JAMES CONNER TOOK A HEROIC ROAD TO 1,000 YARDS
11/30/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
By E.J. Borghetti -
When does a single step measure 1,000?
And when is 1,000 yards more like 10,000?
In both cases, it's when you're talking about James Conner.
Last Saturday, something truly remarkable occurred in Pittsburgh. James Conner, Pitt's redshirt junior tailback, went over 1,000 yards rushing for the season. On the surface, that accomplishment might seem rather pedestrian. More than 50 other backs on the FBS level this season have also achieved that total.
But this was no ordinary journey to 1,000 for Conner.
In fact, it was an amazing feat that he was even playing college football again.
Conner reached his 1,000th yard on November 26--exactly one year from the day he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.
He publicly announced his cancer on December 4, 2015, boldly declaring, "I will play football again. I will be at Heinz Field again."
"Fear is a choice. I choose to not fear cancer. I choose to fight it, and I will win."
We all hoped, prayed, he would win. And by win, we meant beat cancer. This was no mere linebacker trying to tackle him.
Could he return to football? We hoped and prayed again. It's only a game, but it's a game James loves. "Football," he told a national television audience on Ellen, "is my life."
But return this fall? After sitting out virtually the entire 2015 season with a knee injury? After six months of grueling chemotherapy?
In retrospect, was there ever any doubt?
Perhaps there shouldn't have been. Not after watching a 10-second video of Pitt's All-America tailback participating in early morning winter workouts while wearing a surgical mask to protect his weakened immunity.
"I choose to fight it, and I will win."
Conner's last chemo session was May 9. Two weeks later, on May 23, he was declared cancer free--news that immediately went viral and was even trumpeted on the electronic news scroll in New York City's Times Square.
The surgically implanted port in his chest was removed in June allowing him less than eight weeks to fully prepare for preseason camp without physical limitations.
On a personal note, I was present for his last treatment. The experience left me with some powerful and poignant images that I won't ever forget. Cancer does not discriminate between the young and old, men and women, rich and poor--or the physically frail and All-America running backs.
I've been around James his entire four seasons at Pitt. I've watched him run past--and over--countless people on the football field. But when he walked out of his final treatment I remember being struck by how big and strong he looked. It was as if I was just noticing this for the very first time.
He was, at that moment, weak from the four hours he spent in treatment. Yet he walked out the door standing tall. Standing strong.
Conner Strong.
On September 3, he ran onto the turf at Heinz Field as a starting running back and newly elected team captain. It was 364 days after his knee injury and less than four months following his final chemotherapy treatment.
"I will win."
Given all that he'd endured, merely stepping onto the field again in his Pitt uniform was the equivalent of a 1,000-yard season.
But James Conner doesn't settle. It wasn't good enough just to be back. He wanted to be back better than ever.
Conner is indeed playing at his very best as Pitt enters the bowl season, compiling four 100-yard efforts in his last five contests. He has totaled 1,060 yards and 16 touchdowns on 208 carries (5.1 avg.). Conner is one of only five players in Pitt history to achieve multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons, joining all-time greats Tony Dorsett, LeSean McCoy, Dion Lewis and Curvin Richards.
Conner is also putting up the best receiving numbers of his career with 20 receptions for 299 yards (14.9 avg.) and four touchdowns. His 20 total TDs rank sixth nationally and his 120 points rank seventh in the country.
He has emphatically established himself as one of the greatest backs in school history. In just 38 career games, Conner ranks second at Pitt in all-time rushing yards (3,701), total touchdowns (56) and rushing touchdowns (52)--trailing only the legendary Dorsett in each of those categories.
He is also the ACC's newly minted "Touchdown King," seizing the conference's career records for rushing and total TDs.
This week he was named first team All-ACC. It was highly deserved and, as only James would have it, the recognition was earned.
This was no sympathy vote. Ask the Clemson players who tried to tackle him during his dramatic fourth-quarter touchdown run in Death Valley.
James Conner is a great football player. He is an even greater person. Reflecting on his challenges of the past year, he expresses only gratitude.
"For me to be in a position to inspire and motivate and really give hope is priceless," he told 93.7 The Fan last week. "I'm just so thankful that God chose me."
The Twitter hashtags #Conner4Heisman are deserved because Conner's 1,000 yards can't truly be measured by mere numbers.
In this era of advanced statistics and sabermetrics, everyone loves and prioritizes numbers. Especially when it comes to deciding awards.
Measuring the greatness--the importance--of James Conner statistically is like trying to measure the impact of a life by the number of heartbeats.
There will be many more awards and recognitions for this young man from Erie, Pa., and he will no doubt graciously accept each of them with a deep and sincere appreciation.
But given the road we've watched him travel, none of us will need any golden trophies to validate the indelible impact James Conner has made.
"I already won," Conner says. "I beat cancer."