The busy life of Temple football player Connor Reilly

DRIPPING IN sweat, Temple's reserve quarterback walked off the Owls' practice turf on Monday after a steamy morning under the North Philadelphia sun. After stripping off his helmet, cleats and pads, he let out an exhaustive sigh.

"This is a little different than baseball," he said, laughing. "It's a lot of fun being out here, though."

Meet Connor Reilly, Temple's only dual-sport male athlete. In the first week of training camp, Reilly, a 20-year-old sophomore, is trying to work his way up the depth chart at quarterback. He is currently battling for the No. 3 position behind starter Chris Coyer and backup Clinton Granger.

If Reilly seems particularly overwhelmed compared to his competition, it's probably because he is. In a coup for the program, Steve Addazio brought newcomers Kevin Rogers (quarterbacks) and Ryan Day (wide receivers/offensive coordinator) into the Temple coaching fold this past spring.

But at the time, Reilly was busy patrolling the outfield for the Owls' baseball team, where he hit .263 with four home runs and 25 RBI in 38 starts as a freshman. He has been playing a frantic game of catch-up ever since.

"A lot of the plays are kind of similar to last year's playbook, but I am still getting back into the football mentality," Reilly said. "It's kind of like being a freshman again, in a way."

Reilly's father, Neil, played professional baseball in the Texas Rangers' system in the '80s before an eye injury forced him into retirement. Connor has played baseball all of his life and didn't step on a football field until his sophomore year in high school.

Nevertheless, he was able to get into three games last season after redshirting in 2010 - experiences, he says, that were invaluable to his development. Blessed with a strong arm, Reilly's main focus in this camp, outside of continuing to learn, is working on his mechanics.

"I throw like a baseball player, so I drop the ball," Reilly said. "Coach Rogers and I are working on instead of dropping my arm, bringing it straight back."

When he isn't on the gridiron or on the diamond, Reilly is a proud member of a military family. Shortly after his pro baseball career ended, Neil Reilly joined the Army. Lt. Col. Reilly returned from Afghanistan last September, making it home just in time to see his son's Owls take on Penn State at the Linc.

The senior Reilly is currently stationed in Louisiana. While in combat, he was part of a helicopter task force that flew reconnaissance and security missions throughout Afghanistan. On each mission, the elder Reilly's chopper didn't leave the base without Temple's cherry and white flag attached to its bottom.

"He has always told me to live my dream - to do what I want to do," the younger Connor said when asked if he played baseball because of his father. "He hasn't pushed me in any direction. He just wants me to be successful. But I am able to learn a lot from him since he experienced so much."

Connor moved 13 times when he was growing up before graduating high school in Virginia. He is a self-professed patriot and because of it, last year Addazio gave him the option to run out on the field waving an American flag - a tribute he eagerly carried out before every home game.

"I plan on doing it again unless I'm told otherwise," Connor Reilly said. "I think it's a big honor to do it - and is probably the big reason why I am allowed to."

While baseball is his first love, Connor acknowledges that football has "opened a lot of doors" for him. Between both sports and class, he hasn't left Temple's campus for leisure since he arrived the summer of 2010. Depending on what happens this football season, Connor intends to play baseball come springtime.

"I love football. Being out here on the field is phenomenal," he said. "I'd much rather be doing this right now in the fall, helping out the team. And then in the spring, if Coach Addazio allows it, I'll be on the diamond helping out the baseball team."

With the season opener less than 4 weeks away, one thing he knows he can count on is his father's presence at the Mayor's Cup against Villanova on Aug. 31. Two Reillys, two flags and two sports - just the way he likes it.