ODESSA, TX. : The Odessa Roughnecks announced on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 that WR Jimmy Conner (5’11”, 190 lbs.) has been re-signed for the 2009 season. The 2008 Intense Football League All-Star honoree is coming off one of the most productive seasons of any player from the former IFL (Intense Football League).
Conner led Odessa with 62 receptions in 2008 and finished second on the club with 810 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns. Conner dominated on kick returns in ‘08, registering 1,501 return yards and one touchdown. Conner led the Intense Football League in averaging 180.5 all-purpose yards a game. Conner received Intense Football League Offensive Player of the Week honors for Week 11 after recording 13 catches for 169 yards and 4 touchdowns against Corpus Christi back on Saturday, May 10, 2008. In that same game, Conner returned 5 kicks for 121 yards giving him 290 all-purpose yards for the game.
The former Central Missouri State wide out also received IFL (Intense Football League) Special Teams Player of the Week honors in Weeks six and seven. In Week six he returned a 47 yard kickoff for a touchdown against the Frisco Thunder on Sunday, April 6, 2008. In Week seven he returned four kicks for 112 yards for an average of 24.2 yards a return in the Roughnecks win over CenTex, 81-62, back on Saturday, April 12, 2008.
“Jimmy Conner was one of our most productive offensive players last year. He is one of the those guys that you can count on in the clutch. We like playmakers that we can feel comfortable going to with the football, especially in critical situations and have them respond. Jimmy is definitely one of those guys.”stated Odessa Roughnecks Head Coach, Chris Williams.
Conner posted solid numbers while at Central Missouri State. During his Senior season, Conner caught 31 passes for 502 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 12 yards a return on punt and kickoff returns, and totaled 324 yards with a touchdown that same year. He earned All-MIAA Conference Team honors twice while at Central Missouri State. In 2006, Conner played with the Green Bay Blizzard of the AF2.
