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Valiant launches ‘One More Year’ fund for Michigan football

Sunday afternoon, the Valiant Management Group launched the ‘One More Year Fund’ for returning Michigan football players.

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Michigan Wolverines running back Blake Corum (2) runs for a touchdown against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the second half Oct. 15, 2022 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.

Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) has been a major player in the ever-changing landscape of college football. The University of Michigan has felt somewhat behind in the game for quite some time, though as of late, the Wolverines are getting more involved. Now, it appears as if Michigan football has caught up and could be leading the charge.

What is Valiant’s ‘One More Year Fund?’

Simply put, it is a fund dedicated to raising NIL money to help sway the Wolverines’ star players to stay in Ann Arbor. With the NFL draft fast approaching, Michigan football will be losing a good amount of talent to the league (per usual). That being said, the addition of NIL over the past couple of years has helped some schools keep their stars in college; after all, more players will stay if they can make equal or similar profits while still in college.

How does this fund work?

Valiant — The leading sports marketing agency representing University of Michigan student-athletes — is one of the few officially supported NIL collectives of the University of Michigan. As such, Valiant launched this crowdfunding campaign that is designed to help the program retain key players from the previous season’s roster — players such as Zak Zinter, Blake Corum, Cornelius Johnson, and more.

100 percent of the proceeds from the fund go directly to the players. Fans can choose how much they’d like to donate to the fund — no donation is too big or too small — however those who donate over $5,000 will receive exclusive donor benefits.

How could this benefit Michigan football?

Like it or not, NIL is a major part of modern college football. Each season, many Wolverines head to the NFL via the draft or free agency — most of these players tend to have remaining eligibility remaining as well. This collective is a huge step in the right direction for Michigan football to retain much of its talent year in and year out.

Right now, we are still waiting for Heisman contender Blake Corum to make a decision on where he will be next fall. Honestly, this decision will come down to many factors such as money, Jim Harbaugh, and more. If Corum is to stay, there is a good chance that he will need a solid amount of NIL funding to make up for any profit that he is missing out on from the NFL.

Corum’s presence on the 2023 roster would be massive for the Wolverines as they attempt to make a third-straight run at the Big Ten and National Championships. This fund is massive for Michigan football and again puts the Wolverines at the forefront of legal NIL funding.

If you’d like to donate to the One More Year Fund, CLICK HERE

CJ has covered college athletics in paid roles for around five years, including numerous sports and beats. His most recent work revolves largely around Penn State and Michigan football and basketball as a member of the credentialed media at both schools. Right now, CJ writes for Blue by Ninety, where he also serves as the site's credentialed football reporter. He also does some credentialed basketball coverage. Previously, CJ has made stops with sites like GBMWolverine, Saturday Blitz, Steeler Nation, and more.

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