The Los Angeles Chargers had a disappointing 2023 season that not too many saw coming. That type of thing happens when your starting quarterback misses four and a half games of the season. But even when star wuarterback Justin Herbert was healthy, the Chargers weren’t setting the world on fire; they were 5-7 going into the game against Denver when Herbert was sacked four times and injured for what would be the remainder of the season.
Chargers running on fumes
One of the biggest problems faced by the Chargers was their lack of a running game. They finished 25th in the NFL in rushing yards per game with a meager 96.6 yards. Though the NFL is thought to be a passing league, 11 of the 14 teams in the playoffs in 2023 were in the top 15 in rushing yards per game. Of those teams that weren’t in the top fifteen, one had a rookie quarterback who had a breakout season (Houston’s CJ Stroud), one had arguably the greatest quarterback ever (Chief’s Patrick Mahomes), and one was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Chargers running game was typically putrid. They ran for over 100 yards as a team only five times and scored only 11 touchdowns on the ground, with the latter being bad enough to put them in the bottom five in the NFL. Their leading rushers were Austin Ekeler (628 yards) and Joshua Kelley (405 yards); Kelley averaged only 3.8 yards per carry while Ekeler ran for 3.5 yards per carry, putting him in 47th in the league in the category.
Reunion to recharge the Bolts?
New head coach Jim Harbaugh seems primed to bolster the running game by adding to his offensive line, probably through the draft with Joe Alt out of Notre Dame. They will most likely add a center and more to the line by the time all is said and done, but other help may be on the way.
It makes complete sense for Harbaugh to reunite with Michigan running back Blake Corum, who is being projected as a third-round draft pick. Corum had a good showing at the combine, but may not have done enough to boost his stock into the first couple rounds. His tape however is very impressive and experts love his game. Former running back Maurice Jones-Drew had this to say about the young runner:
The two-time Big Ten Conference Running Back of the Year is compact but packs a punch. Checking in at 5-foot-7 and 205 pounds, Corum is a strong runner with above-average contact balance who thrives as a short-yardage back. He led the FBS with 27 rushing touchdowns (also a school record) in 2023, and of his last 45 rushing TDs at Michigan, only 12 went for more than five yards. He wasn’t used much as a pass catcher, but he could certainly be an asset out of the backfield in the NFL.
In his time at Michigan with Jim Harbaugh as his coach, Blake Corum rushed for 3,737 yards and scored 58 rushing touchdowns. His combination of power, speed, and agility was near impossible to stop for opponents as Michigan often leaned on its running game straight to a national championship. He could sneak into the second round, but most think he’s destined for the third. No matter where he goes, the team that drafts him will get a talented and complete football player.
Waiting game
Harbaugh and the LA Chargers scooping him up in either round of Day 2 wouldn’t surprise anyone, as the former Michigan coach has spoken highly of Corum often. He would slide right into a comfortable position with a great quarterback, (probably) revamped offensive line, and a coach who knows his strengths. It will be interesting to see if the Chargers can make this reunion happen later this month.
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