Big Ten Football

Michigan running back Blake Corum hasn't made a final decision on whether to return to the Wolverines next season or declare for the 2023 NFL draft.

Corum told ESPN's Adam Schefter that he's "50-50" and still weighing his options:

Corum also said recently that he'll come to a decision "sooner than later," per Angelique Chengelis of The Detroit News. The deadline for players to declare for the 2023 draft is Jan. 16.

The 22-year-old is in his third season with the Wolverines. In 12 games this season, he rushed for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also caught 11 passes for 80 yards and one score.

However, Corum's year was cut short after he underwent season-ending knee surgery following an injury in a Nov. 19 matchup against Illinois. He was widely considered a Heisman Trophy candidate before being sidelined.

During his time at Michigan, Corum has rushed for 2,489 yards and 31 touchdowns in 30 games, in addition to catching 40 passes for 294 yards and two scores.

Corum won't get the chance to help Michigan compete for the national title in the College Football Playoff because of his injury. The No. 2 Wolverines will begin their playoff journey against No. 3 TCU in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31.

If Corum thinks Michigan can get back to the CFP in 2023, that could also play into his decision. If he decides to return to Ann Arbor for another season, it could also help his draft stock.

However, Corum is still expected to be one of the top picks at his position in the 2023 draft despite his injury.

Some of the other top running backs who have or are expected to declare for the 2023 NFL draft include Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Zach Evans and Mohamed Ibrahim. Robinson has been viewed as a potential first-round pick, which has become rare for running backs of late.

Ohio State freshman offensive lineman Avery Henry announced Monday on Twitter that he has been diagnosed with a form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma.

Per ESPN's Adam Rittenberg, osteosarcoma is "most commonly found in teenagers and young adults." Henry said he will fight the disease and thanked his teammates:

After Henry's announcement, teammates sent him messages of support:

A 6'6", 309-pound offensive tackle from St. Clairsville, Ohio, Henry was a 3-star recruit. He initially committed to Iowa State before flipping to Ohio State because he wanted to be closer to home.

In his 2021 evaluation of Henry, 247Sports recruiting analyst Allen Trieu wrote: "Physical and strong. Shows he can bend his taller frame well. ... Developmental ceiling is high—could need some time to get there but has already shown he will work away from the game as far as strength and conditioning."

In June, Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors detailed how Henry went from nearly 400 pounds to 305 over his last two years of high school.

"It came to my mind that at 400 pounds, I couldn't take care of my family. I couldn't provide in the way I wanted to provide for my future kids and my family," Henry said. "In the matter of one day, I was like, 'Hey, I'm gonna change everything.' And I changed everything in that day from eating habits to running to lifting to everything."

Henry hasn't appeared in a game for Ohio State. He will have four years of eligibility remaining after this redshirt season.

The No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2024, quarterback Dylan Raiola, has decommitted from Ohio State, his family told Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports.com on Saturday.

"Everything is back on the table," his father, Dominic Raiola, told Wiltfong. "His process is almost like it's restarting. It's not closed off to anybody."

The 6'3", 220-pound Raiola, from Chandler, Arizona, had offers from many of the biggest programs in the country, including Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, Oregon, Texas, Nebraska and USC, among others.

He verbally committed to Ohio State on May 9 but decided to reopen the recruiting process.

"We have a lot of respect for that program. We have a lot of respect for coach [Ryan] Day. It's just where Dylan is at right now," his father added, per Adam Gorney of Rivals.

His re-opened recruitment will make him the top priority for a number of programs, given his immense potential. The ties to Nebraska in particular are hard to ignore:

Chris Singletary of 247Sports.com offered the following scouting report on Raiola, in part:

A young player who has very few holes in his game even with two more years of high school left. Ahead of the curve mechanically and possesses the arm strength that puts him in elite company. The more he plays and has reps his decision making and feel will only get faster and become second nature. Should become a Power Five starter for multiple years and a potential all-conference selection with NFL Draft early-round upside.

It won't be until 2024 that Raiola is even on a college campus as a student-athlete. But his decommitment from a powerhouse such as Ohio State is nonetheless one of the biggest stories in the recruiting world.

Drew Brees is going back to Purdue as an interim assistant coach ahead of the Citrus Bowl.

The school announced Thursday that Brees will work on the field with players and participate in recruiting.

He said in a statement:

"I am extremely excited to work with our team over the next few weeks as we prepare for the Citrus Bowl. I see it not only as an opportunity to coach and mentor this group of young men, but represent all the former Purdue players that care so much about our program. This is also preparation for the future of Purdue Football with new head coach Ryan Walters. I had a great conversation with Coach Walters last night, and love the energy, passion and detail he will bring to our program. The future is bright, and there is no better time to be a Boilermaker!"

Per Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger, Brees wanted to help the football team as it transitions to Walters as its new head coach.

Former head coach Jeff Brohm left Purdue to take the same position at the University of Louisville. The 51-year-old is from Louisville and played football at the school from 1989 to 1993. He also worked as an assistant coach for the Cardinals from 2003 to 2008.

The Boilermakers had an inconsistent six-season run under Brohm. They went 36-34, and this season saw them play in the Big Ten Championship Game for the first time.

Brian Brohm, Jeff's brother and Purdue's offensive coordinator since 2017, will serve as interim head coach for the Citrus Bowl.

Walters was named as Brohm's replacement Tuesday. He spent the past two seasons as the defensive coordinator at the University of Illinois.

Brees, Purdue's starting quarterback from 1998 to 2000, is one of the best football players in school history. He is its all-time leader in passing yards (11,792), completions (1,026) and passing touchdowns (90).

In his final college season, Brees led the Boilermakers to a share of the Big Ten championship and an appearance in the Rose Bowl.

A victory in the Citrus Bowl will give Purdue nine wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1997-98.

University of California regents voted Wednesday to allow UCLA to leave the Pac-12 and join the Big Ten, according to Ben Bolch, Thuc Nhi Nguyen and Steve Henson of the Los Angeles Times.

UCLA will join fellow Southern California school USC in the Big Ten, which will expand to 16 teams once the additions take effect in 2024.

The vote ended 11-5 in favor of UCLA's conference change:

UCLA's athletic director, Martin Jarmond, released the following statement regarding Wednesday's news:

The move is expected to have major financial benefits for UCLA. Per the L.A. Times report, "In just its first year of Big Ten membership, the school is projected to pocket $65 million to $75 million in media rights revenue, roughly doubling what it would have made by remaining in the Pac-12 Conference."

But it caused controversy and subsequent months of negotiations since UCLA will leave behind its sister school, UC Berkeley.

"Not all money is good money," wrote former UCLA linebacker Ramogi Huma, who serves as the executive director of the National College Players Association, to the regents. "The regents should not let a handful of people sell the soul of the UCLA athletics program for TV dollars that will be spent on luxury boxes in stadiums and lavish salaries for a few."

The regents secured certain guarantees in return for allowing UCLA's departure, however:

The Big Ten has also agreed to assist UCLA with its increased travel costs and considerations by "holding neutral-site jamborees involving Olympic sports from multiple conference schools," per the LA Times.

The UCLA-USC addition was the Big Ten's answer after longtime Big 12 powerhouses Oklahoma and Texas announced they would join the SEC. The conferences continue to jockey for position as the most powerful in the NCAA sporting landscape, namely in the cash cow that is college football.

5-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith announced his intention to play for Ohio State on Wednesday.

"What stood out to me the most was brotherhood and I could see it," Smith told Hayes Fawcett of On3. "It was obvious from the start with the players, with the coaches, and how they ran practice. I knew that there was no place like it and it was special, and it was a great opportunity I couldn't miss out on."

Smith is the nation's top-ranked wide receiver and No. 2 overall player in the 2024 class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He chose the Buckeyes over offers from Miami, USC, Georgia, Florida and Florida State.

The Chaminade-Madonna Prep product is listed at 6'3" and 185 pounds, already giving him the type of frame that should make him an instant impact player at Ohio State. He said the Buckeyes'. recent history of developing first-round talent at the wide receiver position helped make his decision.

"That means a lot to me," Smith said. "It shows me that Coach Hartline is developing guys. I know coach Hartline will develop me to be the best version of myself into becoming a first-round pick like he did with Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave."

Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave were both taken in the first 11 picks of last April's draft, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba could also come off the board in Round 1 next year. Marvin Harrison Jr. is a mortal lock for first-round status whenever he becomes draft eligible in 2024.

The departure of Harrison could open up a hole wide-open for Smith to step in and become the next great Buckeyes wideout. He has the type of top-end speed and athleticism that makes him an ideal fit in Ryan Day's uptempo offense.

Smith is the fourth player to commit to Day in the 2024 class. He joins 5-star quarterback Dylan Raiola, 4-star offensive lineman Ian Moore and 4-star athlete Garrett Stover.

Purdue named Ryan Walters as its next football head coach on Tuesday.

The announcement fills the vacancy created when former head coach Jeff Brohm left for his alma mater Louisville.

Walters, 36, becomes the fourth-youngest head coach in FBS after spending the past two years as the defensive coordinator at Illinois.

"Purdue is a world-class university, and our football program will pursue the same excellence exhibited across our campus," Walters said in a statement. "My wife Tara and I, along with our boys, are beyond excited to join the Purdue and West Lafayette communities. Boiler Up!"

Illinois currently has the No. 1 scoring defense in college football this season, allowing just 12.3 points per game en route to an 8-4 record. Only three of 12 opponents topped 20 points against the Illini this year, while even No. 2 Michigan was held in check before pulling out a 19-17 win.

It's been part of a massive transformation for Illinois, which went 2-6 during the shortened 2020 season with a defense that was tied for 97th in college football in points allowed (34.9 per game).

Walters turned things around after arriving in 2021, leading the 29th-ranked scoring defense (21.9 ppg), before putting together an elite unit in 2022.

The former Colorado safety transitioned to coaching after graduating in December 2008, becoming a student assistant for the Buffaloes. After stops at Arizona, Oklahoma, North Texas and Memphis, Walters spent six seasons at Missouri and worked his way up to defensive coordinator.

The coach will look to continue his success at Purdue, which went 17-9 the past two years under Brohm. The squad earned a trip to the Big Ten title game this year and will head to the Citrus Bowl against LSU with an 8-5 record.

Michigan Wolverines' honorary football captain Dametrius "Meechie" Walker died on Friday after two years of treatment for osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, according to Josh VanDyke of MLive.com.

Walker, a 3-star defensive lineman in the Class of 2022, per 247Sports.com's Composite Rankings, and offers from several schools. He had wanted to play for the Wolverines collegiately but was forced to quit football in 2020, ahead of his senior year at Muskegon High School, because of his cancer diagnosis.

He eventually needed to have his left leg amputated to help stop the cancer from spreading.

Michigan learned of his story and invited him to a practice in August before this season, where he met with the team.

The Wolverines then made him an honorary captain and he came out on the field before a Sept. 24 matchup with Maryland, receiving an ovation from the crowd.

Following Michigan's 34-27 win, the team dedicated the win to him and later gave Walker the game ball following a 41-17 win over Penn State.

"It was just an instant bond there," head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters after the Maryland game regarding Walker. "Instant click with our team. The love that he gives out, you feel that and you want to give that. Our players, they've got big hearts."