“Last Chance U” star blossoms into star as a Trojan, writes name into Troy record books
This story was originally featured in the Troy Athletics gameday program.
From winning a conference championship at Last Chance U to becoming the first Troy tight end since 1990 to haul in at least two touchdown receptions in a single game, Ethan Conner has accomplished things that the majority of football players can only dream of.
Conner started playing football at a young age and played high school ball at Columbus High School. In his high school career, he played a multitude of positions on both sides of the ball. Conner went on to play college football at East Mississippi Community College, a JUCO in Scooba, Mississippi that was featured in the first two seasons of Netflix’s viral show “Last Chance U”.
“EMCC’s football program was set up in a way that would prepare you for the Division I level,” Conner said. “From the way practices were held to the type of film studies we did, it was run in a way to prepare you for the next level.”
In his freshman season at EMCC, Conner was used primarily as the Lions’ goal line quarterback. EMCC utilized all of Conner’s 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame and he found the endzone five times on 12 rushing attempts. The next season Conner would take a bigger role in the Lions’ offense. He continued to be used as a power rusher, but Conner also started lining up at receiver. Conner thrived in his new role and helped lead EMCC to its eighth conference football championship with 298 total yards and seven total touchdowns.
“We went through a lot of ups and downs my sophomore year,” Conner said. “We had such a tight bond and that showed on the field. We were able to pull together and get the job done. My favorite memory from that season was when we came back from a 30-point deficit against Mississippi Gulf Coast. It was on national television, and I was never able to experience anything like that before.”
After his time at Last Chance U, Conner would join the Troy Trojans’ roster with his teammate Steven Cattledge before the 2023 season. In his first game at the Division I level, Conner hauled in four receptions for 51 yards and two touchdowns.
“I can’t take all the credit for that performance,” Conner said. “None of it would have been possible without those coaches putting me in that position or without my teammates. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
However, Conner’s junior year took a huge turn a few weeks after it began. In the third week of the 2023 regular season, he suffered a shoulder injury and an injury to his forearm that would force him to miss the next four games.
“When I found out that I had to sit out, it hit me hard,” Conner said. “I know the road ahead was going to be long and this was a major setback that I had to fight through. My teammates and my coaches around me were the reason I kept going and kept staying focused. They always made sure that I was mentally okay. Every day, I was coming in there and they were joking around with me and kept my spirits up and they always made sure to ask how I was feeling mentally, not just physically.”
Conner was able to return to action on November 2 against in-state rival South Alabama and he appeared in every game for the rest of the season. Conner capped off his first season as a Trojan with a three-reception and 32-yard performance against Duke in the 76 Birmingham Bowl and finished the year with 16 receptions, 168 receiving yards and four total touchdowns.
After a strong finish to his junior season, Conner worked hard this offseason to take a big leap in his senior year. Conner started the season strong, hauling in nine receptions for 68 yards. Conner recorded a career-high six receptions for 50 yards against the Iowa Hawkeyes but suffered an injury in that game that has sidelined him for an indefinite amount of time. Conner is keeping his spirits high and continuing to recover so he can take the field with his teammates again.
“This is bigger than me,” Conner said. “Football is a team effort, and I can’t be so hard on myself that I’m not able to pick up those around me. Everyone is always looking at someone else for support and you never know who you have an influence on. I am just trying to make sure I bring positivity and avoid making everything about myself. This team keeps me going. Seeing those guys go to work every day and constantly getting better motivates me to keep working hard so I can continue to be a part of that.”
Conner also said that he has been leaning on his family and his faith to help him keep fighting.
“I really love my family,” Conner said. “They are always here to support me on and off the field. They always make sure to tell me that they are proud of me, and I want to make sure I keep making them proud. I don’t get to see them much, only when they are able to travel down for a game. Throughout this entire process, they keep reminding me to take it day by day and give it to God. I have to keep God first, keep praying and put it all in His hands.”
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