Michael O'Connor (Canadian football)

Last updated

Michael O'Connor
2022, 11, Michael O'Connor.jpg
O'Connor with the Lions in 2022
Born: (1996-02-25) February 25, 1996 (age 27)
Orleans, Ontario
Career information
StatusActive
CFL status National
Position(s) Quarterback
Height6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight230 lb (100 kg)
College Penn State
University British Columbia
High school Ashbury College
Baylor School
IMG Academy
CFL Draft 2019 / Round: 3 / Pick: 20
Drafted by Toronto Argonauts
Career history
As player
2019–2020 Toronto Argonauts
2021 Calgary Stampeders
2022 BC Lions
Career highlights and awards
Career stats

Michael O'Connor (born February 25, 1996) is a professional Canadian football quarterback who is a free agent. He most recently played for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football with the UBC Thunderbirds from 2015 to 2018 where he led the team to a Vanier Cup championship in 2015.

Contents

College career

Penn State

O'Connor received several scholarship offers to play football and was named ESPN's sixth-ranked quarterback in the 2014 recruiting class. [1] The 4-star recruit ultimately chose Pennsylvania State University to play for then-head coach, Bill O'Brien, and the Nittany Lions. [2] O'Brien had resigned to accept a position as the Houston Texans' head coach, but O'Connor elected to continue with his decision to enroll at Penn State anyway. He redshirted during his first season there behind the incumbent starter, Christian Hackenberg. [1] [2] Near the end of the 2014 season, O'Connor announced his intention to transfer schools. [1]

UBC

On February 12, 2015, it was formally announced that O'Connor had committed to play for Blake Nill and the UBC Thunderbirds. [3] [4] As a freshman starter, he had immediate success, starting in all eight games, posting 165 completions on 276 pass attempts for 2383 yards, 13 touchdowns, and five interceptions to lead UBC to a 6–2 regular season record. [5] He led the team to a perfect 4–0 record in the post-season, including UBC's 51st Vanier Cup championship win where he was named the game's most valuable player. [6]

Collegiate statistics

 Passing Rushing
YearTeamGDGSAttCompPctYardsTDIntAttYardsAvgLongTD
2014 PSU 00000000000.000
2015 UBC 11–46528460.43,9592310382245.6452
2016 UBC 11–45527760.93,5772214282398.5221
2017 UBC 11–36525068.53,2162581812810.7121
2018 UBC 9–35624968.23,13117515785.2251
Totals42–1641106064.612,8338737996696.7455

Professional career

Toronto Argonauts

Attracting the attention of professional leagues, O'Connor was ranked as the 17th best prospect in the Canadian Football League's Central Scouting Bureau Final Rankings. [7] Consequently, he was drafted in the third round, 20th overall, in the 2019 CFL Draft by the Toronto Argonauts and signed with the team on May 17, 2019. [8]

He began the 2019 season on the Argonauts' injured list, but dressed in his first professional game on July 6, 2019, against the BC Lions. [9] With Argonauts eliminated from the playoffs, O'Connor took his first regular season snaps under centre on October 26, 2019, against his hometown Ottawa Redblacks. [10] In that game, he threw his first career touchdown pass; an 11-yard completion to Rodney Smith. [10] Smith had thrown the ball into the stands, but the fan who retrieved it threw the keepsake back to Argos staff members. [11]

O'Connor dressed for nine games his rookie season, and saw snaps in two. He completed 15 passes out of 25 attempts for 173 yards and a touchdown. [12] He did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the 2020 CFL season and he became a free agent in 2021 following the completion of his rookie contract.

Calgary Stampeders

On the first day of free agency in 2021, O'Connor signed with the Calgary Stampeders on February 9, 2021. [13] He initially began the year as the backup quarterback, but was relegated to the third-string position following strong performances by Jake Maier. O'Connor dressed in six regular season games but did not attempt a pass as he ran the short-yardage team where he had four rush attempts for five yards. He became a free agent upon the expiry of his contract on February 8, 2022. [14]

BC Lions

On the first day of free agency, on February 8, 2022, O'Connor signed with the BC Lions. [15] He began the season as the backup quarterback to fellow Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke. When Rourke suffered a significant foot injury in Week 11 O'Connor was named the starting quarterback the following week. [16] Unfortunately, he suffered a groin injury in the second quarter and was ruled out for the remainder of the game. [17] He sat out one game due to injury, but did not see any playing time upon his return to the lineup following the team's acquisition of Vernon Adams. He became a free agent upon the expiry of his contract on February 14, 2023. [18]

Professional statistics

SeasonLeagueTeamGamesPassingRushing
GPGSCompAttPctYdsTDIntAttYdsYd/AttTD
2019 CFL TOR 9015250.017310111.00
2021 CFL CAL 60000.0000451.30
2022 CFL BC 171152755.615701111.01

Personal life

O'Connor was born to Debbie Lavigne and John O'Connor and he grew up in Ottawa. [2] He was named after his uncle who died in a vehicle collision two months before he was born. [19]

Awards and honours

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike O'Shea (Canadian football)</span> Canadian Football League head coach

Michael O'Shea is the head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is a former Canadian football linebacker and former special teams coordinator of the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL from 2010 to 2013, winning the Grey Cup in 2012. O'Shea played 16 seasons in the CFL for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts from 1993 to 2008. He retired second all-time in career tackles with 1,154 and is one of only three players to record over 1,000 tackles. He won the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award in 1999 after recording 84 tackles, 13 special teams tackles and three interceptions that year. O'Shea is a three-time Grey Cup champion as a player, having won all three with the Argonauts in 1996, 1997, and 2004. He is also a two-time Grey Cup winning head coach, having won with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2019 and 2021; O'Shea also won the Grey Cup previously as a special teams coach with the Toronto Argonauts in the 100th Grey Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ricky Ray</span> American gridiron football player (born 1979)

Ricky Ray is an American former professional Canadian football quarterback. Ray spent the majority of his professional career with the Edmonton Eskimos and Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He also briefly spent time in the af2, as well as with the San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). Ray is the all-time leader in passing yardage, pass completions, and passing touchdowns for both the Edmonton Elks and Toronto Argonauts. He won a Grey Cup championship four times as a starter, in 2003, 2005, 2012, and 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarious Jackson</span> American gridiron football player and coach (born 1977)

Jarious K. Jackson is a professional Canadian football pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He has also been a coach for the Toronto Argonauts, Saskatchewan Roughriders, and BC Lions. Jackson played professionally in the CFL for eight seasons with the Lions and one year with the Argonauts where he won three Grey Cup championships in 2006, 2011, and 2012. He has also been a member of the Denver Broncos (NFL), to whom he was drafted 214th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft, and the Barcelona Dragons. Jackson played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacques Chapdelaine</span>

Jacques Chapdelaine is a Canadian football coach and former professional slotback in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He most recently served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. He has also served as the offensive coordinator for four other CFL teams, the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes (2016-17), and the head coach for two Canadian university football teams. He has won three Grey Cup championships as an assistant coach and one Vanier Cup as the head coach of the Laval Rouge et Or. He played collegiately for the Simon Fraser Clan as a wide receiver and played between 1983 and 1989 for four different CFL teams.

Steven Jyles is a former professional Canadian football quarterback. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League in 2006. He played college football for Louisiana–Monroe. Jyles was also a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Toronto Argonauts, and BC Lions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zach Collaros</span> American gridiron football player (born 1988)

Zachary J. Collaros is an American professional Canadian football quarterback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Collaros won the 107th Grey Cup and 108th Grey Cup as the starting quarterback with the Blue Bombers when they defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in both games. He had previously won the Grey Cup as the backup quarterback with the Toronto Argonauts in the 100th Grey Cup. Collaros played football at the University of Cincinnati, and has also been a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Saskatchewan Roughriders and Toronto Argonauts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trevor Harris</span> American gridiron football player (born 1986)

Trevor Harris is an American professional Canadian football quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2010. Harris has also played in the Arena Football League and United Football League. He played college football at Edinboro University. As Edinboro's starting quarterback, he broke "every career passing record in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference" and was a two-time finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, awarded each year to the individual selected as the most valuable player in NCAA Division II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Nichols</span> American football player (born 1987)

Matt Nichols is an American professional Canadian football quarterback who is a free agent. He most recently played for the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Nichols played college football at Eastern Washington. He has also been a member of the Dallas Cowboys, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Edmonton Eskimos, and Toronto Argonauts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McLeod Bethel-Thompson</span> American gridiron football player (born 1988)

McLeod John Baltazar Bethel-Thompson is an American professional gridiron football quarterback for the New Orleans Breakers of the United States Football League (USFL). He was a member of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and won two Grey Cup championships with the team: one as a back-up quarterback in 2017, another as the team's starter in 2022. He played college football at UCLA and Sacramento State. He is the grandson of the 1948 Olympic shot put champion Wilbur 'Moose' Thompson. Bethel-Thompson is a journeyman quarterback having been a member of five different NFL teams, two CFL teams, and one team in both the Arena Football League (AFL) and the United Football League (UFL).

Cody Michael Fajardo is an American professional Canadian football quarterback for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Nevada and was their starting quarterback from 2011 to 2014. Fajardo accounted for over 13,000 yards and 101 touchdowns in his career at Nevada. He has also been a member of the Oakland Raiders, Toronto Argonauts, BC Lions, and Saskatchewan Roughriders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Franklin (quarterback)</span> American gridiron football player (born 1991)

James Franklin is an American former professional Canadian football quarterback. He played college football at Missouri. He was the Tigers' starting quarterback from 2011 to 2013. He was also a member of the Detroit Lions, Edmonton Eskimos, Toronto Argonauts, and Saskatchewan Roughriders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bo Levi Mitchell</span> American gridiron football player (born 1990)

Bo Levi Mitchell is an American professional Canadian football quarterback for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He originally signed with the Calgary Stampeders in 2012 and became the team's starting quarterback for the 2014 season, setting a number of club and league records including best record for a first time starting quarterback in league history. He won the 102nd Grey Cup in 2014, the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award in 2016 and 2018, and the 106th Grey Cup in 2018. With his second Grey Cup win as starter, he became the first quarterback to start and win multiple Grey Cup games with the Stampeders organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shawn Lemon</span> American gridiron football player (born 1988)

Shawn Lemon is a Canadian football defensive lineman who is currently a free agent. He was most recently a member of the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at the University of Akron and attended Westlake High School in Waldorf, Maryland. He has also been a member of seven CFL teams, three arena football teams and two NFL teams.

Brandon Colin Bridge, nicknamed Air Canada, is a former professional Canadian football quarterback. He was previously a member of the Montreal Alouettes, Saskatchewan Roughriders, and BC Lions. He was drafted in the fourth round, 31st overall, by the Alouettes in the 2015 CFL Draft. He played college football at Alcorn State and South Alabama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dakota Prukop</span> American gridiron football player (born 1993)

Dakota Prukop is an American professional gridiron football quarterback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for Montana State from 2013 to 2015 and for Oregon in 2016. Prukop has also been a member of the Toronto Argonauts, Calgary Stampeders, Edmonton Elks and New Jersey Generals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UBC Thunderbirds football</span> University Canadian football team

The UBC Thunderbirds football team represents the University of British Columbia athletics teams in U Sports and is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Thunderbirds program has won the CWUAA Hardy Trophy conference championship 16 times, which is third all-time among competing teams. On a national level, the team has won the Vanier Cup championship four times, in 1982, 1986, 1997 and, most recently, in 2015. The team has also lost twice in the title game, in 1978 and 1987. The Thunderbirds program has also yielded three Hec Crighton Trophy winners: Jordan Gagner in 1987, Mark Nohra in 1997, and, most recently, Billy Greene in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Arbuckle</span> American gridiron football player (born 1993)

Nicholas Arbuckle is a professional Canadian football quarterback for the Ottawa Redblacks of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He has also been a member of the Calgary Stampeders, Ottawa Redblacks, Toronto Argonauts, and Edmonton Elks.

Nathan Rourke is a Canadian professional football quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Rourke played college football for the Ohio Bobcats. Rourke set the all-time CFL records completion percentage (79.2%) during the 2022 CFL season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stavros Katsantonis</span> Canadian football defensive back

Stavros Anastasios Katsantonis, nicknamed The Bakersfield Bandit, is a Canadian football defensive back for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played U Sports football for the UBC Thunderbirds. In college he developed a reputation for forcing turnovers, setting school records, as well as cracking the conference and national record books earning 20 career interceptions as well as a total of 10 forced/recovered fumbles. In his first collegiate season, he garnered national attention with six interceptions and a total of four forced and recovered fumbles in seven games. In his true freshman season, he would go on to be proven as an integral part of the 2015 Vanier Cup Champion T-Birds, and received the Bruce Coulter Award as the Vanier Cup's Defensive MVP. Katsantonis would go on to be a 3x first team All-Canadian at the safety position during his collegiate tenure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jake Maier</span> American gridiron football player (born 1997)

Jake Maier is a professional Canadian football quarterback for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at UC Davis in Davis, California.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "QB Michael O'Connor to transfer". espn.com. December 11, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Canadian-born QB Michael O'Connor settling into Penn State, still forging his own path". pennlive.com. February 4, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Former Penn State quarterback Michael O'Connor commits to UBC". canadawest.org. February 12, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Ottawa quarterback Michael O'Connor picks UBC after leaving Penn State". ottawacitizen.com. February 16, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Michael O'Connor #15 QB UBC". usports.ca. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  6. ↑ "UBC Thunderbirds beat Montreal to win Vanier Cup". sportsnet.ca. November 28, 2015.
  7. ↑ Wilkinson, Desjarlais climb final CFL Scouting Bureau rankings, Canadian Football League, April 12, 2019, retrieved October 16, 2019
  8. ↑ "Argos sign two from Draft Class; Two LFA Players". May 17, 2019.
  9. ↑ "October 11, 2019 – 7:00 pm ET Ottawa at Toronto Game Notes" (PDF). cfl.ca. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  10. 1 2 Wilkinson, Desjarlais climb final CFL Scouting Bureau rankings Argos get major contributions from their young quarterbacks, Canadian Football League, October 27, 2019, retrieved October 27, 2019
  11. ↑ Michael O'Connor throws 1st CFL TD pass, Argos route Redblacks, Calgary Stampeders, October 27, 2019, retrieved October 27, 2019
  12. ↑ "Michael O'Connor CFL Stats & News". www.rotowire.com. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Stampeders sign O'Connor". Calgary Stampeders. February 9, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Transactions – Football player trades and signings". Canadian Football League . Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Lions ink deal with National QB Michael O'Connor". Canadian Football League. February 8, 2022.
  16. ↑ "O'Connor ready for his turn in the Canadian quarterback spotlght". leaderpost. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  17. ↑ TSN ca Staff (August 26, 2022). "Lions QB O'Connor ruled out for the game with apparent groin injury – TSN.ca". TSN. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Transactions – Football player trades and signings". Canadian Football League . Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Rookie Canadian QB O'Connor poised to take first snap in CFL". nationalpost.com. October 15, 2019.
  20. ↑ Aaron Martin (April 4, 2016). "UBC's best honoured at 95th annual Big Block Awards and Sports Hall of Fame Banquet". gothunderbirds.ca. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.