Georgia receiver Chris Conley runs with the ball during Georgia's game with Tennessee.He has been an exemplary student at the University of Georgia and a consistent member of the Bulldogs football team. He has served on multiple committees during his time in Athens and late last month was among 11 NCAA Bowl Subdivision players named to the Allstate Good Works team for his volunteer work in the community.
Senior receiver Chris Conley seems to pack 30 hours into a typical day, and one of his few flaws is his preference for the more recent "Star Wars" trilogy.
"I do like the new trilogy," Conley said, smiling. "I applaud George Lucas for what he was doing in setting up the story. I know if you're a purist that you love the old trilogy for reasons I can't explain, because I wasn't born then."
Conley's love for football, studies and helping others is matched by a fascination with Boba Fett, Darth Maul and all things Star Wars. Earlier this year, he produced a 26-minute tribute film entitled "Retribution," which can be found on YouTube.com and has had more than 420,000 views.
Filmed on Georgia's campus, the picture contains cameos from junior tailback Todd Gurley, whom Stormtroopers can't seem to kill, and even-keeled coach Mark Richt, who is seated on a bench wearing headphones while chaos breaks out around him. Conley, the film's chief villain, has received plenty of positive reviews but some negative feedback as well.
"Some people didn't understand what we were trying to do," Conley said. "They didn't get the Georgia references and didn't know who Todd was, and they were like, 'Who is this guy sitting on a bench?' There were people telling me, 'Technically, if it's like 'Star Wars,' there wouldn't be smoke coming out of a ship,' and I was like, 'Guys, bear with me.'
"Some people didn't understand that it was satire and that we were just trying to do something fun."
Conley has his sights on producing a second film -- not with a "Star Wars" theme -- that will be in excess of an hour. That project was placed on hold once this season started, a season that was thrust into hyperdrive last Saturday.
The 6-foot-3, 206-pounder from Dallas, Ga., amassed a season-high 128 receiving yards in the 45-32 win at Arkansas, including a 48-yard catch from Hutson Mason on Georgia's first play from scrimmage. He had a 26-yard reception late in the first quarter as the Bulldogs eventually built a 38-6 halftime lead, and his 36-yard touchdown catch with 13:08 remaining put Georgia up 45-19.
"We just felt we had the opportunity to do some things," Conley told reporters Saturday night. "I think our passing game early on set up some of our runs."
Said Richt: "I'm happy for Chris. Chris can run. We've got guys who can get down the field. He came open, and we hit him."
Conley has developed into Georgia's most reliable deep threat, leading the Bulldogs with 336 receiving yards and 17.7 yards per reception. Reggie Davis was thought to be the leading candidate for that role while Malcolm Mitchell and Justin Scott-Wesley eased their way back to the field from ACL injuries, but the longest catch for Davis this season has been 16 yards.
Mitchell returned to action earlier this month but has a long of just 12 yards, while Scott-Wesley played in the past two games and did not have a catch.
The 128-yard output last Saturday marked the fifth 100-yard game of Conley's career, and it was his highest total against an SEC foe.
Conley is a journalism major who has served on Georgia's leadership academy, and he has been the SEC's representative on the NCAA's student-athlete advisory committee. Whether he chooses a career in film, football or something else, Conley expects to take on the challenge with a lot of dedication and desire.
He certainly has to this point.
"Whatever he does, he's going to be dadgum good at it," Gurley said. "Actually, he's going to be great at it."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.