“I’m ecstatic to be able to play my junior year. It’s been a long journey filled with doubt, but I couldn’t be happier to share this moment with this team. We have worked hard and we deserved the chance to show it,” said O’Connor. “Personally I’ve worked hard over this extended offseason to get bigger and improve my offensive line technique. Having the guys I have next to me is big because I know I can trust them and they’ll have my back. I’m truly blessed and honored to have been elected a captain by my teammates for the second straight year. Being a leader is something I always work on and pride myself on. Running out and leading this team is all I could ever ask for.”