to Ohio Stadium since before the pandemic, but two carries in the opening quarter were enough to show how little of his explosiveness remained. He never took the field again.

But just like the rest of his teammates, Corum was in wonderful spirits during the final minutes of an eventual 22-point win. He’d watched his backfield partner, Donovan Edwards, blast through the Buckeyes for a pair of fourth-quarter scores covering 75 yards and 85 yards, respectively, as the offensive line continued to clear holes for whichever tailback Hart sent onto the field. So Corum smiled, laughed with his teammates and relished a moment Michigan fans will remember for generations.

Whether Corum or anyone else along the Wolverines’ bench knew their diminutive star might have already carried the ball for the final time this season — and, perhaps, the final time in his Michigan career — is impossible to know. But a few days later, on Thursday afternoon, NFL Network reported that Corum plans to undergo surgery and is expected to miss however many games his team has left, beginning with the Big Ten title game against Purdue on Saturday. 

The news of Corum’s predicament broke the same day that nose tackle Mazi Smith was charged with a felony for carrying a concealed weapon, combining to thrust a dark cloud over what had been a joyous week for the fan base. Instead, the Wolverines will travel to Lucas Oil Stadium with their best player unavailable and the athletic department facing legitimate questions about the handling of Smith’s situation, which stemmed from a traffic stop on Oct. 7. The former shifts attention from Corum to Edwards; the latter pushes head coach Jim Harbaugh and athletic director Warde Manuel into the media’s crosshairs. Both Harbaugh and Manuel released statements about Smith on Thursday afternoon and made clear the senior captain, who is arguably Michigan’s best defensive player, will remain part of the team — without a suspension — as the legal process unfolds. 

But despite what has become a messy backdrop, the Wolverines are back in the same enviable locale they were last season. They have a chance to repeat as Big Ten champions and already possess a résumé worthy of entrance into the College Football Playoff. Michigan hasn’t won back-to-back league titles since 2003-04 and hasn’t won consecutive outright titles since 1991-92.

The opponent this time around is a topsy-turvy Purdue squad that emerged from the labyrinthine Big Ten West with an 8-4 overall record and a 6-3 mark in conference play. The Boilermakers needed an Iowa loss in the regular season finale to reach the league title game for the first time in school history, and they won’t reach the CFP even if they pull the shocking upset as three-score underdogs. 

In that respect, much of the pressure surrounding Saturday’s game rests with the Wolverines both on and off the field. They pummeled Iowa, 42-3, in last year’s Big Ten title game and will be expected to produce a similar result this weekend regardless of what’s happening in courtrooms and surgical suites — all while their opponent has nothing to lose.

"Been watching Purdue quite a bit," Harbaugh said. "Coach (Jeff) Brohm has done a tremendous job with the team from their very first game. I remember being in this position now, just what that feels like. It’s just so filled with optimism and good feeling with your team. I remember the feeling last year. Nobody expected us to be there last year, and here’s this opportunity to go play in the Championship game. So I know how dangerous a team like that can be. And I would imagine that’s the same feelings Purdue is having."

Here’s a scouting report for the Big Ten Championship:

The matchup

Purdue (8-4, 6-3 Big Ten) vs. No. 2 Michigan (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten)
Game time: 8 p.m. ET on FOX
Odds: Wolverines by 16.5 (per FOX Bet, as of Thursday evening)

Setting the stage

When Michigan has the ball: Prior to Thursday, it was unclear to what extent Corum would be involved in Michigan’s game plan against the Boilermakers. Harbaugh told reporters he expects players who are healthy enough to contribute will do so despite the potential allure of resting them for the CFP. It was presumed that message might apply to Corum after another week of round-the-clock rehab, but that’s no longer a possibility.

With Corum limited to two carries against Ohio State last weekend, the passing attack roared to life against a quality opponent for the first time all season. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy completed 12 of his 24 passes for 263 yards and three scores, all of which were at least 45 yards. He was 6-of-6 for 112 yards and two touchdowns on plays when the Buckeyes blitzed, and wide receiver Cornelius Johnson enjoyed the best game of his career with four catches for 160 yards and two scores.

It wasn’t until the second half that Michigan’s running game churned to life through Edwards, the former five-star recruit who was the No. 3 tailback last season and played second fiddle to Corum in 2022. Edwards plowed his way for a few yards here and a few yards there until the dam broke on a pair of field-tilting touchdown runs that sunk the Buckeyes for good. By setting new career highs in carries (22) and rushing yards (216), Edwards proved he can be a three-down back in Corum’s absence.

"We have to figure out a way to be physical at the point of attack," Brohm said. "Put enough guys in the box to be able to stop the run, but yet you can't abandon covering the pass because they took advantage of that this past game against Ohio State. Hit a lot of big plays. That's why they were able to score a lot of points. They hit big plays in the passing game, they hit big plays in the running game. We have to eliminate the big plays."

The Boilermakers rank 36th in rushing defense (128.8 yards per game) and 59th in passing defense (218.3 yards per game) entering Saturday’s game. 

When Purdue has the ball: Everything in Purdue’s offense revolves around quarterback Aidan O’Connell, a sixth-year senior named second-team All-Big Ten by the league’s coaches earlier this week. O’Connell ranks ninth nationally with 452 pass attempts, and tied for 14th with 284 yards per game, which leads the Big Ten. He’s thrown multiple touchdown passes in seven of the team’s 12 games this season.

But the Boilermakers began their preparations for Michigan without O’Connell following the sudden passing of his oldest brother prior to the regular season finale. O’Connell suited up against Indiana and threw for 290 yards and two scores in a winning effort that secured Purdue’s spot at Lucas Oil Stadium, but he left campus later in the weekend to be with his family. Brohm told reporters he expected O’Connell to rejoin the program with enough time to practice ahead of Saturday’s game.

"Without question I give Aidan a lot of credit," Brohm said in his Monday news conference. "He did what he thought was best. He played his heart out for his teammates and gave us a great effort. Of course, he's got things he has to deal with this week as well, but I think we'll be there to support him. And whenever we can get him back here to get back to work, we look forward to that." 

It’s impossible to predict how O’Connell’s emotions will influence his play on the field, if at all, but the Boilermakers will need him to play high-level football if they want to pull an upset. His primary receiving target is Iowa transfer Charlie Jones, who has already topped 100 yards seven times this season. Jones ranks third nationally in receptions (97), fifth in receiving yards (1,199) and is tied for third in touchdowns (12) after playing mostly special teams for the Hawkeyes. 

Freshman running back Devin Mockobee has carried 165 times for 849 yards and eight touchdowns to bump the Boilermakers to 97th in rushing after finishing outside the top 120 each of the last three years. 

Players to watch

Michigan cornerback Will Johnson: The highest-rated player in Michigan’s 2022 recruiting class earned the first start of his career last week against Ohio State. Johnson was a five-star prospect rated the No. 15 overall player in the country out of the Detroit suburb of Grosse Pointe, Michigan and arrived in Ann Arbor with all the physical tools needed to contribute right away. The son of ex-Wolverine Deon Johnson stands 6-feet-2 and weighs 194 pounds, with long arms and plenty of athleticism to challenge receivers both at the line of scrimmage and at the point of contact downfield. 

Johnson spent the first two months of the season as Michigan’s No. 3 corner behind veterans DJ Turner and Gemon Green, both of whom have played excellently this season, and averaged 22.4 snaps per game. Those numbers began to rise in November at the expense of Green, the weaker of the two starters, and Johnson played a career-high 73 snaps against the Buckeyes to lead all cornerbacks.

A good chunk of Johnson’s reps came against star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. before the Buckeyes shifted him to other parts of the field, according to Harbaugh. Quarterback C.J. Stroud completed all six passes he threw to wideouts covered by Johnson, but gained just 67 yards for his troubles. Johnson finished second on the team with eight tackles, seven of which were solo efforts.

Purdue tight end Payne Durham: After entering the season with a preliminary seventh-round draft grade from NFL scouts, Durham has likely turned some heads as a fifth-year senior. His 54 receptions are the most in the Big Ten among tight ends, and his 550 receiving yards rank second behind Iowa standout Sam LaPorta, a player many expect to be selected in the first three rounds. The only tight end in the country with more touchdowns than Durham (eight) is Notre Dame star Michael Mayer (nine).

Durham enters the Big Ten title game having reached the end zone in three consecutive games and five of his last seven, dating to a win over Maryland on Oct. 8 when he caught seven passes for 109 yards and a score. He’s caught at least five passes in five different games this season and is responsible for 32 first downs, which ranks third nationally among tight ends.

Most of Durham’s production comes on underneath throws within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. He’s caught 37 of 45 passes traveling fewer than 10 yards downfield for 343 yards and four touchdowns. Durham and O’Connell have yet to connect on a pass that traveled at least 20 yards downfield after misfiring on three attempts.

Unsung heroes

Michigan tight end Colston Loveland: The true freshman from Gooding, Idaho, has assumed a critical role for the Wolverines with veteran Erick All undergoing a procedure on his back, and No. 1 tight end Luke Schoonmaker missing time with a minor injury. Loveland played just 59 offensive snaps through the first six games of the season but has averaged 44.3 snaps per game ever since. That includes three consecutive weeks with at least 50 snaps to lead his position group.

At 6-feet-5 and 237 pounds, Loveland has a leaner frame than the tight ends ahead of him on the depth chart and spent part of his high school career split out as a receiver. His excellent speed gives the Wolverines more of a vertical option than Schoonmaker, who thrives on working the underneath areas across the middle. Loveland flashed that big-play potential by hauling in the first touchdown of his career on a 45-yard pass from McCarthy against the Buckeyes.

"Another War Daddy type of guy," Harbaugh said earlier this week. "He catches his first touchdown pass in the game, of his career, and literally I watched him sprint 50 yards back from the end zone because he knew he was on kickoff (coverage). Sprinting back. And we’re like, ‘Colston, it’s good. We’ll get somebody else in there for kickoff coverage.’

"You talk about warming the cockles of the heart, it’s guys like that. What do they mean to the team? Everything."

Purdue left guard Spencer Holstege: The Boilermakers rank fourth nationally among Power 5 schools with an average of 41.2 pass attempts per game. And if an offense is going to throw the ball that much, it better have some solid blockers in the trenches. That’s where Holstege earns his keep.

A redshirt junior from Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he was a three-star recruit ranked outside the top 1,600 overall prospects, Holstege has the second-highest pass-blocking grade of any guard with at least 800 total snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. He has yet to allow a sack or quarterback hit in 491 pass-blocking opportunities and allowed just two sacks and one quarterback hit a year ago on 612 pass-blocking chances. That kind of effort will be critical against a Michigan defense known for its toughness in the trenches.

"Everybody can get really good skill players and do a good job," Brohm said. "My opinion is how good are you going to be upfront?

"Those guys don't get a lot of credit, but that's where you win football games. And that's on the offensive side and the defensive side of the ball. I do think we have developed better depth. We have been able to handle three of our best offensive linemen not being able to play for us and patch things up."

Injury report

Michigan: Anyone who watched last week’s game between Michigan and Ohio State saw how immobile Corum appeared seven days removed from his injury. He wore a brace to protect his knee and carried twice for six yards before removing himself for the remainder of the afternoon. Since then, the Wolverines haven’t provided updates on Corum’s status and made no response to the report by NFL Network. Meanwhile, Edwards played with a cast on his right hand and still carried 22 times for 216 yards and two scores. The biggest remaining injury concern centers on edge rusher Mike Morris (ankle) after he lasted just 11 snaps against the Buckeyes. Morris leads the Wolverines with 7½ sacks this season.  

Purdue: The Boilermakers were dealt a significant blow earlier this week when Brohm told reporters he’s not optimistic about defensive tackle Branson Deen’s chances of playing. Deen was unavailable for the regular season finale against Indiana due to an undisclosed injury and doesn’t seem to be trending in the right direction. He leads Purdue with 33 quarterback pressures and is tied for the team lead with six quarterback hits. Mockobee, the starting tailback, returned to the lineup against the Hoosiers after suffering a concussion during the win over Northwestern earlier this month.

Numbers game

0: The number of times Michigan has won 13 games in a single season. Last week’s win over Ohio State marked the fourth time the Wolverines have reached 12 victories to join teams from 1905, 1997 and 2021. Defeating Purdue in the Big Ten title game or winning a bowl game would set a new program record. The school’s 24 wins in the last two seasons are the most in any two-year stretch.

13: The number of 300-yard passing games for O’Connell, a former walk-on in the 2017 recruiting cycle. O’Connell rose from sixth on the depth chart to claim the starting role and has thrown for 8,853 yards over the last four seasons. He has five 400-yard games and two 500-yard games in 32 career appearances for the Boilermakers. 

2: The number of schools with multiple wins over teams ranked in the top 10 of the penultimate CFP rankings. Michigan has defeated No. 5 Ohio State and No. 8 Penn State, while upstart South Carolina scored victories against No. 7 Tennessee and No. 9 Clemson.

3: The number of victories for Purdue against opponents ranked in the top three during head coach Jeff Brohm’s tenure. The Boilermakers are 3-0 when facing top-three teams after scoring wins over No. 2 Ohio State in 2018 and both No. 2 Iowa and No. 3 Michigan State last season.

82: The number of years since a Michigan player last scored three touchdowns of at least 75 yards in three different ways over the course of a career. Edwards now has a 75-yard touchdown pass, a 77-yard touchdown reception, and, thanks to his breakout performance against the Buckeyes, lengthy touchdown runs measuring 75 yards and 85 yards.

Read more:

• College football bowl projections: Ohio State or Penn State to the Rose Bowl?
• The top 15 prospects NFL scouts will watch in Championship Week
• College football transfer portal tracker: Notable names on the move
• Joel Klatt: Should Ohio State, Alabama make CFP if TCU, USC lose?
• USC-Utah, Michigan-Purdue: Championship Week By The Numbers
• CFP rankings: Ohio State drops to No. 5, but still has a path
• Harbaugh recruits or fit and development, not star rating
• Michigan, USC, TCU carve very different paths to success

Top stories from FOX Sports:

• Week 13 NFL preview: Predictions, analysis, key matchups and stats for every game
• Why Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon is one of Bill Belichick’s best-ever signings
• Justin Verlander is 39. Which team will pay up for the free-agent ace?
• NBA stock watch: Anteteokounmpo, Curry cannot be stopped
• Why USMNT captain Tyler Adams is the ideal leader for coach Gregg Berhalter
• Christian Pulisic injury update: ‘Doing everything in my power’ to play vs Netherlands
• Mexico contends with World Cup heartache and four years of regret
• World Cup Power Rankings: USA cracks top 10, Brazil overtakes France at No. 1
• World Cup 2022 Odds: How to bet USA vs Netherlands

Michael Cohen covers college football and basketball for FOX Sports with an emphasis on the Big Ten. Follow him on Twitter at @Michael_Cohen13.