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Posted on Tue, Jun 1, 2010 : 3:05 p.m.

Michigan recruit Shawn Conway didn't think twice about accepting scholarship

By Dave Birkett

Shawn Conway committed to Michigan two minutes after the Wolverines offered him a scholarship. It only took him that long because Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez was still explaining everything the offer entailed.

“It just felt so surreal,” Conway said of his February commitment. “The college that I’ve always wanted to come to, they just offered me. I just took it. I didn’t have to think about it at all.”

In the two months since he put an early end to his recruitment, Conway has been a fixture in and around the Michigan program.

He took in five or six spring practices and Michigan’s spring game, attended the BBQ at the Big House recruiting event last month, and is even helping with the recruitment of Michigan target Valdez Showers, Conway’s teammate on a statewide 7-on-7 team that will play for the national championship this July.

One of just a handful of outside receivers with Michigan offers, Conway first appeared on the Wolverines’ radar with a strong performance at Michigan’s 7-on-7 camp last summer.

He followed that up with a breakout junior season, catching 38 passes for 640 yards and six touchdowns despite constant double teams, and at 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds has desirable size to go with a 37-inch vertical jump.

“This state’s going to see the absolute best Shawn Conway possible this year,” Birmingham Seaholm coach Chris Fahr said. “Michigan is going to get a great football player and a great person. Even though they’re really excited about what they’re getting, I don’t even think they have any idea about the season that this kid is going to have.”


Fahr said Conway, who also intercepted two passes as a defensive back last year, made a handful of lifestyle changes that should pay dividends on the field.

He changed his diet to include more protein and do away with most fast foods, and he dedicated himself to the weight room since the end of a basketball season in which he averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds per game.

“He’s probably going to play 15 to 20 pounds heavier than he did last year,” Fahr said. “He’s spent a lot more time in the weight room. He’s being a lot more diligent with his diet as well as he’s working his butt off.

“I expect him to be a 6-foot-4, 195-pound, 200-pound physical yet athletic receiver next year.”

Conway was recruited by most of the Big Ten but doesn’t have any other offers, and Fahr said the Wolverines deserve credit for identifying Conway as early as they did.

Quarterbacks coach Rod Smith was Conway’s primary recruiter, and Fahr said he was the first Michigan assistant to visit Seaholm in his 11 years at the school.

“He grew up a Michigan fan, he loved Michigan, that was his dream school,” Fahr said. “That’s not bad, your first offer is from your dream school.”

Briefly
Recruiting website Rivals.com published its first "Rivals 100" list of top prospects Tuesday. None of Michigan's five verbal commitments ranks in the top 100, but the Wolverines do have several targets on the list. North Carolina linebacker Kris Frost is No. 27, Florida running back Dee Hart is No. 34, Florida defensive back Sammy Watkins is 39 and Michigan lineman Anthony Zettel is No. 58.

For the complete list, click here.

Dave Birkett covers University of Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at 734-623-2552 or by e-mail at davidbirkett@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

Comments

Robbie Webb

Wed, Jun 2, 2010 : 10:08 p.m.

(Nothing): Very young players, walkons at key spots, key injuries, no depth, and very little veteran leadership and experience. Show me a team that had all of that going wrong with them all at the same time and did well...Yeah, that's what I thought.

Robbie Webb

Wed, Jun 2, 2010 : 10:04 p.m.

OSU, actually, OSU was favored far beyond Florida in 2006 and you got destroyed. And OSU also loses a good handful of their bowl games with the exception of OSU lucking out of playing USC again in the Rose Bowl this past year. And nobowl, again, you have to understand that Michigan had nothing the first two years. Dantonio and Tressel have been their longer and did not have all that went wrong for Michigan when they first started.

PortageLkBlu

Wed, Jun 2, 2010 : 8:26 p.m.

Man oh Man it's time to get the 2010 season under way you guys are just plain getting redundant and boring and your starting to attack each other which smells of boredom. Wipe your eyes and blow your noses crybabies the season is just around the corner.

NoBowl4Blue

Wed, Jun 2, 2010 : 4:42 p.m.

Robbie, not bragging on OSU but they have had best defense in Big Ten and they have won what 5 or 6 straight B!) titles. It will be "D" that will make MSU a factor and U of M's downfall.

OSUbeBetter

Wed, Jun 2, 2010 : 3:45 p.m.

robbie, Those two SEC teams just happened to be the number one teams in all of college football in those years. I think Michigan Lost to toledo and 1AA App state those years for a comparison. OHIO also won a #1 Vs. 2 game against Texas and #1 Vs. 2 against Michigan in the same year. If all you can say is that OHIO sometimes looses to the best teams in college football, and thats your argument for them being in such pitiful shape, then OHIO is doing just fine.

Robbie Webb

Wed, Jun 2, 2010 : 1:17 p.m.

Nobowl, two things. Number one, he is the only offensive player out of five for this upcoming class thus far. Number two, Michigan never cheated. They went 65 hours over practice from 08 to fall 09. Do the math, there is no competative advantage in that, and he was running players for not attending class. There was no cheating. And what are you bragging about Ohio State for? They got smoked by two SEC teams the last two times they went. They couldn't play defense.

NoBowl4Blue

Wed, Jun 2, 2010 : 1:06 p.m.

Just what U of M needs another receiver. Where's the beef? Defense wins championships. Speaking of OSU, the vest doesn't need to cheat.

Commoncents

Tue, Jun 1, 2010 : 7:31 p.m.

How bout an article on Dorsey? I'm REAL worried UofM is going deny him because of grades. If they do... I'm going to be PISSED. If a guy is NCAA eligible it shouldn't be a question - you get him tutors once he's here and he'll be fine...

voiceofreason

Tue, Jun 1, 2010 : 5:38 p.m.

I saw video of Conway at the most recent 7 on 7 camp in Ann Arbor, and he is quite a physical specimen. He needs refining with certain qualities pertaining to the Wide Receiver position, but his combination of size and athleticism is extremely rare. Given a couple years of seasoning, Conway has the physical attributes to become the next great wide receiver for Michigan.

bill

Tue, Jun 1, 2010 : 5:10 p.m.

Looks slow in film,leaves his feet too much, carries ball like loaf of bread. Better not read his paper clippings senior year and spend time correcting all of this

81wolverine

Tue, Jun 1, 2010 : 3:21 p.m.

Of course, time will tell but this Conway kid could end up being a very good player for Michigan. There can be a huge advantage to recruiting a player early and offering a scholarship before other colleges, as we see in this case. Give U-M credit here, assuming Conway is a legit Div. I prospect as it sounds like he is. We certainly need some taller receivers who can go up high to make catches. I can't wait to see him as a Wolverine.