Travis Marmon
Sports Editor
The Wooster football team is looking to put a disappointing 2011 campaign behind it as they hope to contend for an NCAC title. The Fighting Scots finished with a record of just 4-6 (3-3 NCAC), tying with Allegheny University and Ohio Wesleyan University for fourth place in the conference.
The Scots’ biggest issue was a lack of offensive scoring, which was compounded when starting quarterback Richard Barnes ’14 suffered a season-ending leg injury in September against Oberlin College.
Barnes’ injury opened the door for Brett Frongillo ’14, who went 3-4 as a starter. Frongillo generated much more scoring toward the end of the season, although he was occasionally better as a rusher than a passer.
Indeed, Frongillo and then-running back Robert Flagg ’12 were a formidable duo on the ground in wins against Hiram University and Kenyon College.
Frongillo’s play creates a competition at the quarterback position that will hopefully bring out the best in both him and Barnes. They will be without the safety valve of Flagg in the backfield, but they will return three starters from a year ago at wide receiver—Jordan McIntyre ’13, Zack Weidrick ’13 and Justin Rice ’15.
McIntyre led the receiving corps last season with 35 catches for 409 yards, but he was unable to find the endzone. The Scots lost their most dangerous scoring threat in the air, tight end Cameron Daniels ’12, to graduation.0 Replacing Flagg in the backfield will be John Battaglia ’14, who carried the ball 58 times for 234 yards as a backup last year.
The biggest hole Wooster has to fill is on defense, which lost two-time All-American Dan Terhune ’12 to graduation. With the defensive line weakened, the focus will shift to the back seven. The Scots return all three starting linebackers from a year ago: Brendon Taylor ’14, Matt Breidigam ’13 and Quinn Hood ’14.
Taylor and Breidigam were both All-NCAC last season, while Hood recorded 46 tackles and three sacks in just five games. Taylor led the team with 109 tackles including eight for loss. Breidigam was fourth with 73 tackles including 7.5 tackles for loss.
In the secondary, two-time All-NCAC player Girard Ogletree-Crawford ’13 will be starting at cornerback for the fourth year in a row. Brandon James ’15, who led the team with three interceptions last year, has a safety position locked down. The other two starting spots are up in the air.
The Fighting Scots open their season tomorrow at John P. Papp Stadium against the Allegheny Gators. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. Fans are encouraged to wear black.