Rory Connop
{{Short description|Canadian football player (born 1990)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2015}}
{{Infobox gridiron football person
| name = Rory Connop
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| import = no
| position1 = Defensive lineman
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|12|27}}
| birth_place = Edmonton, Alberta
| death_date =
| death_place =
| number = 95
| CIS = Western
| high_school = Edmonton (AB) St. Francis Xavier
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lbs = 282
| CFLDraftedYear = 2015
| CFLDraftedRound = 3
| CFLDraftedPick = 26
| CFLDraftedTeam = Saskatchewan Roughriders
| playing_years1 = {{CFL Year|2015}}
| playing_team1 = Saskatchewan Roughriders
| CFL = rory-connop
}}
Rory Connop (born December 27, 1990) is a former Canadian football defensive lineman who played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He previously attended Western University and played college football for the Western Ontario Mustangs. He also played junior football for the Edmonton Wildcats of the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL).
Early career
Connop attended St. Francis Xavier High School but did not play high school football there. Instead, he played community football with the West Edmonton Raiders. He went on to play three years with the Edmonton Wildcats of the CJFL and was named an all-star of the Prairie Football Conference twice.{{cite news|title=Rory Connop enjoying his red shirt year with Boise State|url=https://www.canadafootballchat.com/rory-connop-enjoying-his-red-shirt-year-with-boise-state/|access-date=August 29, 2015|work=CanadaFootballChat.com|date=September 16, 2011}}{{cite news|last1=Gibson|first1=Stuart|title=Edmonton Wildcat Heads South of the Border|url=http://www.edmontonwildcats.com/news/edmonton-wildcat-heads-south-of-the-border1/|access-date=August 29, 2015|work=Edmonton Wildcats Football|date=September 3, 2011}} In 2011, he enrolled at Boise State University and maintained redshirt status on the Broncos. Following his one year at Boise State, Connop discovered the NCAA would only allow him two years of eligibility, causing him to leave the Broncos for the Western Mustangs.{{cite news|last1=Dalla Costa|first1=Morris|title=D-line expected to soldier on|url=https://lfpress.com/sports/mustangs/2012/08/22/20130566.html|access-date=August 29, 2015|work=London Free Press|date=August 23, 2012}} In 16 regular season games with the Mustangs, Connop recorded 32 tackles and six quarterback sacks. He also played in seven playoff games with 16 total tackles and two sacks.{{cite web|title=Rory Connop|url=http://www.westernmustangs.ca/roster.aspx?rp_id=21060|website=Western Mustangs|access-date=August 29, 2015}} Connop was invited to play in the 2014 East West Bowl.{{cite web|title=Rory Connop|url=http://www.riderville.com/roster/show/id/8093|website=Saskatchewan Roughriders|access-date=August 29, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919154238/http://www.riderville.com/roster/show/id/8093|archive-date=September 19, 2015|df=mdy-all}}
Professional career
Connop was selected in the third round of the 2015 CFL Draft by the Saskatchewan Roughriders with the 26th overall pick.{{cite news|last1=Hamilton|first1=Ian|title=Jeremy O'Day has high hopes for Toronto Argonauts|url=https://leaderpost.com/sports/Jeremy+high+hopes+Toronto+Argonauts/11069540/story.html|access-date=August 29, 2015|work=Leader-Post|date=May 21, 2015}} He made his CFL debut and started in the season debut against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on June 27.{{cite news|last1=Hamilton|first1=Ian|title=Roughriders' rookies ready to rumble|url=https://leaderpost.com/sports/Roughriders+rookies+ready+rumble+Video/11168276/story.html|access-date=August 29, 2015|work=Leader-Post|date=June 26, 2015}} Connop recorded his first tackle in the Week 2 game against the BC Lions.{{cite web|title=Saskatchewan Roughriders vs BC Lions (10 July 2015)|url=https://www.cfl.ca/statistics/statsGame/id/12869|website=CFL.ca|access-date=August 29, 2015}} He retired in May 2016.{{cite web | url=https://leaderpost.com/sports/football/cfl/saskatchewan-roughriders/saskatchewan-roughriders-training-camp-digest | title=Saskatchewan Roughriders training camp digest | publisher=leaderpost.com | date=May 29, 2016 | access-date=June 16, 2016 | author=McCormick, Murray}}
Personal life
Rory Connop is the son of former Edmonton Eskimos offensive lineman and Canadian Football Hall of Fame member Rod Connop.{{cite news|last1=Hamilton|first1=Ian|title=Father knows best for Rod Connop|url=https://leaderpost.com/sports/Father+knows+best+Connop+Video/11088462/story.html|access-date=August 29, 2015|work=Leader-Post|date=May 28, 2015}} Connop grew up playing hockey and played three seasons in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.{{cite web|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=112490|title=Rory Connop|publisher=}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Connop, Rory}}
Category:Canadian football defensive linemen
Category:American football defensive linemen
Category:Canadian Junior Football League players
Category:Boise State Broncos football players
Category:Western Mustangs football players
Category:Saskatchewan Roughriders players
Category:Players of Canadian football from Alberta