“Follow Maize n Brew and ponder the question… ‘What if?’”
“Time. Space. Reality. It’s more than a linear path. It’s a prism of endless possibility. Where a single choice can branch out into infinite realities, creating alternate worlds from the ones you know.”
That’s part of the intro to Marvel’s “What If…?” series on Disney+, the inspiration for what will be an offseason series contemplating a world where things happened differently in college football and in Ann Arbor in 2023.
Just like the Avengers conquering Thanos and restoring half of the universe’s population, Michigan was victorious over all of college football this past season.
We’ll explore worlds where things happened differently. Sometimes, the result of a championship will be the same, just in different ways. Other realities are much more grim. Maize n Brew will guide you through these realities and ponder the question, What if…
What if… Blake Corum didn’t return for his final year of eligibility?
There was 1:36 left in the first half of Michigan’s senior day and the final home game of the 2022 Wolverines’ season against the Illinois Fighting Illini . Team hero and Heisman candidate Blake Corum had already tallied 108 rushing yards on 18 first-half carries while punching in his 18th touchdown of the season. But right before achieving glory again to put the Wolverines up by two scores, Corum was struck by a defender on the kneecap, and he immediately clutched it in pain.
Fear, pain, and loss were also felt by many Michigan faithful, knowing that the stakes of what was ahead of them with the Ohio State Buckeyes on the horizon and a return to the College Football Playoff at stake. It was also potentially the final time a Michigan legend may have touched the football field for the maize and blue.
Corum toughed it out after the Wolverines emerged victorious over Illinois, and gave it a go in the first half against Ohio State in Columbus, but saw just one carry. After the momentous win over the Buckeyes at the Shoe, Michigan would be taking on the rest if the season and the CFP without its star player and face of the program.
In your reality, Corum solidified his legacy as one of the elite of the elite Michigan men that have come through Ann Arbor. He spurned the NFL to return to the program for “unfinished business” and reclaimed glory for the Michigan Wolverines on college football’s mountain top as the National Champions.
But in another reality not too distant from yours, Corum went to the pros. He felt his destiny fulfilled in Ann Arbor and wanted to take the recovery time to prepare for the NFL and every football player’s dream of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. There was no double-overtime, lead-changing run, or fourth down conversion on the final drive of regulation in the Rose Bowl . He finished a tier below the legends of Ann Arbor, and they ponder to this day, What if… Blake Corum never got hurt?
With his exit to the NFL, Michigan turned to Donovan Edwards to be the starter a year earlier and Kalel Mullings to be the short-yardage back in an offense riddled with talent-even without Corum.
Similar to your timeline, Edwards had the game of his life against Ohio State, rushing on back-to-back possessions for 70-plus yard touchdowns and carrying the Wolverines on his shoulders into postseason play. Naturally, the expectation from the fanbase was for there to be little to no dropoff in the transition because of the way Edwards excelled.
With Corum not returning, Edwards never lost his touch nor his confidence from that historic run. He burst through the opening gates of the season accounting for over 150 total yards per game with J.J. McCarthy as his quarterback, just playing the first three quarters of games. Michigan was able to use Edwards just as effectively as a receiver out of the backfield than as a running back carrying the ball. It was obvious to college football early on that the Wolverines potentially had the best back in the country on their roster.
Edwards became a sight to see in the national media’s eyes, the guy to watch in college football alongside the list of players like USC QB Caleb Williams, LSU QB Jayden Daniels, and WR Marvin Harrison Jr. at Ohio State. NFL Draft scouts raved about the versatility of Edwards and how he perfectly fit the mold of what pass-happy offenses in the pros dream about.
With little depth behind him, Edwards ran for over 200 yards and three touchdowns against Penn State while the Wolverines only threw the ball once in the second half. He followed that up by surpassing the century mark against Ohio State, sealing a game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter to give him 20-plus total touchdowns on the season.
By year’s end, Edwards was in New York at the Heisman Trophy ceremony, finishing second to Daniels by a handful of votes. He’d finish with one of the greatest seasons from a running back in college football history with just over 1,900 rushing yards and almost 450 receiving yards while scoring 23 times. The uproar from Michigan fans for Edwards not winning the Heisman was loud, and it was the talk of sports media for the remainder of the season.
But, Edwards wasn’t focused on the accolades, and the team rallied behind his selflessness and focus on the task ahead: winning a national championship. The superstar had his worst game of the season on the ground against Alabama in the Rose Bowl, adding sparks to the Heisman-loss conversation. But, Michigan pulled away victorious thanks to the defense and the arm of McCarthy.
It all came down to the National Championship Game where the Michigan running back had one of the single greatest games in college football history. He broke away on a 50-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to give the Wolverines the lead. He’d have four runs on the day of over 20 yards and another three catches for 25 yards out of the backfield. Overall, 200 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 23 carries.
Forever, Edwards would be known as the greatest running back in Michigan football history. For not only had he saved the Big Ten Championship season in 2022 and carried the Wolverines to the College Football Playoff, but he answered back with potentially the most impressive season from a running back since Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State in 1988.
Blake Corum’s legacy still lived on, but it was overshadowed by Edwards and the efforts that he displayed in his stead. Rather than Corum being remembered as the face of the three-peat Michigan run and the National Championship, it is Donovan Edwards who cements his status among the greats to play in the Big House.
Others in this series: