Michigan football freshman RB Jordan Marshall compares to Blake Corum.

With the departures of Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards, Michigan football has a true freshman starting running back against No. 11 Alabama in the 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl. It's fair to say that supporters of The Maze and Blue liked what they saw.

Jordan Marshall, a former four-star and top-100 prospect in the Class of 2024, finished with 100 yards on 23 carries in the Wolverines' 19-13 comeback win over the Crimson Tide. Received MVP honors In the process. It was the freshman's first career start.

After the game, Michigan coach Sharon Moore made a comparison that raised eyebrows whenever he discussed Marshall's performance.

“I think his future is bright,” Moore said. “Like I said, he reminds me a lot of Blake (Corum), the way he approaches the business and what he does off the field to take care of his body, and I've definitely seen how he runs. He's a physical runner. He can do it. He definitely has the explosiveness to make people miss.

“He's going to be a special back. He's got a lot of ability, but he works really hard, so I think that's what makes him really different.”

Here's a video highlight of Jordan Marshall's performance against Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

This is a truly important comparison.

Corum is arguably the greatest running back in Michigan football history. He set Michigan's single-season records for rushing touchdowns (27), total touchdowns (28) and points scored (168) during his senior season, helping the Wolverines win a national championship in the process.

Corum finished his college career as Michigan's all-time leader in rushing touchdowns (58), total touchdowns (61) and points (366), and his 3,737 career rushing yards rank seventh in school history. He was a unanimous All-American in 2023 and added three Big Ten championships and a Rose Bowl championship to his career resume.

That's who Sherrone Moore said Marshall reminds him of, and it's a very exciting prospect. Although Michigan lost two pillars of its offense in Mullings and Edwards this offseason, there is plenty of reason to be optimistic about the Wolverines' future with running back Marshall, redshirt freshman Benjamin Hall and incoming Alabama transfer Justice Haynes.

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