By LARRY VAUGHT

Off the field, he can Kentucky fullback John Conner is a mild-mannered person. He says he likes to fish and hang out with friends in what little spare time he has.

“I am not a person that goes out a lot, but when I do I like to have fun and go to movies and amusement parks and stuff like that,” he said.

But fishing? Where did he fish growing up in Cincinnati?

“Actually, there are a few farm ponds. I have been to the Ohio River fishing. Me and my dad will go on fishing trips and stuff up north or south. We will find a lake to go to. I hate to say as long as I have been here, I have not been fishing in Lexington yet. I need to do that, too,” he said. “Being a football player and student, it is hard to get free time. It is either film room, training room or practice. After that, it’s like you are tired and ready to go to bed. It’s nice just to hang out with guys on the team, but it’s hard to find time to go fishing.”

Conner has no favorite hit he’s delivered or taken. “Being a fullback, there’s a lot of contact. But I can’t think of a hit I have taken that really bothered me,” he said.

That’s partially because he’s gone from a 220-pound walk-on player to a 245-pound, muscular senior. He used to bench press 325 pounds. Now he’s at 415. He’s reduced his 40-yard dash time to 4.56 seconds. “I love to work out. That is my thing. I like to work hard, especially in the offseason,” he said.

He’s somewhat surprised that UK fans actually recognize him now when he’s out with friends, something he never thought would happen when he arrived in Lexington. However, he understands that recognition arises from being on three straight winning teams that won bowl games.

“When I first came, we weren’t even thinking about going to bowl games. My first year we weren’t even competitive at times. It’s a good feeling to know we turned the program around and get recognized more now in the SEC and right here at home,” Conner said.

“I hope years from now we can all look back and realize I was part of the building process that got Kentucky to the point where it wins every year. That would be the best legacy I could ever hope to leave behind.”

Kentucky coach Rich Brooks says Conner’s legacy will be greater than that.

“John is just a really good football player. For what we ask him to do, he is about as good as anybody we have at his position. He is consummate team player. He hardly says a word. He just goes out and does his job every day. He is having a pretty good senior year when he has to miss the majority of Wednesday practice with class from 8 to 9:50 but his production is very, very good. He’s a heck of a player,” Brooks said.

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