Kornacki: Ways Enters Camp with Eyes Wide Open
8/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 12, 2016
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Maurice "Moe" Ways fondly recalls the magical performance that turned him into a University of Michigan football fan. Never mind that he was only eight. The show Wolverine wide receiver Braylon Edwards put on that day was one for the ages.
Edwards caught two touchdown passes from Chad Henne in the final six minutes of a game with Michigan State, helping erase a 17-point deficit to force overtime. Edwards caught the game-winning touchdown in the third OT and jumped above and ran past Spartans for 11 catches for 189 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-37 victory on Nov. 1, 2004.
"Braylon is part of why I came to Michigan," said Ways. "I remember seeing the type of plays he made in '04 against Michigan State, and it was inspiring. I remember it vividly. That was when I fell in love with Michigan, watching that game at home with my dad (Marcus). It was an amazing comeback, and Braylon just took over."
Edwards won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver, took home the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big Ten MVP and was a unanimous All-America selection in 2004. He became the third overall pick in the NFL Draft, played eight seasons and made the 2007 Pro Bowl. He set Michigan single-season (97 catches, 1,330 yards) and career (252 catches, 3,541 yards, 39 touchdowns) records, and all of them still stand except for single-season yardage.
Ways said it's "amazing" that his hero has become his mentor, friend and more. It all happened because he knew Braylon's younger brother, Berkley, who played at Minnesota, and his father, Stanley, a star running back at Michigan who went onto a six-year NFL career.
"Braylon is my big brother now," said Ways. "He's one of my mentors. So, that's pretty cool. He's been helping me through the whole process, and it's amazing how God works.
"It just kind of happened. I knew his little brother and his dad and met him one time. And ever since then, he's just taken me under his wing as his little brother. We work out together, and he's given me advice on how to become a pro like he was. He's trying to give me all the tools he had, and it's really a blessing. I'm really happy that he's in my life and is my big brother."
Ways said their relationship took off in recent months.
"We got really close this summer," he said. "I met him at his little brother's birthday party, and we exchanged numbers and hung out a couple times and began working out."
Michigan's senior starters at wide receiver are proven producers Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson. However, there will be opportunities for others such as Grant Perry, Drake Harris, Ways and some talented freshmen.
Ways had just three catches for 40 yards last season, but Wolverine receivers coach Jedd Fisch pointed out that Chesson, the 2015 Bo Schembechler MVP of the team, was definitely lurking in the weeds one year ago. He'd made 14 catches for 154 yards in 2014 before grabbing 50 for 764 yards and nine touchdowns last year.
"Last year at this time," noted Fisch, "we didn't have many conversations about Jehu. And the way he evolved, developed and how hard he worked, what he ended up doing for our team on special teams and offense, also running the ball on some reverses and sweeps, and as a leader was unbelievable."
Ways (6-3, 217) has the same body type and skill set as Chesson and Darboh, whom Coach Jim Harbaugh classified as the team's top receiver heading in preseason practices.
-- Maurice Ways
"Moe was having a tremendous spring, and then he unfortunately had the injury," said Fisch. "But now he's in a situation where I feel he's going to make a big impact for us as long as he's healthy.
"He's big, strong, physical and is a runner who catches the ball very well with strong hands."
Ways is eager for the opportunity.
"I want to make a huge impact," said Ways. "I've been working hard this summer to do that, and so I'm looking forward to it.
"It's going to take consistency, getting into the offense and making plays. You want to be that spark plug, and that's what it's going to come down to, and I'm capable of doing that."
The injured ankle is completely healed.
"I got to play this summer in seven-on-seven (competition), and so I didn't really end up missing that much," said Ways.
Ways, with three seasons of eligibility remaining, has learned much from Chesson and Darboh.
"They've taught me preparation, how to handle myself, how to prepare for each week, take care of my body" said Ways. "I look to those two guys every day."
Fisch also has impacted him.
"I've gained a lot of football knowledge from him -- how to read coverages and defenses, how to attack, our offensive schemes," said Ways. "He's a great teacher and coach. He was in the pros for a reason."
His apartment roommate is John O'Korn, who along with Wilton Speight is a "front-runner," according to Harbaugh, to replace quarterback Jake Ruddock.
"John's a hard worker, man," Ways said. "He loves what he does, and he loves the game of football, and he works at his craft. He's not a robot quarterback. He makes his reads and makes a play. He trusts his receivers.
"Nothing has been given to him, and he works at it hard."
Ways and O'Korn have that attitude in common.
"I have to work hard," said Ways. "I wasn't nationally recruited. I wasn't a nationally known name, but I just worked hard at what I wanted to do and I ended up at Michigan. At (Detroit) Country Day, I played basketball initially. You have to play two sports there. So, I played basketball first and then football."
He quickly became the Yellowjackets' featured receiver.
"We lost our starting receiver, Kenny Knight, who went to Illinois," said Ways. "Coach (Dan) MacLean just told me, 'It's yours to take, but you've got to work for it.' So, I started working hard for it, and the rest is history."
So, he only went out for football because he had to?
"Exactly," said Ways, grinning at the thought.
Ways caught 51 passes for 957 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior at Country Day and then 55 for 1,261 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior.
He's been in organized football for only four seasons and was asked how much he gains each season as a result of that.
"A lot," Ways said. "Every day, honestly, I look at myself and I've done a lot better. Physically, I've gotten better. Mentally, knowing and learning the game, I'm definitely blessed and going in the right direction. So, I'm trusting in the process, enjoying the process and good things will happen."
