With Sherrone Moore fired, Ann Arbor faces a challenging stretch. Now, all eyes are on interim head coach Biff Poggi to steer the Wolverines through the Citrus Bowl. While the 65-year-old faces a demanding tenure ahead, the Michigan locker room has got his back, along with alum Blake Corum voicing his support.

“He was my high school head coach. Great dude,” RB Blake Corum says in a conversation with Jim Rome. “He’ll be able to rally the team for the game. Who they playing? Texas? Biff Poggi will be able to do that.”

“Same dude loves the game of football, loves his players. You know, great guy, very human. So he’ll be able to rally the guys with all the things going on right now back in Ann Arbor, and he’ll be ready to put that bowl game.”

Currently, Michigan is knee-deep in controversy. After firing HC Sherrone Moore for cause due to “inappropriate relationship with a staff member”, the former head coach’s actions resulted in three criminal charges, comprising third-degree home invasion, stalking in a domestic relationship, and breaking. While the program treads on these delicate matters, Biff Poggi is tasked with guiding the Wolverines into the Citrus Bowl against Texas. And Blake Corum is confident that his former coach can navigate the program through these challenges.

For Biff Poggi, if his Michigan tenure has taught him anything, it’s all about tackling adversity. The interim head coach has already sailed on a similar boat. Biff Poggi arrived in Michigan as an analyst in 2016. Although he left for a while, he returned in 2021 and spent the next two seasons as an associate head coach. The next two seasons saw him take up the head coach gig at Charlotte, but in 2025, he made his second homecoming.

On the other hand, the last two seasons proved to be an uphill climb at Michigan. On the heels of the national championship win, the Wolverines were embroiled in the sign-stealing scandal- the consequences of which were felt during the 2025 campaign as well. When Moore faced a two-game suspension, Poggi took the reins, successfully beating Nebraska and Central Michigan.

It won’t be the first time Poggi has been named interim head coach. Circumstances have once again called in to seek his assistance, and optimism is at its peak. Undoubtedly, Poggi has found his tribe in his players. And with Blake Corum, that connection runs much deeper.

Before Michigan, Blake Corum Played for Coach Biff Poggi

A 5’8, 185-pound recruit, Corum and Poggi go a long way back to the St. Frances Academy in Laurel, Maryland. The former four-star recruit was a menace at the Panthers, earning the Gatorade Player of the Year and more. Throughout that journey, Poggi was a constant support. Although a Virginia native, Corum’s football journey took him to Maryland, towards Poggi’s program. It was 2019, and Poggi had already built the Panthers into national prominence. Coming from Virginia, Corum had already taken a liking to the Panthers. However, Poggi was not sold on the high school recruit. But Corum remained resolute, and even in the face of stiffer competition, he did not balk.

“I’ll (Blake) beat everybody out, and I’m coming to win the national championship. I said, ‘OK, you’ve got a scholarship,” Poggi said, quoting Blake. “The rest was history.”

At Michigan, that competitive edge and grit have made him a distinguished player. Honored with the Doak Walker Award, 2x Heisman finalist, and numerous Big Ten honors, Blake Corum made his mark. In 2024, Blake Corum went to the NFL Draft and was selected as the No. 83rd pick in the third round by the Los Angeles Rams. He signed a $5.7 million four-year rookie contract.

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Since then, both individuals have taken on different chapters in their lives. While Corum is grinding on the NFL turf, Biff Poggi is steering the Wolverines to a bowl game. Though he is no longer a student under Poggi, his admiration for his former head coach hasn’t dimmed a bit. Michigan is currently knee-deep in controversy, but just as Poggi once trusted Corum to compete in high school, his former player now places that same confidence in his former coach.

On Dec. 31, Michigan will face off against Arch Manning’s Texas Longhorns at the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.