One More Year Campaign Aids Michigan's Quest for National Championship
By Les Morris
Jan. 4th, 2023 - When Blake Corum crashed into the end zone from 17 yards out in overtime at the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day, his bolt to Michigan legend status was led by pulling right guard Karsen Barnhart’s key block.
But another assist from the NIL world contributed to senior Corum and graduate student Barnhart being on the field in Pasadena to make the play that was instrumental in the Wolverines 27-20 thriller over Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal game.
Last January the Champions Circle Collective along with the help of its marketing arm, Valiant Management Group, launched the “One More Year Fund,” with the objective of raising enough money to keep players in Maize and Blue uniforms and not turn pro. Corum was one of the main targets.
Part of Valiant’s press release announcing the fund reads: “…Fans have the option to donate any amount of money, but those who donate over $5,000 will receive exclusive donor benefits. Donations go directly to the One More Year Fund which is a dedicated NIL fund for key football players who return for the 2023 season and a run at the national championship.”
Michigan faces off against Washington for the national championship on Monday evening in Houston. Mission accomplished.
Justin Roh is Valiant’s general manager, and he was at the Rose Bowl watching the back-and-forth dramatics. He immediately realized the significance of the moment and the role he and his employees had played behind the scenes.
“I sent out a group chat to our team that said, ‘You should all be very proud because if not for the efforts of what you did and more importantly our donors who were willing and able to support us, Blake Corum doesn’t make that run.’
The 2023 One More Year Fund was a huge success. In just a week’s time last January, it raised over $150,000 from over 1,000 donors. Twelve to 13 student-athletes, including Corum and Barnhart, were recipients.
Valiant GM Roh laughs and says, “I’m not going to take the credit for Blake’s run because he is a phenomenal athlete, but I think we do deserve some credit at Champions Circle for being able to retain these guys.”
Suffice it to say that the One More Year Fund is going to continue for at least one more year with an announcement about the 2024 version coming as early as this week as the Wolverines hope to make it to the championship game of the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff next January in Atlanta.
Roh has had a busy week. After returning to Michigan at midnight on Tuesday, he and his team met with the coaching staff and athletic department to talk about their plans for the championship game. They will hold an event at the team hotel on game day for 100 to 200 donors and prospective donors.
It's a great time to be a Michigan Man or Woman, as the Wolverines go for their 12th national football title and first since 1997. And as with seemingly everything surrounding college sports today, NIL played a role in their run – and certainly the run that got them there.
