What happened to Blake Corum’s nose? Why Michigan RB wears a bandage weeks after bloody injury

Blake Corum is a hard-nosed running back. But even the Michigan star has his limits.

For much of November, any look at Corum without his helmet has shown a battered face with bandages across the bridge of his nose, typically soaked through at least a little bit in blood.

Corum is a physical running back unafraid of contact. Entering the Big Ten Championship, he has forced 20 missed tackles and has averaged 2.56 yards after contact per attempt, and 124 of his carries have been on gap runs, according to PFF. Overall, he has 202 carries for 976 yards with 22 rushing touchdowns.

MORE: Could Jim Harbaugh leave Michigan for NFL coaching job?

Running backs are facing contact on almost every play, whether it’s running the ball, catching the ball or pass protecting. But how did Corum sustain this particular injury? Here’s what you need to know.

What happened to Blake Corum’s nose?

The nose injury to Corum happened at some point during Michigan’s game against Penn State. It is not entirely clear at what point he sustained the injury.

During the game, he rushed 26 times for a season-best 145 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns to help lead the Wolverines past the Nittany Lions 24-15. And after the game, he was eager to jump at the postgame TV interview on the field, bloody nose and all.

And an up-close photo showed just how the injury looked:

Has it gotten any better over time? After Michigan’s win over arch-rival Ohio State, Corum could still be seen with a bandage on his nose, though it was significantly less bloody than after the win against Penn State.

There’s been no word exactly on what happened to his nose. But without enough time to heal between games, a player who suffers an injury to the bridge of his nose (often caused by his helmet) then risks reinjuring it — sometimes week after week.

However, according to the Cleveland Clinic, a broken nose can take between three and six weeks to fully recover. On Saturday in the Big Ten championship, it will officially be three weeks since Corum sustained the injury. Don’t be surprised if he’s taped up again.