Connors Enrolls at UC Davis : College football: Facing drunk- and reckless-driving charges, former Hart quarterback undergoes counseling from off-campus therapist.

UC Davis Coach Bob Biggs says he is more concerned with personal lives than the football careers of his players. Therefore, it matters not whether freshman quarterback Ryan Connors ever takes a snap for the Aggies.

Connors, the former Hart High standout who faces drunk- and reckless-driving charges stemming from a high-speed car accident in July, has enrolled at Davis and joined the team as a walk-on.

Biggs said Connors will probably spend this season as a redshirt year.

“Talk to me in two or three years and I might be saying something different,” Biggs said. “But it doesn’t matter if he plays a down for UC Davis. It matters what he does with the rest of his life.

“My first concern is with him as a person. And like any freshman, right now his head is spinning.”

Connors, who set a state record in 1991 by passing for 4,144 yards in a single season, reported to Davis on Aug. 21, eight days after he pleaded not guilty during his arraignment in Newhall Municipal Court. Connors is free on $25,000 bail, said his attorney, Tom Kascoutas.

Connors, 19, is charged with felony counts of driving with a blood-alcohol level of .08 or above, and driving under the influence and causing injuries--with special allegation of multiple victims.

One of the victims, Gregory C. Moore, 30, of Sea Ranch, Calif., suffered multiple injuries, including fractured legs, pelvis and an arm.

Biggs said Connors, who faces a possible jail sentence, is receiving counseling from an off-campus therapist in Davis.

“We have concern for him as an individual,” Biggs said. “This is a traumatic experience for a young man and he was distraught. We’ll try to follow up with whatever he needs. He’s doing a lot of soul-searching and self-evaluation, and he’s trying to be responsible and do the right thing.

“He hasn’t had the opportunity to perform in practice, but he’s got a strong arm, he was well-coached at Hart and he’s very competitive. But he’s not ready to be thrown to the wolves.”

While Connors’ future hangs in the balance, Biggs said the freshman probably wouldn’t be Davis’ starting quarterback for two or three years under any scenario.