John Flannery
Co-Captain
All-America
6-4, 305, C
Pottsville, PA
Pottsville H.S.
At SU: four letters…four-year starter…very athletic with excellent size and speed…a coach on the field…redshirted in ’86…
Senior year: consensus All-America pick(Kodak, AP, Walter Camp)… Outland Trophy semifinalist…Lombardi Award semifinalist…started all 13 games…started the first 10 games at center and then filled in for the final three (West Virginia, Miami, and Arizona in the Aloha Bowl) at right guard when Terrence Wisdom was injured…consensus preseason All-America…
Junior year: Pro Football Weekly first team All-America…ECAC All-Star…AP All-East(second team)…started all 12 games…took over snapping duties on PAT/field goal and saw some early season action as the long snapper on punts…
Sophomore year: Sporting News All-America (honorable mention)…AP All-East(honorable mention)…ranked the 3rd best center in the country by the Sporting News…moved to center, his position in high school, after playing guard as a freshman… started all 12 games…picked by the coaches as Offensive Blocker of the Game against Ohio State, East Carolina and Boston College, joining Turnell Sims as the only three-time selections…
Freshman year: pleasant surprise for SU, winning the starting job and performing well in his first collegiate season…started for 10 of 11 games at left guard…sat out the Virginia Tech game with a sprained ankle…
High School: played center and defensive tackle for Coach Risk Laubach at Pottsville…defensive MVP of Pennsylvania’s Big 33 All-Star team in 21-7 win over Maryland…won Pennsylvania state heavyweight wrestling championship in 1986…compiled a 60-9 career record…
Personal: John J. Flannery III…born January 13, 1969, Pottsville, PA…son of Leonard and Rose Rhoads…one brother, one sister, selected for the 1987 FAD “Fight Against Drugs” All American football team for his participation in the “Athletes Who Care” project in Pottsville… received B.S. in political science and worked towards a master’s in elementary education.
