The Connor Newman Story

[RonNewman75]

The Connor Newman Story

Connor Newman was for the most part just like any other from Cincinnati, Ohio. His father was a High School football coach which meant he moved around a lot when he was younger. His freshmen season at St. Xavier Connor was only good enough to play special teams and dime corner-back playing only a small role on Friday nights. His sophomore season he moved up the depth chart and on to nickle corner and part time punt returner. After his junior year where he was out shined by his team mate and star corner he would have his chance to step up and make a name for himself.

At the end of his junior year Mr. Newman got a call that would change Connors life forever. Vista Murrieta had offered Mr. Newman their head coaching job as Coley Candaele was moving up into the college ranks. Vista Murrieta is the number two program in California, behind De Le Salle, and arguably the nation. Connor fought and argued to stay in Cincinnati but one thing would change his mind.

Mr. Newman would change Connors mind with one sentence, "Fine, you can come play for me." Connor in his 17 years had never got to actually play for his dad. He was often coached at home and worked out with his dad, but this could finally be his one, and probably his last chance to play for him. Connor with a smirk on his face shot back with, "Fine, we're taking state then." Mr. Newman was a good coach but had never won a state championship.

Vista Murrieta was a very talented program so talented a matter a fact that their first game wasn't even in the state of California or even a neighboring state it was in Colorado, and it's second game, a home game, was against South High School, no not South High School California, but South High School from Anchorage, AK.

When Mr. Newman showed up at practice one thing was sticking out at him. And that was that this school had one of the best defense's he had ever seen, and along with that a strong offense that was missing one thing. Nothing to big but a quarterback, his strongest armed QB could only throw the ball 35 yards. No one warned him about this, now along with having weak QB's he had to teach one of them his system and try to win state.

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Re: The Connor Newman Story



Table of Contents


High School Senior Year
Introduction
Connor and College
A Long Ride Home
What's it going to take
Lets try this another way
Never back down
Ring... Ring...
Bronco Country
Homecoming
The phone that wouldn't quit ringing
Maybe this kid really is a corner
Senior Night
High School Playoffs
Will this ever end
Running away with it
California State Championship

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Connor Newman's Trophy Room

2012 - Mr. California
2012 - ESPN #1 ATH/QB/CB
2012 - California State Champion

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Connor Newman's Record Book

Most Tackles (GAME)
1. 9 vs Murrieta Valley HS (2011)
2. 8 vs ThunderRidge HS (2011)
3. 6 vs De La Salle HS (2011)
3t. 6 vs Carson HS (2011)
5t. 5 vs Murrieta Mesa HS (2011)
5t. 5 vs Chaperal HS (2011)
5t. 5 vs Watsonville (2011)
5t. 5 vs Cypress (2011)
9. 4 vs 4 different teams

Most Tackles (Season)
1. 69 Vista Murrieta HS (2011)

Most INT (Game)
1. 1 vs Murrieta Mesa HS (2011)
1t. 1 vs Watsonville HS (2011)

TO BE FINISHED...

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Connor and College

Before the season began Mr. Newman was going over recruiting forms he had all the players fill out, and checking them with the roster to make sure everyone had filled theirs out. Most of them said USC, UCLA, Oregon, Standford. One said UMass and he had to look it up to make sure they were even a school.

After checking all the paperwork and sending them out he noticed Connor never did fill out his. So he began filling out his information until it came to what colleges are you interested in. While he believed he knew his son he didn't want to start send them out until he knew what Connor wanted. Knowing Connor had class til 1:15 pm because he got out early he figured he'd catch him then or after practice.

During practice Connor was looking pretty solid both at corner-back and quarterback. So much so Mr. Newman was believing that they could win this weekend. Connor was exceedingly good at running the ball. But it was expected as Mr. Newman installed much of the option portion of his playbook hoping to use Connor's speed at QB.

After practice, back at home. Mr. Newman finally had time to ask Connor where he wanted to go to college at. After a pause, Connor replied, "I'd kinda like to go back home to Cincinnati, or a small school in Ohio like Ohio, or Bowling Green." Mr. Newman simply thanked him and preceded to send off his recruitment guides to college.

Finally it was time for SPARQ combine, Connor had be preparing for this off-season. It was the last thing before the begining of the season. Connor had preformed well scoring an 82.00 while he had hoped to score higher to get the attention of UC, he decided his play would have to do the talking for him. Not that he would ever shut up on the field even when he was getting shut up.

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A Long Ride Home...

Heading to Colorado was a blast Connor spent most of his time with his father has they went over the game plan to go up against a juggernaut in high school football, ThunderRidge. Great on both sides of the ball Connor figured his day wasn't going to be a walk in the park. They had a great QB that was going to take advantage of Connor at any opening, and a fast defensive line that would negate Connors top end speed.

As the game began VM came out fast getting stops on defense and moving the ball on offense. Until THS decided it was enough, the began to spy Connor and kept hitting him sometimes even after the ball was thrown. VM staid in the game and sat themselves up with a chance to win with a stop on forth down, however that stop would never come and a sweep to the opposite side of the field would allow them to score. After a few sacks and shutdown cover Connor had failed to lead his team to a victory.

L 14-24
8 Tkls, 1 Tfl
6/12 37 Yds 2 Tds, 96 Yds Rushing

On the ride home the bus was silent, so quite that a drop Gatorade sounded like a gun shot going off. Coach Newman was focused on his Ipad as he was trying to figure out what could have went wrong. While Connor beat up, bruised, and battered laid slumped over against the window trying to think about what he could have done better himself, feeling as though he had not just let his team down, but his father.

The next week seemed to go on forever. VM was not use to losing, and everyone wanted to blame the newcomers, for the loss. Connor spent extra time in the wight-room and on the track trying to be a step fast a bit stronger. Then came a piece of mail, on it was a stamp from UCLA. UCLA wanted to express an interest in Connor not only at corner-back but at quarterback. Connor who seemed to have only one person in the town believe in him just found out that just maybe someone else might as well.

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What's it going to take...

Connor and VM seem to have this one in the bag, VM took the lead from South (AK) High School with a huge touchdown run. However SHS just didn't want to go away tying it back up before half. SHS would come out with the swagger VM has been missing for the past two weeks and take a 17-7 lead. As Coach Newman tried everything in his playbook to escape with a W Connor could only toss a touchdown as the game ended to bring it to a 17-14 loss.

17-14 L
4 tkls, 1 Tfl
8/17 137 yds 1 td, 54 yrds 1 td rushing

Connor watched as his team fell apart and the harder he tried to keep them in it the more abuse he took. He couldn't figure out what it was going to take for him to turn this team around. Heading into a game against Redlands with their solid offense and average defense he had to figure it out and figure it out quick, or the town was going to lynch him from the flag post.

There was so much to focus on he spent most of his time at home or in school trying to get better. Mrs. Newman decided it was time for Connor to get out and take his mind off the game. Connor was focused on the game, but thought maybe if he took his mind off of it for a while it would help. While shopping at the mall Connor spotted a group of girls staring at him, but he ignored it and keep to his own. Until one of them walked over, after a few minutes he and a Jessica girl had decided to go see a movie and the best thing about her was she was the only girl in the whole city that didn't know who he was.

Connor came back focused and ready to go for this week's practice, and made sure to bring his linemen donuts hoping the blocking would get a little bit better. After practice Connor was called into the coaches office where stood San Jose State Head Coach Mike MacIntyre. After an hour of conversation MacIntyre made it clear that if Connor played well this week he could be receiving a scholarship to play QB at San Jose State and if he kept up his play on defense he could possibly play corner-back there if he wanted.

[RonNewman75]

Re: The Connor Newman Story



Let's try this another way.

Undefeated Redlands came into VM to meet Connor Newman with a change up for them. Instead of focusing on his running ability he throw the ball and boy did he ever. VM went up on REVHS and never looked back. Connor using his legs only when he had to put up 269 yards passing on just 13 completions. Maybe mom was right he just needed to get his mind off the game for a while.

W 35-28
3 tkls, 1 tfl
13/17 269 yds 4 tds, 34 yds rushing

Connor awoke to his cell phone ringing the San Jose State fight song, it was Coach MacIntyre, "I told you if you played well this week I'd send you a scholarship offer, it's in the mail kid. Great job hopefully we'll see you here in the fall." Connor was blown away about it and ran downstairs to tell his dad. While all his dad said was, "There will be more..." But for Connor this was the first time he ever received a scholarship offer while it wasn't a CB spot like he wanted he knew from this point on, no matter what, he was going to college and going for free.

Monday morning at school Connor was pulled out of class and called into the office. Upon arrival the secretary sent him into the principal office where his father and Jim Mora, UCLA head coach stood. UCLA was not ready to offer a scholarship yet but Coach Mora was going to stay in town to watch Connor play Friday against Carheoral Catholic aka The Dons. The Don's boost one of the best teams around with a great offense and defense this one be an easy for Connor.

Before the game against the Don's Jessica showed up to tell Connor she was actually coming to her first football game. Can Connor deal with the stress of Jim Mora, The Dons, and Jessica being there, only time will tell.

[RonNewman75]

Re: The Connor Newman Story



Never back down.

In one of the best games of the year VM and CCHS go back and forth. VM jumped out to an early lead. Connor powered the ball in for the games first touchdown. CCHS would come back and take the lead just before the 1:30 mark. Connor battled back to bring the game with in a touchdown. Then after a big stop by the defense VM would drive down the field with a hurry up no huddle offense to tie the game up, with :45 seconds left VM would stop CCHS from getting a first down and would be forced to punt. With :34 seconds and two timeout Connor lead his team onto the field. BOOM! 55 yard pass the Bronco's were in field goal range. After a time out Connor would hit another 35 yard pass to put the Bronco's on the one yard line, Connor let the clock tick down and called a timeout with :01 left on the clock. The kicker would nail the field goal and down went the Dons.

W 38-35
4 tkls
18/28 279 yds 1 td, 50 yds 2 tds rushing

After the field goal counted VM went off and the campus was buzzing with excitement. As Connor was walking into the locker room Jim Mora stopped him, and handed him an envelope containing his official scholarship offer from UCLA. After changing Connor walked out where in front of his car where two men one dressed in green and another in orange that seemed to know each other. When Connor approached they introduced them selves Dave Clawson as Bowling Green State's head coach and Frank Solich as Ohio's head coach, both came barring Scholarships to play Quarterback.

The next day at breakfast Connor was talking with his father and just as they were talking about how he's a corner-back and everyone is inviting him to play quarterback, that old San Jose State fight song began to play once again. It was once against MacIntyre this time offering a corner-back scholarship at SJSU, it seemed as if MacIntyre didn't care what Connor played as long as he played for him. Just after hanging up with MacIntyre Mrs. Newman came in and dropped some mail on the table.

The first two envelopes were dated for the week prior. The first one came from Arizona it was a notification of interest in Connor for quarterback. Connor thought playing for Rich Rod's system could be good for him if he decided to play quarterback. The other one came from Hawai'i with pictures of beautiful scenery included along with a letter of interest for Connor to play corner-back from them. Connor smirked and said, "Beautiful girls, beautiful place, and they are checking me out at corner-back." With two more envelopes to open he looked at both of them Stanford and Arizona. Arizona extended their interest to corner-back also, as Stanford went on to explain they would be visiting to watch Connor play quarterback. Connor couldn't wait to tell Jessica that he got 3 scholarship offers and 4 more letters of interest.

Palisades High School Dolphins probably one of the worst teams in California had some how managed to go 4-0 and with VMHS only being 2-2 this could be a big change in things to come. Palisade not only offered one of the worst offenses but one of the worst defenses. This game should be a showing off of all Connor's skills as the Dolphins had no one that could match up with Connor. Just before leaving for the game a 513 number came across Connor's phone, 513 it has to be one of his old friends right. WRONG! It's Coach Butch Jones from the University of Cincinnati and he was coming out to watch Connor play this weekend!