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Michigan Football: 3 players set for breakout seasons in 2021

By Brock Heilig

ANN ARBOR, MI - OCTOBER 31: Chris Jackson #12 of the Michigan State Spartans misses a tackle against Blake Corum #2 of the Michigan Wolverines, which resulted in a touchdown, during the first quarter at Michigan Stadium on October 31, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - OCTOBER 31: Chris Jackson #12 of the Michigan State Spartans misses a tackle against Blake Corum #2 of the Michigan Wolverines, which resulted in a touchdown, during the first quarter at Michigan Stadium on October 31, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) /
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No Michigan football fan was pleased with how the football team performed in the 2020 season, and expectations will once again be high as Jim Harbaugh enters year seven with the program.

In order to have a successful rebound season, Michigan will need some players on both sides of the ball to step up and improve their games, and here are three players who are set for breakout seasons in 2021.

Blake Corum, RB

Michigan’s running back room has a chance to be one of the best in recent program memory with talents like Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards, and Tavierre Dunlap coming alongside Hassan Haskins.  Although Junior Hassan Haskins will likely be the team’s go-to option at running back, Corum tops my list of potential breakout players for a number of reasons.

Michigan has never been known as a team to have a workhorse back, in fact, with the exception of Karan Higdon in 2018, no Michigan running back had rushed for 1,000 yards since Mike Hart tallied 1,361 in 2007.  Expect the Wolverines to use a running back-by-committee again, giving Haskins the majority of the carries, but also featuring Corum and Edwards in certain situations.

Corum is listed at 5-foot-8 and 200 pounds entering his second season with Michigan, so he’s not going to throw defenders around like Derrick Henry, but he’s got incredible quickness and agility for a running back.

He’s also got breakaway speed and is hard to tackle once he gets to the second level of the defense.

Corum’s production will also depend on the offensive line, which has been a bit of a question mark in recent program history.  Regardless of the offensive line’s performance, there is a good chance that Blake Corum will be Michigan’s best running back by the end of the season.

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