Aleksi Pelkonen
Sports Editor
The Fighting Scots football team is looking to improve after a disappointing 2-8 record in their 2015 season. The Scots start their season September 3, away at Washington & Jefferson College.
The Scots will face a challenging first test, as W&J starts the year ranked just outside of the preseason national Top 25 by D3Football.com. However, facing tough competition is nothing new to Wooster football; the NCAC is among the country’s top Div. III conferences. Wabash College, last year’s conference champions, start the season ranked 14 in the country according to D3Football.com. In that same preseason ranking, DePauw University and Wittenberg University were named in the “others receiving votes” category.
Hoping to improve their standing in the NCAC, the Scots added 39 incoming first years, a group they believe will energize a team that graduated key players last season on both the offensive and defensive lines. The Scots lost five seniors on the offensive line, including two-time all-NCAC selection Nick Flannery.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Scots graduated three-time all-NCAC lineman Stephen McKinney ’16. The defensive end led the Scots with 6.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss last season. His presence along the front four will be missed, and production from the defensive line will have to be picked up by returners. Kevin Komara ’17 and Aaron Roberson ’18 are prime candidates to do just that; the two combined for nine sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss last campaign.
Elsewhere on the defense, the Scots return their three top tacklers from last season. Defensive backs Patrick Johnson ’18 and Christian Golden ’17, as well as linebacker Marcus Bowers ’19, are ready to continue their steady defensive contributions. Johnson, who was the team’s top tackler, is a reigning all-conference honorable mention award winner and also added one interception and four forced fumbles last year.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Scots are well poised to make big improvements. Gary Muntean ’18 will be the man to lead the Scots from under center. Muntean finished the season well, throwing for three straight 300-yard games to close out the season and operating at a very efficient clip of 8.3 yards per attempt over that span.
At the running back spot, the Scots are returning their three top rushers from last season: Antonio Bailey ’19, Russell Boston ’19 and Connor Allan ’19. The trio combined for 862 yards in their inaugural campaigns last year. Bailey is expected to be the lead back, while Boston and Allan are expected to contribute at the wide receiver position as well.
At receiver, the Scots return all-NCAC selection Tyson Vogel ’17. Vogel led the Scots with 556 yards and seven touchdowns in his first full season as a wide receiver.
With consistent production at the skill positions and offseason growth from both lines, the Scots are well positioned to make a big leap in the conference standings. The rubber will meet the road this Saturday in Washington, PA.