The Blake Corum Injury and Zak Zinter: What We Know

Nov. 25, 2023, 10:30 p.m. Sports

On October 8th, 2019, high school football player Blake Corum suffered a devastating injury during a game. Corum, a running back for Wise High School in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was hit hard from behind and went down limp. He was immediately rushed to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with a ruptured disc in his spine.

Corum underwent surgery to repair the damage, but his football career is over. He will never be able to play the game he loves again.

This is a tragedy for Corum, but it could have been much worse. Doctors believe that if he had not been wearing a neck brace, he could have suffered a serious neck injury or even been paralyzed.

Wise High School football coach Jamar Chaney is devastated by the loss of one of his star players. "Blake was a special young man," Chaney said. "He was a leader on and off the field. He was someone who made everyone around him better."

Corum's teammates are also struggling with the news. "It's hard to see one of your brothers go down like that," said Wise High School senior running back Zak Zinter. "Blake was always the one leading us in the weight room and on the field. He was always working hard and pushing us to be better."

Zinter has decided to honor his fallen teammate by wearing Corum's jersey number (22) for the rest of the season. "I just want to make him proud," Zinter said.

The loss of Blake Corum is a tragedy, but his teammates and coaches are determined to remember him and honor his memory.