Brandon James

Michael McCants

Eight College of Wooster standouts were awarded nine slots on the All-North Coast Athletic Conference Football Team, including senior first-team selections Brandon James at both defensive back and return specialist and Michael McCants at offensive line, as announced by the NCAC office on Thursday.

Fellow seniors Sean Hackel, a running back, and Mitchell Czerniak and Matt Osolinski, both linebackers, were voted on to the All-NCAC Second Team, while receiving honorable mention were junior offensive lineman Nick Flannery, junior defensive lineman Stephen McKinney, and sophomore wide receiver Darrian Owens.

James earns his second and third all-NCAC citations, second on defense and first as a returner. A safety, he ranks as the league's third-leading tackler with 98 stops, including 9.5 for losses, and contributed in a number of other ways with two forced fumbles, four pass breakups, and one interception, tying for team highs in each of the latter categories. On special teams, James ranked as the conference's top punt returner most of the 2014 season, finishing with a 7.8 average, and he added kick return to his duties the last two games (25.0 average).

McCants, now a two-time all-league pick after having moved up from second-team a year ago, anchored Wooster's offense up front. The 6-3, 315-pound lineman played primarily right guard as well as a few snaps at center for a unit that led the NCAC in total offense at the midway point of the season (445.8 ypg) and still wound up among the top half (385.6 ypg), despite some uncharacteristic struggles later in the year. McCants helped clear the way for the conference's third-ranked rush offense (172.9 ypg).

Czerniak led the league in tackles by a wide margin en route to a second consecutive second-team all-NCAC honor. His 125 tackles rank 18 more than any other player, and a team-best 10.0 of them went for losses. Czerniak pedaled back in pass coverage frequently as well, breaking up four passes and intercepting another, and he also made one fumble recovery. The 125 tackles were the sixth-highest mark in school history.

Hackel is another repeat honoree, as the two-time all-conference standout played through an injury while rushing for 817 yards – currently second in the NCAC – and five touchdowns. In addition to running the ball 4.7 yards a carry, he was a big part of the passing game with 18 receptions for 139 yards. Hackel started out with rushing totals of 108, 137, and a career-high 205 against Hiram College, then suffered a knee injury during the fourth game, missed the next week, and tried to overcome the pain the second half of the year.

Osolinski gained his first postseason recognition via another impactful season in the middle of the Fighting Scots' defense. A two-year starter at linebacker, he accumulated a career-high 66 tackles, including 7.0 for losses of 26 yards. Osolinski regularly put pressure on opposing quarterbacks, getting credit for 2.5 sacks of 18 yards and a squad-best four quarterback hurries, and he also contributed one pass breakup.

Flannery, also a first-team academic all-district pick, started all 10 games at left tackle for the second year   and was tabbed with all-league status for the first time. Protecting the blind side of Wooster's quarterbacks and helping clear the way for the running attack, he played a key role in the offense piling up three 500-yard games, including a high of 574 at Oberlin College on Sept. 20. Of note, the Scots have one of the top-100 rushing offenses statistically in Div. III (172.9 ypg), despite injuries to several of their skill players.

McKinney, who gained honorable mention on last season's All-NCAC Team as well, led Wooster's defensive front again, this time registering 41 tackles, 9.5 for losses. He notched a squad-best 3.0 sacks covering 27 yards, and broke up one pass and recovered one fumble. McKinney, who has 9.5 career sacks and four fumble recoveries, had at least one tackle for loss in six games this fall.

Owens improved across the board as a receiver with 41 catches for 857 yards, and a school-record 13 touchdowns, and was selected honorable mention for the second time in as many years. Among the conference leaders in a number of categories, he is tied for the league lead in receiving touchdowns with the NCAC Offensive Player of the Year, second in yards per catch (20.9), and third in receiving yards (85.7 ypg). A more consistent threat this season, Owens scored during nine of 10 games, including a pair of touchdowns in five, and he finished strong with 80-plus yards each of the last five games.