James Conner receives tribute from doctors in first game back

Pittsburgh Panthers star running back James Conner received a fantastic tribute from his doctors in his first game back from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

After being arguably the best running back in the ACC in 2014, Pittsburgh Panthers tailback James Conner had a rough 2015 to say the very least. He tore his MCL in Week 1 against Youngstown State. Towards the end of the 2015 NCAA season, Conner broke the news that he had been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Conner had to overcome a devastating knee injury and cancer this past offseason to see the field for Pat Narduzzi’s Panthers. In his first game back for Pittsburgh, many of Conner’s doctors, family, and friends are seen honoring him by wearing surgical masks.

Conner would practice for Pittsburgh in the spring wearing a surgical mask the days after he underwent chemotherapy. He proudly announced that he was cancer free in May. Conner is poised to have a special 2016 NCAA season for Pittsburgh. He’s an easy player to cheer for in college football for so many reasons.

Conner will need to have a season on par with what he did in 2014 for Pittsburgh to have a legitimate shot at winning the improve ACC Coastal Division. He rushed for 1,765 yards and 26 touchdowns in his last full season of college ball.

Pittsburgh feels like a dark horse to win the Coastal behind the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Miami Hurricanes. Georgia Tech should be better than 3-9 (1-7) and both Virginia schools have made great head coaching hires this offseason.

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Narduzzi was in his first year for Pittsburgh last year, so he didn’t get to have the luxury of a dynamic tailback of Conner in 2015. Together they can have the best season in Pittsburgh football in a very long time.