2015 Lincoln County Football Capsule

LINCOLN COUNTY

League: Division III Southern

Head coach: Rich Ottley, 16th season

2014 record: 6-4 (5-2 Southern, third)

Returning lettermen: eight

Returning starters: six offense, seven defense

Base offensive set: Hybrid Wing-T

Base defensive set: 4-3

Top offensive players: QB/DB McClain O'Connor (Sr.); RB/LB Will Culverwell (Sr.); RB/DB Cody Thornock (Jr.); WR/DB Mike Wood (Sr.); TE/DL Zach Florence (Jr.); WR/LB Alex Samson (Jr.); RB/LB Derek Mathews (Jr.)

Top defensive players: DB McClain O'Connor (Sr.); LB Will Culverwell (Sr.); DB Cody Thornock (Jr.); DB Mike Wood (Sr.); DL Zach Florence (Jr.); LB Alex Samson (Jr.); LB Derek Mathews (Jr.)

Top newcomers: QB/DB Landon Smith (Jr.); RB/LB Zach Rowe (Jr.); OL/DL Jordan Povis (Jr.); OL/DL Jacque Wadsworth (Jr.); WR/LB Benson Wadsworth (So.); OL/DL Matt Finlinson (So.); TE/LB Kevin Mathews (Jr.); OL/DL McKinnley O'Connor (Fr.)

Key losses: RB/LB Preston Robbins; TE/LB Jordan Harrington; WR/LB Derek Shumway; OL/DL Kendal Thomas; OL/DL Jessie McClean; OL/LB Hyrum LeBaron; RB/LB Christian Florence; OL/DL Frank Barrett; OL/DL Rich Alfono; OL/DL A.J. Ernst

Outlook: Lincoln County earned the Southern League's No. 3 seed last season before losing its opening-round playoff game to Agassi Prep, 20-12.

The Lynx hope to improve on that finish, and appear to be in position to do so. Amid several coaching changes and players graduating around the league, the Lynx will be in contention for their first league title since 2008.

Lincoln County will be without a couple key players in Robbins and Shumway, but fortunately, they return their quarterback in O'Connor, who was named the Offensive Player of the Year last season.

O'Connor finished with 816 yards passing, 637 yards rushing and eight total touchdowns. He also led the team in interceptions with six.

Thornock and Wood will be O'Connor's preferred receiving targets this season. The two will take on much larger roles after the departures of Harrington and Robbins.

Culverwell, who had five rushing touchdowns a season ago, will be the team's go-to guy on the ground.

Ottley acknowledged there will be "a lot of positions left open by graduation," but he hopes the Lynx will be able to fill those slots and compete for a league championship.