Sept. 5, 2002

Momentum. In football, momentum can carry over from play to play, quarter to quarter and game to game. The 2002 Johns Hopkins football team will be looking to see if momentum can carry over from season to season as well. Flashback to the final two games of the 2001 season. The Blue Jays throttled Franklin & Marshall, 41-0 in the next-to-last game of the season and then pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the nation with a stunning 21-14 victory over ninth-ranked Western Maryland to end the season.

After narrow back-to-back league losses on the road dashed their hopes of claiming the Centennial Conference title, the Blue Jays were up to the challenge of the last two games of the season and rode that momentum into the weight room during the winter and spring. Will that momentum carry into the 2002 season? Only time will tell.

"We got off to a good start last season and rallied at the end of the year to post a 6-3 record," 13th-year coach Jim Margraff noted. "While nothing we did last year will matter come September 14 (when JHU opens the season at Washington & Lee), the strong finish has certainly given our players a bright outlook and something to build on entering this season."

If the Blue Jays are to contend for that elusive Centennial title (Hopkins has been picked to finish third in the 2002 Preseason Coaches/SIDs Poll), they will have to do so without 11 starters from last season, including eight who earned All-Centennial honors.

However, Margraff has always been one to emphasize what the Blue Jays have, not what they don't have. And, despite the loss of a senior class which was peppered with players who left their mark in the Hopkins record book, there are more than enough returning players to keep the Blue Jays near the top of the league standings.

"There is no question that our seniors last year were not only very good players, but very good leaders as well," Margraff stated. "They did an excellent job for us not just last year, but throughout their careers. However, we have always seen value in playing a lot of people and that has helped us maintain a certain level of consistency through the years. At most of the positions where we lost starters, we have one or more players with starting or significant playing experience ready to take on a more significant role."

Below is a position-by-position breakdown of the 2002 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays with key returning players listed.

Quarterback

Rob Heleniak, Johns Hopkins' fourth all-time leading passer, graduated and must be replaced. However, Margraff has two players returning with starting experience and a third who impressed the coaching staff enough as a rookie last season to force a three-way battle for the starting spot.

Junior George Merrell, senior Rob Fernand and sophomore Joe Tarsia will enter the preseason in a three-way battle for the starting job. All three are mobile and have demonstrated the ability to move the team in limited playing time.

"Rob enjoyed a great deal of success as our starter during the last two years, but he missed nearly a third of the 2000 season with an injury, which gave Merrell and Fernand some starting experience," Margraff noted. "Because we had some success last season, we were able to get Merrell and Tarsia some time in a reserve role last season and that gives us three players who have performed under pressure. We feel very good about where we stand at the quarterback position and any of the three could win the job."

Merrell is the most experienced of the three, as he has played in seven games in the last two years with two starts to his credit. He has completed nearly 50 percent of his attempts for nearly 400 yards and excels in the open field when forced from the pocket.

Fernand, who has handled the punting chores and was a reserve defensive back last season, has more game experience than Merrell or Tarsia and may have held the job for the last three games of the 2000 season if not for a season-ending injury.

Tarsia has an excellent arm and impressed the coaching staff enough during practices last season for this to be considered a three-horse race. He saw action in two games last season, but with Hopkins comfortably ahead in the fourth quarter of both games, he did not get much of a chance to throw the ball down the field.

Running Backs

As with the quarterback position, the Blue Jays must replace one of the program's all-time greats as Scott Martorana took his school-record 25 career rushing touchdowns and over 1,700 career rushing yards with him when he graduated. And while there are three players battling for one starting spot at quarterback, the Blue Jays count two proven starters at tailback who could give Hopkins the top tandem in the Centennial Conference.

Senior Kevin Johnson and sophomore Adam Cook combined to rush for 659 yards (5.3 yards per carry) and three touchdowns last season and Johnson could move into the top 10 on Hopkins' career rushing list this season.

"We are faced with replacing someone who was a cornerstone of our offense during the last two years, but Scott missed seven games during the last two seasons and that gave us a chance to play some other people," Margraff noted of the depth the Blue Jays have at tailback. "It's rare that you could lose someone like Scott and still feel good about where you stand heading into the next season."

Johnson joined the prestigious 1,000-yard club in the season finale last season and averaged 6.3 yards per carry in limited action a year ago. He appeared in just four games due to injury, but he rushed for over 400 yards as a freshman when he shared the job with Martorana and all-time leading rusher Adam Gentile and nearly 400 as a sophomore when Martorana emerged as a First Team All-Centennial player. Physically, the Blue Jays have not had a player of his caliber in some time and he could be ready for the breakout season many have projected for him since he arrived at Homewood.

Cook was thrust into the starting lineup as a freshman when Martorana and Johnson went down with injuries in the second game of the season and all he did was rush for a career-high 120 yards against third-ranked and eventual national finalist Bridgewater in his first career start.

On the year he rushed for 460 yards (most by a JHU freshman since 1993) and a pair of touchdowns and finished second on the team with 18 receptions for 142 yards. Look for the Blue Jays to use him even more in the passing game as they try to utilize his ability in the open field.

While Johnson and Cook may have the inside track to the starting spot, Margraff can count on senior Harrell Lightfoot and junior Ben Stopper to provide valuable carries as well. Lightfoot has averaged five yards per carry over the last two years and is a proven pass receiver as he caught 11 passes for 146 yards as a sophomore. Stopper has seen limited carries in his first two years, but is also a valuable threat in the passing game and is one of the top return men in the Centennial as well.

If there is an abundance of riches at tailback, the Blue Jays are downright loaded at fullback, where senior Steve Stache, junior Kyle Miller and sophomore Nate Readal could be the most talented trio of fullbacks Margraff has ever had at one time.

Stache, who has started nearly every game during his first three years, is the prototypical fullback who is a tremendous lead blocker, solid ball carrier in short-yardage situations and is a pass-catching threat out of the backfield as well.

Miller had limited opportunities as a freshman, but excelled when given the opportunity last year. He is a tremendous receiver as he finished fifth on the team last season with 15 receptions for 153 yards and three touchdowns, which actually led the team until the final game of the season. Readal rushed for 83 yards on 20 carries last season and mixed in a pair of receptions, including one for a touchdown, as well.

Wide Receiver

It would be impossible to lose 11 starters and not have at least one area where there may not be proven replacements on hand. For the Blue Jays, that may be at wide receiver, where there is talent on hand, but it just happens to be young and or inexperienced.

Margraff needs to replace Zach Baylin, the second-all-time leading receiver in school history, and John Baker, who accounted for 44 receptions for 558 yards in the last two years.

"We like the players and competition that we have at wide receiver," Margraff noted when evaluating his receiving corps. "Obviously, Zach caught nearly 200 passes over the last four years and John was productive as our number two option. We need some players who have demonstrated flashes of their ability to perform over the course of the season."

Junior Jason Lehman and sophomore Brian Wolcott are the leading contenders to take over permanent starting roles. Lehman had 13 receptions for 190 yards and one touchdown last season and will give whoever wins the quarterback job a big target to shoot for (6-4/210). Wolcott gives Hopkins a player who can get deep and enjoyed a solid rookie campaign last season when he caught 10 passes for 128 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

In addition to Lehman and Wolcott, seniors Bill Stolting, Ben May, Chris Tucker and Mike Cascioli and juniors Drew High and Chris Moriarity will also fight for time. All six have seen game action, but, because of the presence of Baylin and Baker, have not been focal points of the passing game. This is an area where at least one freshman could have an impact.

Tight Ends

Barring the emergence of a freshman during preseason camp, the tight end position is likely to be handled by seniors Mike Spears and Mark Gengaro. Sophomore Jake Kail, who handles the team's long-snapping chores, is the only other returning tight end on the roster.

Spears has seen a majority of the playing time at tight end over the last two years and will look to establish himself as more of a receiving threat, while Gengaro has shown tremendous improvement at the position after switching from quarterback early in his career.

Offensive Line

If a team needs to break in a new quarterback, it might as well come during a season when the offensive line should be strong. The Blue Jays will be replacing Heleniak at quarterback, but four starters return to the offensive line and six players with significant starting experience are back in the fold.

"Based purely on experience, this should be the strongest part of our offense," Margraff stated. "We have two returning All-Centennial players (center Kevin Kostibos and tackle Leif Glynn), an Academic All-American (guard Brian Williams) and we expect Zack Kail to return to full strength after starting all 10 games as a freshman two years ago. We also have some young players we are excited about so we are looking for this to be a team strength."

Kostibos earned First Team All-Centennial honors last season after garnering second team status as a sophomore. His presence in the middle of the line provides a talented and seasoned veteran who will anchor the unit for the fourth straight year.

Williams, a District II Verizon Academic All-American last season, will hold down the right guard spot for the third straight season, while seniors John Tiberi and Ben Kail will battle for the left guard spot. Tiberi actually started at tackle last season in place of Zach Kail, who missed most of the season with injury. He makes the move inside this year and the experience he gained last year should prove valuable. Ben Kail has seen extensive playing time in his career and any combination of the three will be a talented, experienced group.

Glynn, who goes 6-8, 290, earned Honorable Mention All-Centennial honors last season and will start at right tackle. Zach Kail will look to bounce back to his form of two years ago when he established himself as one of the top young offensive linemen in the Centennial Conference. He missed most of last season with an ankle injury.

Among the top reserves that are returning are senior Andrew Odell and sophomores Mike Speer, Ryan Sheare and Matt Weeks. Sheare will backup Kostibos at center.

Defensive Line

The interior of the defensive line should be among the best in the Centennial Conference, while the defensive ends must step up and replace four-year starter Erich Hellmold and Adam Seidman, who switched from outside linebacker to defensive end last season and enjoyed the most productive season of his career.

Still, with Second Team All-Centennial pick Pat Doyle returning to play defensive tackle, junior play-maker Paul Smith back at nose guard and senior Nick Loiacono back to handle one of the end spots, this unit could standout.

"Erich was a special player for us for four years and there is no getting around that," Margraff noted of the two-time First Team All-Centennial selection. "He, Adam and Nick gave us a luxury last year at the defensive end position and took some of the heat off the interior players. We feel good about Nick holding down one of the spots while some younger players battle for the spot opposite him."

Doyle posted 32 tackles with a pair of sacks and eight tackles for losses from his defensive tackle spot, while Smith led all Hopkins' defensive linemen with 40 tackles, including 5.5 sacks and 14 tackles for losses. While Doyle and Smith may be one of the top interior starting tandems in the league, junior Hayes Griffin and sophomore Mark Oppedisano give the team experienced depth. Griffin has played in 14 games in the last two years, while Oppedisano showed flashes of brilliance last season.

In addition to Loiacono, juniors John Scillieri and Colby Umbrell and sophomore John Avirett will battle for time at the end position. This is also an area where a freshman could have an immediate impact.

Linebackers

In Hopkins 4-4-3 defensive alignment, the linebackers have plenty of opportunities to make plays. However, gone are two players who made many of those plays in recent years as three-year starter Mark Della Pia and two-time All-Centennial pick Craig Reinert have graduated. Still, the Blue Jays have used many players at linebacker and there is no shortage of available talent.

Senior co-captain Mike Little will start at one inside linebacker spot after tying for the team lead with 59 tackles, including eight for losses, last season. Little has 124 tackles during the last two years, including 17.5 for losses. While other players have gotten the recognition, all he has done is make plays and he is the unquestioned leader of this group.

Della Pia, who led or tied for the team lead in tackles in each of his three seasons as a starter, will be difficult to replace. The most experienced player in the battle for the vacant spot is junior Colin Slemenda, who has played in 18 games in the last two years and counted one-third of his overall tackles last season for losses. Increased playing time should only make him more effective. Junior Peter Botsolas and sophomore Chris Wegman will also battle for time on the inside.

Junior Paul Longo enjoyed a breakout season a year ago as he started most of the season opposite Reinert and posted 30 tackles, including three for losses. Senior Jim Donohue, junior Joe Nuni and sophomores Victor Iturbides and Ed MacQueen could also earn a starting spot on the outside, while a talented group of newcomers will be given every opportunity to earn playing time here as well.

"Mike, Colin and Paul give us a solid nucleus of returning players and we have some players who have been with us who will fight for time along with what we think are some promising newcomers," Margraff noted. "It seemed like Marc and Craig were in those positions forever, but that's what happens when young players come in and earn a spot right away. They stepped in for players who had started for three years before they had arrived and we expect some of these young players to do the same thing."

Secondary

No use beating around the bush. The Blue Jays enter the 2002 season having not surrendered a passing touchdown since the 2000 season-finale. Last season, Johns Hopkins became the first NCAA Division III team since 1980 to go through an entire season without giving up a touchdown pass. Unfortunately, Second Team All-Centennial cornerback Joe Angelosante departs after starting nearly every game during his career, while two-year regular Mike Halas has also graduated.

Headlining the secondary will be a trio of experienced players who return at the safety position. Sophomore Matt Campbell started most of last season after junior Jonas Nelson, who had won the job in preseason camp, went down with an injury in the second game of the season. Add in junior Matt Taylor, who played in all nine games last season, and the position appears to be set.

Campbell played in all nine games last season and finished third on the team in tackles (48) and tied for the team-lead with three interceptions. Nelson, who has made the successful switch from wide receiver to defensive back since arriving at Homewood, missed four games with his injury and posted seven tackles and a pair of pass breakups in limited action. Taylor, who is also a standout special teams performer, played in all nine games and had five tackles to his credit.

"Last year, we had the luxury of two senior cornerbacks playing with a young safety," Margraff reflected on last season's record-setting unit. "Although we have some cornerbacks with experience, we'll need our safety to not only make plays, but direct the unit as well. Last year, our young players in the middle benefited from our experience on the outside."

The two starting cornerbacks are likely to come from a group including senior Mark Robinson and juniors Joe Deluzio and Rich Lamour. All three have excelled on special teams during their career and all have seen time in the defensive backfield as well.

Deluzio and Lamour played in all nine games last season, while Robinson saw action in seven games a year ago. The trio combined for 21 tackles and all three give the Blue Jays good size on the outside.

Special Teams

Two-year starter Chris Smolyn, who has dropped 19 punts inside the opposition's 20-yard line during the last two years, will once again hold down the punting chores. He has a career punting average of just under 33 yards and should only continue to improve.

A significant area of concern for Margraff and the coaching staff is place kicking, where three-year starter Matt Andrade must be replaced. A First Team All-Centennial pick last season, Andrade finished his career ranked second at JHU in career kick scoring, career field goals and career extra points. Smolyn and MacQueen are the leaders in the battle to take over for Andrade.

The return game should be in good hands with Stopper and Cook returning. Stopper averaged 21.8 yards per kickoff return last season and 6.9 yards per punt return. He averaged over 16 yards per punt return as a freshman while sharing the job with Baylin during the last two years. Cook saw limited action as a kick returner as a freshman, but could grow into the job this season. The Blue Jays had limited kickoff return opportunities last season because they surrendered just 126 points on the year.

Schedule/Team Analysis

A year after playing 5-of-9 games on the road, including 4-of-6 Centennial games, the Blue Jays get 6-of-10 at home, including 4-of-6 league games. After opening the season at Washington & Lee, JHU will return to Homewood for three straight home games against Rochester, Carnegie Mellon and Gettysburg. Road trips at Ursinus and Randolph Macon are sandwiched around a home game against Muhlenberg in October before the Blue Jays close the season at home against Dickinson, at Franklin & Marshall and at home against McDaniel in November.

Since Margraff arrived prior to the 1990 season, Johns Hopkins is 44-17-2 (.714) at home, including 21-8 (.724) in the last five seasons. If the Blue Jays are to challenge for the Centennial title, they will need to take advantage of their six home games. In addition, only one of their four road games is against a team that posted a winning record during the 2001 season.

"Everyone has concentrated their thoughts on what we lost to graduation as opposed to what we have returning," Margraff noted. "I understand that the players we lost started a lot of games, set a lot of records and earned a lot of awards during their career, but Hopkins football has always been about the team and I'm as excited about this team as I have ever been." A feeling that no doubt is based on the momentum the Blue Jays will carry over from last season.