Nick Flannery

Stephen McKinney

Senior offensive lineman Nick Flannery, sophomore defensive back Patrick Johnson, senior defensive end Stephen McKinney, and junior wide receiver Tyson Vogel of The College of Wooster were all named to the 2015 All-North Coast Athletic Conference Football Team, which was released by the league office on Friday.

Flannery was voted second-team all-NCAC, while Johnson, McKinney, and Vogel each received honorable mention honors.

Flannery, now a two-time all-conference standout, started for the fourth consecutive season, this time at center – one of the most important positions in Wooster's offense. He was responsible for getting the league's most up-tempo unit lined up, as the Fighting Scots led the way with 810 total offensive plays, or a school-record 81.0 snaps per game. The 6-2, 255-pound lineman anchored a group that blocked for an entirely new cast of skill-position players in 2015, including three freshmen who split the running back position. Wooster's offense steadily improved throughout the year, averaging 37.7 points and 479.3 yards the last three games, and overall, it boasted the NCAC's third-best passing offense (230.2 ypg).

Johnson was the Scots' leading tackler while lining up at both safety and one of the strong safety positions in their 4-2-5 alignment. Among his 68 total stops were 41 solo tackles and 5.0 tackles for loss, and he made a number of splash plays. Johnson's four forced fumbles tied for the league lead (with freshman teammate Marcus Bowers) and he recovered three fumbles, also tied for the most in the NCAC. In coverage, Johnson broke up a team-leading five passes and collected one of the team's six interceptions.

McKinney, Wooster's first three-time all-conference player on the defensive side of the field since cornerback Girard Ogletree-Crawford (2010-12), was one of the top defensive linemen again. He ranked   fifth in the league with 6.5 sacks and added 5.0 more tackles for loss for a team-high 11.5, as part of his 43 total tackles. Only behind Johnson and Bowers, McKinney tied for third in the NCAC with three forced fumbles, while his season highlight may have been a 42-yard return for a touchdown off of a fumble recovery against Denison University (Sept. 26).

Vogel made a smooth transition to receiver this season after previously starting at defensive back. He was the quarterbacks' top target, catching 53 balls for 556 yards and seven touchdowns, which put him top-10 in the conference in all three categories – fifth in receptions, ninth in receiving yards, and tied for fifth in   receiving touchdowns. While he was voted all-NCAC as a receiver, the athletic and versatile Vogel also started once at quarterback and took some snaps there in four other games.