We’ve all heard the “next” conversation in regard to Michigan’s quarterback situation; it’s been on constant repeat since the days of Chad Henne, which were 14 years ago.

Since then, the Wolverines have had a string of QBs ranging from very good to just OK, or even subpar. Comparisons get floated, hype gets inflated and expectations, in general, get shot to the ground within just a few weeks. There is no need to go through the laundry list of past Wolverines signal-callers who just couldn’t carry the weight or become some superhuman (like fans foolishly expect every year).

Since Jim Harbaugh took over in 2015, Michigan’s best player — at least most of the time — hasn’t been the quarterback. More times than not, it’s been another offensive player or even someone on the defensive side of the ball.

Maybe it’s time to shift the train of thought.

Yes, Michigan needs its QB to be effective; but it doesn’t necessarily need the QB to be the star of the show. Starter Cade McNamara did a suitable job during 2020’s truncated-by-COVID 6-game season, and he’ll likely do the same this season — but imagine if he had a true star on offense, someone to help shoulder responsibility, someone to complement rather than feel the need to support.

That player would be more important than the QB in the big picture.

And that player could most certainly be RB Blake Corum, who, by several accounts, is the closest thing to an actual past Michigan star as any player in recent memory.

The comparisons to Mike Hart, a legendary Wolverines superstar who now coaches the RBs for Harbaugh, are legitimate and sound. They’re logical. They’re not some lofty craziness floated by fans — it’s actually a comparison that Hart has helped push to the surface by putting his personal stamp on the conversation.

Size is the most obvious comparison; it’s something everyone likes to build upon while putting two players head-to-head. So here are the numbers: Corum is 5-8, 200 pounds, while Hart checked in at 5-9 206 during the 2006 NFL Combine.

But there is a lot more.

“He works a lot harder than I worked,” Hart said with a laugh during a recent media availability. “Size-wise, yes (there are similarities). But Blake is a lot faster than me, a lot quicker than me. If I was that fast, I’d probably still be playing in the NFL,” he said, later adding: “He’s a great kid. I think his mentality, the way he does things, the way he approaches the game — I think they’re really similar to the way I did.

He doesn’t like making mistakes. He’s not happy when he makes mistakes. He wants to be perfect, and that’s something that reminds me of myself, from that standpoint.”

On paper, Hart is the greatest RB to ever play in Ann Arbor, leading the program with 5,040 rushing yards; his 41 touchdowns are the 4th-most in program history. If not for a hamstring injury as a sophomore that limited him to 8 games in 2005, Hart would probably sit atop the rushing TD list, hopping over Anthony Thomas’ 49.

So for him to publicly praise Corum in such a way hits harder than most compliments.

Previously, nobody on Harbaugh’s staff, including Harbaugh himself, has directly compared a player to a past legend. There haven’t been, “this guy is the next Charles Woodson,” or “this player can be the next Desmond Howard,” or “this kid is the second coming of Anthony Carter.”

There hasn’t been a quarterback coined as “the next Rick Leach” or linebacker tabbed as “the next LaMarr Woodley.”

However, there have been comparisons to a few recent guys mentioned by important people at Michigan. Harbaugh once said that Michael Dwumfour and Kwity Paye could be a lot like former DL mainstays Mo Hurst and Chase Winovich — but that’s about as close as things have gotten in that type of conversation. Harbaugh doesn’t like comparing players, actually.

With that said, hearing the clear, direct and sincere comparisons mentioned by Hart, along with the comparisons of highlight film, size and build — there is almost nobody else to whom Corum could be compared. This all fits.

During Hart’s time at Michigan, nobody had more touches of the ball. He is the only Michigan RB to have more than 1,000 carries and the only non-OL to have more than 1,000 plays from scrimmage. From 2004 to 2007, Hart — who finished 5th in Heisman voting in 2006 — was the key player in Ann Arbor and one of the most dynamic ball-carriers in college football.

Yes, Henne was important … but UM was fueled by Hart, much in the same way that Corum could do for an ailing offense that’s looking for a true go-to source while the QB position continues to develop.

But either way, Corum could absolutely be the No. 1 option on offense for the next few years. He may not crack Hart’s milestones or have as many touches, but he has the potential to come close to having the same type of impact — being that he’s as close to a carbon copy of Hart as possible.

The hype has been increased because of Hart’s words, not some message board scout or media fluff. Comparisons are always risky, but this one seems rather believable.