Detroit wide receiver Maurice Ways has steadily been adding more scholarship offers this winter, but wondered when his first one from the Big Ten might come. On Friday, he found out, as the Iowa Hawkeyes offered the 6-foot-3, 185-pound prospect from Country Day. We caught up with Ways to talk about the offer, his conversation with Iowa's new wide receivers coach Bobby Kennedy, when he will visit the Hawkeyes, and much more.

Q: Can you take us through how you found out about the Iowa offer yesterday?

WAYS: My head coach, Coach Mac, told me to call Coach Bobby Kennedy at Iowa. So I called him and we started talking and he said this is his first year at Iowa after coaching at Texas and some other places. Anyway, he said yesterday morning, he and the head coach watched my film. He said he's been coaching for 22 years and after he saw my film he just knew that he had to offer me. He said that I'm a really good player, a dynamic player, and a big time playmaker, and he thinks I can have a big impact at the next level.

Then he asked me if I had any interest in the Big Ten and Iowa as a school and I told him yes because that's my number one conference that I really want to play in. Then, as far as Iowa, I told him I don't know too much about it, but I would love to find out more about it. Then he said he wants to be the first Big Ten team to offer and gave me a scholarship offer. After that, we just talked some more about Iowa as a program and their offense.

Then I told him I was very appreciative and thanked him for the offer. I feel really blessed. I think I'm going to schedule a visit to go down there for their spring practice probably at the end of March or early April.

As a junior, Ways caught 51 passes for 952 yards and nine touchdowns for Detroit Country Day, leading the team to an 11-3 record and state runner-up finish in Division 4 in Michigan.

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