Obviously, coaches at Division III Alfred State University like what they see and hear; that’s where the Eisenhower High School senior will continue playing football, beginning in the fall.

“I think Connor will do a great job up at Alfred,” said Eisenhower coach Jim Penley, whose Knights finished 11-1 this season, including 5-0 in Region 2. “Obviously, being a four-year starter playing in a good program will help him a lot, and also the fact that we run college-based concepts offensively, and defensively, he knows almost all the basic terminology to go along with his exceptional football IQ. I know that the coaches up there are getting a tremendous young man as well as a tremendous ball player.”

That is what his father, Steve, is most proud of.

“He has worked hard to put himself in this position,” said Steve. “I think he will be challenged, both as a student and as a college football player, and he has proven to be able to rise to every challenge he has faced up to this point.

Eisenhower senior Conner Younger will continue his academic and athletic career at Division III Alfred State University. Times Observer File Photo

“The choice to attend Alfred was really a perfect fit for him and us,” said his father. “He’ll only be 90 miles away, which is close enough to watch him play, but far enough to not drop in as he says… I think he has an excellent chance to get on the field as a freshman and does not seem intimidated by the thought of it being college football. Bottom line, both his mom and I are very proud of him as this was his choice.”

It wasn’t necessarily a choice Conner, a center and long-snapper on offense and a defensive lineman, had planned on.

“I just hadn’t really planned on college,” he said. “I wanted my own heavy equipment business someday, so I just thought I would go right to work after graduation.

“Once colleges started to talk to me and I talked to coach Penley, he made me believe that I can definitely play in college or they wouldn’t be trying to get me to come and play at their school,” said Conner. “I guess I just wanted to keep playing.”

In who Ike head coach Penley called “the most consistent center we’ve ever had,” Younger did the dirty work.

“I love my teammates at Eisenhower and I think we will always be like brothers,” said Conner. “We won a lot of games and had a lot of fun. I’m not sure who is going to play in college. I know a few guys are still deciding, but they are happy for me and say they are going to come and watch me play at Alfred. I talked to coach Penley; he made me a starter from my first day at Eisenhower at center and long snapper, and I figured he knows me the best.

“When I broke my leg halfway through my junior year, I broke it on a Friday night and then went to my team meeting Saturday morning,” added Conner. “I was lifting Monday at the YMCA and had surgery and pins put in Wednesday morning and went to practice on crutches on my way home from the hospital. I just have a no-quit attitude and don’t let anything stop me, but that did slow me down, a little. I think having that attitude will help me playing in college. The coaches told me what they expect from me and I want to do better than what they expect.”

Younger has also played basketball and football, as well as shot trap.

“I went out for wrestling this year because my football friends wanted me to go out, and I loved it,” said Conner. “I think playing a lot of different sports makes you a better athlete because you work on so many different things.

“I get snaps in every day and want to be in great shape when camp starts in August,” he said. “I would love to play in the Big 30 with my friends and play for coach Penley one last time.”

For an unsung hero, “the recruiting was kind of cool,” said Conner. “After winning so many games in high school, I didn’t want it to end, but until colleges started sending letters and calling, I didn’t know if I could play. Coach Penley made a highlight film and he convinced me I could definitely play in college. I think I knew I could play in college when the college coaches kept telling me they liked the way I played the game.

“Alfred State has a heavy equipment program,” he said. “I checked it out and when they started to talk to me, I wanted to go and check it out. I liked the instructors in the program and I liked how they get students operating and working on the equipment right away. The coaches were great; they showed me the facilities and their new weight room, they put a picture of me on their scoreboard at the stadium, and had my jersey hanging in a locker in the locker room. I spent time with the defensive coaches and talked to the head coach with my parents. He told me he liked the way I played, and he said they were recruiting for need. He told me I have a good chance to get on the field as a freshman, so the chance to play right away helped me decide.

“I want to go into heavy equipment and plan on having my own business someday, said Conner. “It came down to Thaddeus Stevens, Hocking College, and Alfred State. My parents helped me narrow it down to colleges that had my major. It was hard telling the coach at Thaddeus Stevens that I was going to Alfred, but he was cool about it and wished me luck. I hope Alfred can help me be successful when I am done playing. They only take 44 kids at a time in their heavy equipment program, and they have a 97 percent job placement after you graduate. I hope I can get experience and someday have my own business.”