Michigan Football: Breaking down Heisman odds for Wolverines
By Brady Back
The Heisman Trophy has long been the crowning jewel of individual achievement in college football. This season two Michigan football players are with listed odds to win the Heisman Trophy; Blake Corum and JJ McCarthy.
The Wolverines haven’t had a Heisman Trophy winner since 1997 when Charles Woodson took home the award over Payton Manning and Ryan Leaf. More recently, however, the Wolverines have seen Jabril Peppers and Aidan Hutchinson both finish within the top five.
How realistic is it to see Corum or McCarthy take home the award?
(Odds Per DraftKings and are always subject to change)
Blake Corum (+1800)
The Wolverines’ running back was on many preseason watchlists for awards, including the Doak Walker Award, and was among ESPN’s potential Heisman candidates. Based on his performance so far this season, it’s easy to see why.
Corum has rushed for 611 yards and ten touchdowns in Michigan football’s first five games. To put that in perspective, Corum has already rushed for over half of what he did last season and tied his touchdown total from a year ago. Nationwide, Corum leads the country in touchdowns and is fourth in rushing.
Corum has looked unstoppable at points this season and will continue to be one of the Wolverines’ biggest weapons on offense. Obviously, his production will slow down slightly as Michigan football enters into tougher games against conference opponents. However, as Corum succeeds so do the Wolverines. Establishing the run is crucial for U-M, which means getting the ball into Blake Corum’s hands and letting him go to work.
JJ McCarthy (+12500)
Since his commitment to Michigan football as a five-star recruit, many Wolverines fans have hoped JJ would blossom into a Heisman candidate. Since taking over as a starter, McCarthy hasn’t disappointed.
Statistically, Corum has the edge on McCarthy as of now. JJ has thrown for 848 yards, six touchdowns, and has a QBR of 82.2. On a national scale, McCarthy has the 13th-highest QBR among college quarterbacks and leads the nation in completion percentage at 78.6.
JJ’s performance this season has been far from disappointing thus far, yet isn’t Heisman-worthy yet. Like Corum, McCarthy is also key to Michigan’s success. The future of the Wolverines is certainly riding on the arm (and legs) of JJ McCarthy. I would expect McCarthy to put up better numbers as the season goes on and he becomes more comfortable as a starter. He will also need a Heisman moment to solidify any solid case for the award.
Bottom Line: Corum is the Safer Pick
At the end of the day, Blake Corum looks like the safer pick. His production and numbers are more on par with that of a Heisman Trophy candidate than McCarthy’s. However, the Heisman Trophy has been a quarterback award in recent years, which could bear well for McCarthy’s case.
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The Wolverines haven’t had a Heisman Trophy winner since 1997 when Charles Woodson took home the award over Payton Manning and Ryan Leaf. More recently, however, the Wolverines have seen Jabril Peppers and Aidan Hutchinson both finish within the top five.