How Jayvontay Conner is Becoming a Reliable Target for Vanderbilt Football

NASHVILLE – Vanderbilt tight end Jayvontay Conner lined up as the first pass catcher to the left of five-start freshman quarterback Jared Curtis. The Commodores were still looking for a spark in a scoreless game where they were in a third down and forever situation.

As Curtis navigated the pocket and stepped up, Conner ran right down the middle of the field and found himself open just a couple yards in front of the goal line. Conner caught Curtis’ dart and fell forward at what looked like a few inches from the end zone.

Conner did not get credited with a touchdown on that possession, but he was the one that lit the flame of Vanderbilt’s offense. And Conner also was the one that led all Vanderbilt pass catchers in catches made against the Blue Hens with six. His 87 receiving yards were the second-most for all Vanderbilt pass catchers in the game.

“I know you didn’t ask about JC [Jayvontay Conner], but here’s another tight end who had a career-high in receptions tonight and he’s become such a trusted target in the passing game. Very proud of him, too,” Vanderbilt football head coach Clark Lea said of Conner’s night. “That room, it’s a next man up mentality.”

Conner is one of the tight ends tasked with filling in for an injured Cole Spence. While Spence’s injury is listed as week-to-week according to Lea, Conner is doing what he can to make sure the pass-catching element out of the tight end room does not go away.

Conner has become a valued member of the Vanderbilt football program. In addition to the person he is to his teammates in the locker room, Conner has also been just as good of a player on the field and has embraced his role of filling in for Spence.

Conner has a mindset that he has carried on for a long time. In almost every media interview since his arrival in Nashville, Conner reminds people of his “Waffle House” mindset. The thought is simple: Conner believes he is always open on every play, just like the popular American breakfast chain is.

“Just going through practices and everything, I always enter the practice and games with that I’m Waffle House going out there. I always mention Waffle House all the time. And that’s something I don’t just say, I promise you I live by every route that I run. And I truly believe that and I’m confident that every time I’m running a route that it’s Waffle House,” Conner said.

He takes the initiative of being the guy that quarterbacks feel comfortable with. He does not shy away from being a credible threat in the passing game.

In practices and games, Lea has noticed that Conner has developed a good connection with both quarterbacks Blaze Berlowitz and Jared Curtis. Especially Curtis, though. Saturday’s win over Delaware was evidence of that.

Conner seemed to agree that his connection with Curtis is coming along well, but he also makes it his duty to have that same connection with every quarterback on the roster. From Curtis and Berlowitz down through Whit Muschamp and Jack Elliott, Conner is always in the ear of all four of them, trying to build the relationships.

It’s a smart move after all. While Curtis’ performance suggests that he should be the starting quarterback going forward, you never know what can happen in the future, so it is always important to develop a rapport with all the guys that could throw to you.

“I feel like I try to always be in their ear and always like ‘you always got me. You don’t got nobody else, you got me,’” Conner said. “So, I always try to have that rapport with all the quarterbacks and just stay close with each and every one of them. I’m trying to stay close with them because at the end of the day, I have to ball with whoever is back there taking snaps.”

There is a lot of football left to go this season, but through two games Conner is looking like he could be one of the best preseason additions for Vanderbilt.

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