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Kevin Kelly reports:

After getting cut by the New York Jets in October, John Conner was at home in Cincinnati, working out and waiting by the phone. The Lakota West grad didn’t have to wait long. After Bengals fullback Chris Pressley was injured against the Eagles, Conner joined the team he grew up rooting for. In his first game in stripes, the Bengals will have a chance to clinch a playoff spot.

After losing Chris Pressley to a season-ending knee injury in Thursday’s victory against the Eagles, the Bengals addressed their sudden need for a bruising fullback by signing John Conner over the weekend.

The former Lakota West standout played in 54 games at the University of Kentucky and was selected by the Jets in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Conner did not miss a game in his first two NFL seasons and was on the Jets’ roster for the first six games this season. Injuries limited him to three games on the field, and on Oct. 18 the Jets waived him after 35 career games with the team.

Conner returned home and had been working out at Ignition in Mason. A Bengals fan growing up, he joins the team at a pivotal time. The Bengals can clinch a playoff spot with a victory against the Steelers on Sunday at Heinz Field.

Earlier this week, Conner answered five questions from The Enquirer’s Kevin Kelly.

QUESTION: From an individual standpoint, is this as close to an ideal situation to walk into at this point in the season?

CONNER: Absolutely. It’s a great situation to come in to. I see a team that has a lot of talent and has a chance to go far in the playoffs. I’m happy to be here to help us out.

Q: What have you been up to for the past couple of months?

CONNER: I’ve just been training, getting healthy and rehabbing. Just trying to get fresh and waiting on that call. And I got that call from the Bengals. It couldn’t be a better place.

Q: What injuries were you dealing with?

CONNER: I had a sprained MCL, and then I also had a pulled hamstring. All that’s healthy. I’ve had plenty of time to heal.

Q: A lot of fans around here have followed your career from Lakota West to UK to the Jets, but what should they expect to see from you with the Bengals?

CONNER: Just the same guy. Nothing’s changed. I’m here. I’m just going to do what I do to the best of my ability to help this team out.

Q: As a Bengals fan growing up, who was your favorite player?

CONNER: Since I’m a running back, I would probably say Corey Dillon. I liked him back in the day.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Cincinnati Bengals, Cincinnati Bengals college free agents, John Conner, John Conner Bengals, John Conner Cincinnati Bengals, John Conner Jets, John Conner Kentucky, John Conner Lakota West, Lakota West, Lakota West football, Lakota West sports, New York Jets

Joe Reedy reports:

When Chris Pressley suffered a season-ending knee injury on Thursday night, the Bengals did not have to look far to find someone to come in.

The team signed West Chester native and former Jet John Conner to a two-year deal after a Saturday morning workout involving three players. Conner moves into Pressley’s roster spot after the Bengals placed him on injured reserve. Pressley suffered the injury during the first quarter of the 34-13 win over the Eagles.

“I feel great about getting the opportunity, and I’m ready to go,” Conner said after the workout and signing his contract. “I hope to bring a lot to the running game and feel like I can block well.”

Conner, a former Lakota West and University of Kentucky standout, said being released took him by surprise. Conner was a fifth-round pick in 2010 before being waived on Oct. 18 due to injuries, an MCL sprain and hamstring. At the time of the move, the New York Daily News wrote that the Jets had hoped to re-sign Conner later in the season. Conner was on the roster for the first six games and played in three, including two starts.

Since being released, Conner has been working out at Ignition in Mason. His style does fit with what offensive coordinator Jay Gruden wants in a fullback.

“You want to be a banger up in there, and that’s not for everybody. That’s a special breed of guy, and the breed is dying,” Gruden said on Friday. “There’s not many fullbacks in college football anymore, there’s not many in pro football really.”

The Bengals use a fullback on only 19.5 percent of their offensive plays, but Conner does bring some added versatility on special teams.

Due to his blocking on returns and getting down there on coverage teams, Conner’s nickname of “The Terminator” was used often on Hard Knocks in 2010 by Jets head coach Rex Ryan.

Conner’s career totals are 21 carries for 88 yards (4.2) and two touchdowns, along with four receptions for 18 yards. He played in every game in 2010-11.

The good thing for Conner is that he has experience from this season facing the Steelers. He was with the Jets when they visited Pittsburgh in Week 2.

At worst, the Bengals will go into next Sunday’s game tied for the final playoff spot, but they could lead by a game if Dallas beats Pittsburgh today.

“What a game to come back for. That should make it a little more exciting,” he said.

Pressley, who is signed through 2013, played in all of this season’s games with seven starts.

His only offensive touch was a 1-yard touchdown catch in Week 4 at Jacksonville.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Cincinnati Bengals, Cincinnati Bengals college free agents, John Conner, John Conner Bengals, John Conner Cincinnati Bengals, John Conner Jets, John Conner Kentucky, John Conner Lakota West, Lakota West, Lakota West football, Lakota West sports, New York Jets

A pair of Lakota West graduates will face off in tonight’s preseason game between the New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium.

Fullback John Conner, who was showcased in HBO’s “Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the New York Jets,” will line up for the Jets, while linebacker Grant Hunter hopes to get the opportunity to play for the Cincinnati Bengals in his first NFL game.

Throughout the HBO series in 2010, Conner earned praise from his teammates and coaches. One of the more memorable quotes from the series was from Jets head coach Rex Ryan, who said, “the thing I like about Conner is that you don’t have to see him play, you can hear him play.”

The 2005 Lakota West graduate made the final roster that season as a rookie out Kentucky and eventually became the starting fullback last fall. This year, according Andy Benoit of the New York Times NFL Blog, Conner figures to be a big part of the ground game.

• Cincinnati Enquirer: Bengals vs. Jets scouting report
• Enquirer story: For focused Bengals, drama starts today – on field

Meanwhile, Hunter is in a different position. Currently, the 2007 Lakota West grad is listed fourth on the Bengals depth chart at one of the outside linebacker positions.

Last fall, at Butler, Hunter led his team in sacks with 10 and in tackles for loss with 15.5. During the NFL Draft process, Hunter worked out for the Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts. In early May, the Bengals signed Hunter as a college football free agent.

According to a story posted on the Butler University official athletic website, Hunter almost didn’t answer the Bengals’ phone call when he noticed it was a 513 area code and thought that it was a telemarketer or an automated sales call.

“It turned out it was the linebackers’ coach from the Bengals, and I think I was speechless for about five minutes,” Hunter told butlersports.com. “I just remember saying thank you over and over again. It was probably one of the happiest moments of my life.”

The former head coach of both players, Lakota West’s Larry Cox, said that he hopes to attend tonight’s game, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised locally on WKRC on tape delay at 11:35 p.m. and live on NFL Network (blacked out in Cincinnati, Dayton and Lexington).

“I’m so proud of both John and Grant. They are providing a great example for what is possible when given a chance,” Cox said. “Neither one was really recruited out of high school, but they didn’t let that get in their way and have shown what can happen with a strong will and desire.

“Their personalities are very similar,” Cox continued. “They really don’t say much, but their hustle, attitude and play speaks volumes not only about what they do, but who they are. They are just great people that happen to be great athletes and they have put it all together. All of the Lakota West family is proud.”

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Cincinnati Bengals, Cincinnati Bengals college free agents, Grant Hunter Bengals, Grant Hunter Butler, Grant Hunter Lakota West, Grant Hunter NFL Draft, John Conner, John Conner Jets, John Conner Kentucky, John Conner Lakota West, Lakota West, Lakota West football, Lakota West sports, New York Jets