Hard Work: Michigan WR Commit Shawn Conway Interview Part II

In the previous part to this two-part interview, I was able to speak with Michigan commit and WR Shawn Conway about a few things, including how he has been spending his summer and what his plans are for the upcoming year.  We also talked Michigan football, his abilities, and some of his favorite components of the Wolverine program.

In part two of the interview, Conway and I talk about his goals for his senior season in High School and his preparation for Michigan next year.

Perhaps more importantly, we get a chance to discuss Conway’s life history as a Michigan fan, including his favorite thing about the school, his favorite football player while growing up, and memorable games he has attended.

It appears that Conway is a Wolverine by instinct.  He has grown up a fan of Michigan his entire life.  Out of all the questions I asked Shawn throughout the interview, when I asked him about his favorite part of the university, or his favorite Wolverine of all time, he didn't hesitate one bit to answer.

Unlike previous questions, where he had to think of an answer and deliberate as to how to phrase things, when it came to questions about Michigan there was no thinking, no deliberation.

With every response Conway gave, my expectations of how he will perform in Ann Arbor grew.  For someone who is so talented, and (according to our last interview) so hard working, to also be someone who has been so 100 percent completely devoted to their future university their entire lives—it is a recipe for success. 

The following is part two of the two-part interview I held with Conway:

Ryan McNish: Going forward, your senior season, do you have anything in mind that you want to work on, that you plan on concentrating on more than in the past.  

Shawn Conway:  Really I just need to work on route running.  That's what I've been concentrating on, and that's what I'm going to continue to work on.  Getting in and out of routes, breaking them off with timing of the quarterback, just really that and lifting weights and trying to get bigger.  My goal is 205 by the time I get to college.

Ryan McNish:  That's a big goal.  What steps are you taking to get there?

Shawn Conway:  Lifting a lot of weights, eating healthy, drinking protein, you know, just taking care of my body.

Ryan McNish:  And when it comes to routes, what are you doing for that?

Shawn Conway:  Lateral drills, and footwork drills, With resistance, stuff like that.

Ryan McNish:  What are your plans for your final year of high school?  Anything big?

Shawn Conway:  I just plan on, well, goals for this high school season: 20 touchdowns, 1,500 yards. That's my goal.

Ryan McNish:  [Chuckle from me] That's a good goal to have.  I'm sure your coaches are loving that goal right now!

Shawn Conway:  Oh yeah.

Ryan McNish:  You say you grew up a Michigan fan, who was your favorite Michigan fan of all time?

Shawn Conway:  [Immediately] Braylon [Edwards].  Braylon was my favorite.  

Ryan McNish:  He's a nice guy.  Have you ever met him or anything like that?

Shawn Conway:  No, I've actually never met him before, but I've always watched him, and on YouTube I still watch his high school highlights and college tributes and stuff like that.

Ryan McNish:  Do you try to incorporate some of his game into your own?

Shawn Conway:  Yeah. He has a couple of route running tapes on YouTube and I watch those sometimes just to get a feel of one of the great receivers and how they operate and then I take that and use it the best way that I can.

Ryan McNish:  Coming into Michigan, what would you say is your favorite thing about the University of Michigan?  Growing up a fan, what was the one thing you liked greatest about the school?

Shawn Conway:  [Immediately, again]  The Big House.  It's so huge, and playing in front of all of those people—that's my favorite thing about it.  

Ryan McNish:  So have you gone to games there?

Shawn Conway:  Yeah.  I've only been to three games in my life at the Big House.  One was against Michigan State—I think in 2002, or in 2003.  I was at the one against Ohio State when Mike Hart was still our running back, and the spring game that just happened this year.  

Ryan McNish:  Did you have fun at that game?

Shawn Conway:  Oh yeah, I had a lot of fun.  To see the team, you know, competing against each other.  

Ryan McNish:  Do you have any more camps planned this summer?

Shawn Conway: Um, no not really.  Just this seven-on-seven tournament down in Alabama on the 4th of July weekend.  That's the only thing really I have planned... and working out with my high school.