CONNER Continued from Page 4 starter throughout most of the second half of tin season. finishing the year with If tackles, four deflected passes and three quarterback sacks Conner was ready for a healthy and produc - tive 1990, hut the injury hug struck again earlier this year against Hrigham Young “1 pulled some ligaments on the side of mv ankle." Conner said "It was a realh had sprain " After missing the- Ducks' win over l tali State. Conner returned to the lineup against Washington and has been getting closer to full strength ever since "I'm at about 95 percent right now and I'm feeling a lot hotter tins week " Conner said. "It s probably the best I've felt sine e the first game this year." Conner is pleased with the Ducks' success this year hut believes th.it there is room tor im provement in his game "I could do a lot better." Conner said, "and now that I'm healthy I will start improving in a lot of areas. I haven't been practic mg because of mv injuries and practice makes a big difference " The injuries have been tough on Conner, but he believes that he is ready to put them in the past and concentrate on just playing football "Overcoming the injuries is probably the big nest challenge Ih.«t I have faced since I've been .it Oregon." Conner said "The hardest tiling to do is to watch mv teammates play from the side lines Hut I think the more experienced you get the more you're able to avoid inpirv bv doing things right and being stronger Main si hoots were interested in ('mirier, but be ( hose (Jregon and he couldn't be happier "Cal recruited me as a tight end but I really didn't want to play that position " Conner said The ( ou( hing staff. Ku h brooks spec ifii ally, was a major reason behind Conner's dec ision to come to Eugene "Coach brooks was one of the main rea sons." Conner said "He was verv sincere and it felt like the plate for me to In- I think Oregon was tin1 best choii e for me then and s! ill is ('tinner has set some pretty lofty goals lor himself during the rest of his stay at (Jregon "M\ goals are to lie an all Pat to linebacker next year ami hopefulh. it I'm hn:k\ enough go pro." Conner said If lie doesn't make it hi the Ni l.. 1 '.onner vv ill definitely have something to tall bat k on lie cur rently carries a i t> grade point average and is pursuing a leisure studies major and Spanish mi nor "Academics are important to me," Conner said "Coach brooks and the other coaches stress it