Willis top 10 among MAC wide receivers this season


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Junior wide receiver Corey Willis poses for a portrait on Oct. 25, 2016 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

Every time Corey Willis steps to the line of scrimmage, he expects three things: He is going to get open, the ball is coming to him and he is going to make the play.

The junior wide receiver backs his confidence up with production, leading the Central Michigan football team in receptions, yards and receiving touchdowns this season. 

Willis said his confidence has been the biggest change in his process of becoming the team's leading receiver and big-play threat.

"It's the confidence in the coaches in me (that makes me successful)," he said. "When you've got Cooper Rush throwing you the ball, everything is easier. When he's got confidence in you, you have confidence in yourself."

Willis, a native of Holland, has a chance to become the first Central Michigan receiver to have a 1,000 yard receiving season since Titus Davis did in 2013. He has accumulated 639 yards with four regular season games remaining.

Aside from his receiving yardage, Willis' 42 catches and eight touchdowns receptions place him in the top 10 among Mid-American Conference receivers. 

The coaching staff has taken notice in the development of Willis' confidence and skill.

“When he leaves the line of scrimmage, he believes he’s going to get open and make the catch," said offensive coordinator Morris Watts. "That’s one of the great prerequisites of a great receiver. If that ball gets near him, he’s taking it out of the air.”

Since arriving at CMU in 2013, Willis has grown from a speedy high school quarterback to a reliable big-play threat on the other end of the passing game.

In CMU's upset victory against then-No. 22 Oklahoma State, he finished off the Hail Mary touchdown play after receiving a lateral from senior wide receiver Jesse Kroll.

“He’s got a knack for the big play," said senior quarterback Cooper Rush. "He senses when a big play is coming and he makes sure he wins on that route.”

Willis has increased the amount of receptions, touchdowns and receiving yardage every season he has been at CMU.

“His confidence has come so far," Watts said. "He was a good player when he came here with all the quickness. He was a little undisciplined in route running, but he had all the tools to be what he is.”

After a career as a successful quarterback at Holland High School where he led the team to its first ever district championship, Willis had to make a decision on whether he would be a receiver or defensive back at the collegiate level.

"I knew pretty early that I wasn't going to be a quarterback," Willis said. "CMU gave me the option (to play offense or defense). I was always an offensive guy, the biggest thing for me was getting a team that was willing to let me play what I wanted to."

The three-star recruit turned down scholarship offers from several other Division I schools to be a receiver for the Chippewas.

"I liked the fan base and all of the coaches (at CMU)," Willis said. "They always supported me and enabled me to continue on with the family here."

Willis is currently tied for 10th place in CMU history in career touchdown catches and seventh in touchdowns caught in a season. 

Though his confidence has improved since he first arrived in Mount Pleasant, Willis said his belief in himself started long before he ever became a Chippewa. 

"It just comes from something that my family instilled in me," he said. "That thing about not being denied or that no one can stop you.That's the biggest thing that my favorite guys in the NFL do. They always feel like they're open whether they're quadruple covered or triple covered, they always feel like they can always make that play, and that's something I try to bring into my game." 

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