Michigan football stock watch: Blake Corum cements legacy, Rod Moore terrorizes Ohio State
Free Press sports writer Tony Garcia breaks down the five Michigan football members who helped their stock the most in the Wolverines' 30-24 win over Ohio State on Saturday at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor:
Five up
Blake Corum: On his final play at Michigan Stadium in 2022, Corum limped off the field after he sustained a knee injury. On the final play at his home stadium in his career on Saturday, Corum lined up behind quarterback J.J. McCarthy in victory formation. Corum said after the game that Saturday's game against Ohio State was among the reasons he'd come back and that he wanted to cement his legacy. He ran 22 times for 88 yards and two touchdowns as he scored at least one touchdown in every regular season game this season. His first touchdown came on fourth-and-goal from inside the 1-yard line and while it won't lead his highlight reel, it was No. 21 on the season, the most by a one player in a single season in program history. His second TD — his 22nd on the year, ironically from 22 yards out — was Michigan's longest rush of the game and came on the first snap after captain Zak Zinter was carted off the field with a broken tibia and fibula.
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James Turner: The Saline native, who spent the past three years as a kicker for Louisville, transferred to U-M this offseason to replace Jake Moody, and in his first opportunity with pressure on the line he came through on Saturday. After he connected on a pair of extra points in the first quarter, Turner knocked home a 50-yard kick to go up seven in the fourth quarter: Turner hadn't even attempted of that range since Week 1, when he went 1-for-2 on kicks from 50 yards and beyond. He added to his big day in the fourth when he knocked home a 38-yarder to go up by 10, then scored the final points of the game from 37 yards out with 1:05, a kick that increased U-M's lead to six, and made Ohio State have to play for the touchdown in the final moments.
Colston Loveland: His coming out party came in Columbus in 2022, so it was only fitting he follow it up with another big performance as a sophomore. Loveland led all Michigan pass catchers, hauling in five passes for 88 yards and turned each one into a first down. His second catch was a 7-yard pass in the flat on fourth-and-1 to keep the drive alive inside OSU territory in the second quarter. But the play everybody will remember was on the first snap of the final frame, Donovan Edwards took the handoff, then threw a half-back pass down field for Loveland, who hauled it in and rumbled down field for a gain of 34, U-M's longest play of the day.
Rod Moore: Often he's not making standout plays, but saving what would be big plays on the other team. Take a look at Saturday, when Moore finished second on the team with five tackles. Three of them came on plays that gained 12 yards or more and a fourth went for a first down. Only one of his tackles didn't come when the sticks move, and on that play he stopped TreVeyon Henderson 1 yard short of the sticks, however OSU moved the markers on the next plays. But Moore came up with a diving interception in the fourth quarter to clinch the victory. Moore, a junior from Ohio, is now 3-0 against his former home-state Buckeyes that never extended him a scholarship offer.
Sherrone Moore: Though the official victory will go on Jim Harbaugh's record per a U-M team spokesman, it will always be remembered as Moore's masterpiece. U-M's offensive line coach, who also took over duties as coordinator this season, told his players he was going to be aggressive before the game and he lived up to his word. Michigan attempted three fourth-down conversions in the first half alone and were successful each time. The first was Corum's push on the goal line, the next came when Corum dove for a gain of 2 on fourth-and-1 in the second quarter and the last was Loveland's grab later on the drive. He also is the one who dialed up the running back pass play — a design he first saw back in 2018 — as well as chose the perfect moment to unleash backup quarterback Alex Orji on a read-option for a gain of 20. It was as big as a game could possibly be in the regular season and Moore never flinched. Don't be surprise if that's the performance that earns him the Broyles Award as the nation's top coordinator.
JEFF SEIDEL: Sherrone Moore showed he's a heck of a coach; if Jim Harbaugh leaves, his replacement is obvious
Contact Tony Garcia: apgarcia@freepress.com. Follow him at @realtonygarcia.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football stock watch: Who showed up big vs. Ohio State
