Aug. 27, 2003
The Johns Hopkins University football team will enter the 2003 season in an unfamiliar position. The Blue Jays grabbed a share of the 2002 Centennial Conference title, won the 2002 ECAC Southwest Championship and posted a school-record nine victories against just two losses last season. Now, the Blue Jays are the hunted, not the hunter. Still, head coach Jim Margraff and his team like the view from the top and a talented and experienced group of players will do all they can to keep Hopkins at this level.
"We've come close to winning the conference championship several times in recent years, but last season we were able to win the close games and finally knock down the door," Margraff noted. "It was one of those years where you might be hard pressed to say we had a true superstar, but every week different players stepped up and made big plays. The positive thing for this season is, despite losing some very talented players, we return some excellent players and many of these young men have played in crucial situations."
After such a successful season in 2002, the coaching staff was able to spend more time with the returning players last spring as a change in NCAA Division III spring practice rules for football allowed the coaching staff to be more active in this area. This should only benefit the Blue Jays in the fall.
"There are several ways to approach the spring, and we took the opportunity to work on improving our overall team speed and agility while also using this as a team-building time. We have a nice nucleus of young players who we were able to spend more time with and our skill-position players should obviously benefit."
The Blue Jays return their top two rushers, top two quarterbacks and top six pass-catchers from last season. In addition, three of the top four tacklers from a defense that was among the nation's best against the run will return as well.
Below is a position-by-position breakdown of the 2003 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays with key returning players listed.
Quarterback
While most teams would be happy to return one established quarterback, the Blue Jays return two who have proven they can lead the team. Senior George Merrell enters the season as the starter after fueling Hopkins' late-season surge to the Centennial and ECAC Southwest titles. Sophomore Zach DiIonno gained valuable experience as a freshman last season as he played in six games and was a key part of several Blue Jay victories.
Late last season, Merrell flashed the versatility that was obvious to everyone in his first two years. After battling injuries his first two and half years, Merrell led the Blue Jays to three straight wins at the end of the 2002 season by accounting for nine touchdowns in wins over Franklin & Marshall, McDaniel and Frostburg State. On the year, he threw for 522 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for 158 yards and five more scores.
"The team has a lot of confidence in George's ability to make plays and be a leader on the field," Margraff stated. "He struggled early in his career with injuries, but he has a knack for making things happen and we are looking forward to having him back."
DiIonno started four games for the Blue Jays as a freshman and demonstrated a strong arm and solid decision-making (five TDs against just two INTs). He threw for 626 yards and the five scores and hooked up with Brian Wolcott on a 97-yard touchdown pass against Muhlenberg (the longest pass play in Centennial Conference history).
"It is difficult to go through an entire season with just one quarterback and we have luxury of having two who have won big games during their career," Margraff, a former standout quarterback at Hopkins himself, noted.
Running Backs
Whoever lines up under center will have the luxury of having a deep and talented crop of running backs to work with. The top two and three of the top four rushers from last season return. Hopkins averaged 185.6 rushing yards per game last season and will have no shortage of capable players in the backfield again this season.
Leading the way is junior all-purpose threat Adam Cook, who has already rushed for over 1,000 yards in his career (third-quickest to 1,000 yards in school history). Cook finished second on the team in rushing (547 yards) last season, paced the squad in rushing touchdowns (5) and all-purpose yards (939) and finished third in receptions (16 for 113 yards).
His versatility as a rushing/receiving/return threat was never more evident than in the 24-21 win over Frostburg St. in the ECAC Championship game. He accumulated 167 all-purpose yards on 17 touches in the win and the Blue Jays are likely to utilize him in a variety of roles to take advantage of his skills.
Sophomore T.J. Lyons wasted little time establishing himself as one of the premier young running backs in the league as he was the only freshman to earn All-Centennial honors in 2002. The Honorable Mention All-CC performer led the Blue Jays with 568 yards rushing and averaged 5.6 yards per carry. He added 11 receptions out of the backfield and sealed a 23-21 win over Gettysburg with a 60-yard touchdown run. The run was part of a 174-yard rushing performance that ranks as the sixth-best total by a freshman in school history.
"We have a history of playing two running backs and it has proven to be successful for us," said Margraff, who has coached five of the top eight rushers and seven of the 19 players who have rushed for over 1,000 yards in school history. "Adam and T.J. give us one of the top running back tandems in the Centennial Conference and we expect both to be a big part of the offense this season."
Senior Ben Stopper, who is one of the top return specialists in the league, will also see time at running back.
Leading the way for whoever is lined up at tailback will be junior Nate Readal, who provides excellent blocking from the fullback spot and is one of the top rushing fullbacks in the Centennial Conference.
Readal averaged 4.7 yards per carry last season and finished fourth on the team with 268 yards rushing. He also averaged 12.5 yards on six receptions and was tackled for a loss just once on 57 carries last season.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
In addition to the threats the Blue Jays will have out of the backfield, they will also feature their top three wide receivers from a year ago. Wolcott, sophomore Steve Eno and senior Jason Lehman all enjoyed productive seasons last year, when they combined for 77 receptions for 1,217 yards and 13 touchdowns.
"We are fortunate to have what we believe are three starting receivers returning," Margraff noted of his depth at the position. "Our two quarterbacks feel comfortable throwing the ball to any of these players and our passing game should only continue to improve as they work together more."
Wolcott firmly established himself as the heir apparent to Zach Baylin, who finished his career in 2001 as Hopkins' third all-time leading receiver. Wolcott earned Honorable Mention All-Centennial honors as he led the team with 39 receptions for 715 yards and seven touchdowns. His average of 18.3 yards per reception was tops in the league among players with 20 or more receptions.
Wolcott enjoyed two of the finest receiving games in Johns Hopkins history against Muhlenberg and Randolph-Macon. The 97-yard touchdown reception from DiIonno fueled a five-reception, 193-yard effort against the Mules, while he came back a week later with a career-high eight receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns against the `Jackets. His 380 combined receiving yards in the two games are the most in school history.
Lehman had career highs of 23 receptions for 294 yards and four touchdowns last season and could be utilized in a variety of roles. He could see time at tight end, where he will create obvious mismatches, and in the slot, where he has excelled.
Eno, who may have the best hands on the team, had 15 receptions for 208 yards and a pair of touchdowns as a rookie last season. The coaching staff expects Eno to become more of a force as a sophomore. Wolcott and Baylin (who finished his career in 2001 with 192 receptions) are the most recent examples in a long line of JHU receivers who have used their sophomore year as a springboard to a stellar career.
One area where the Blue Jays were depleted by graduate was at tight end, where Mike Spears and Mark Gengaro handled a majority of the responsibility last season. Lehman is the likely candidate to fill the hole here, but senior Chris Moriarity may also figure into the mix. Moriarity got his most extensive playing time last season and finished with three receptions for 45 yards as a reserve wide receiver.
Offensive Line
Another area the coaching staff will need to develop quickly is the offensive line, which lost four starters from last season. Among the four were three All-Centennial selections, including first team selections Kevin Kostibos (center) and Leif Glynn (tackle).
"Obviously the offensive line is an area where we lost some players to graduation, but we have five players with experience who have demonstrated the ability to handle a starting position," Magraff stated.
In recent years the Blue Jays have featured one of the most balanced offensive attacks in the Centennial Conference and last season was no different as JHU averaged 185 yards rushing and nearly 150 yards passing per game. With a talented and experienced group of skill-position players returning, the recipe for offensive success will likely be the same. For that to occur, the Blue Jays will rely heavily on a solid core of returning offensive linemen.
The cornerstone of the line this season with be senior tackle Zack Kail, who has performed at an all-conference level, but has been overshadowed by more experienced players on his own team in the past. That will not be the case this season.
Kail started all 11 games last season and all 10 games as a freshman. He missed most of his sophomore year with an injury, but is fundamentally sound as a run-blocker and pass-blocker and will anchor a young, but talented line this season.
Junior Matt Weeks is slated to start at the tackle spot opposite Kail after gaining valuable experience last season at guard. Weeks played in five games a year ago and started the last four games of the season after the starter at guard went down with a season-ending injury. The playing time he gained during Hopkins' run to a share of the Centennial title and the ECAC Southwest Championship prepared him well for an increased role this season.
Juniors Ryan Sheare and Mike Speer will start at guard after appearing in a combined seven games last season. Both have had two years in the Blue Jay system under the watchful eye of offensive line coach Nick Schloeder and bring good size to the interior of the line.
Despite losing Kostibos, a three-time All-CC performer, the coaching staff is confident that sophomore Marc DeGennaro can step in and continue the Blue Jays' long tradition of strong play at the center position. DeGennaro played in four games and started once last season as Kostibos hobbled through the last month of the season. He earned his only start of the season in the 40-21 win at F&M and played virtually the entire ECAC Championship game after Kostibos was finally forced to the sideline for good early in the ECAC Playoff game.
Defensive Line
Senior co-captain and two-time Verizon District II Academic All-American Paul Smith will anchor the defensive line from his nose guard position. Smith is a disruptive force in the middle of the line as a team-high 16 of his career-high 47 tackles last season were for losses.
As a co-captain and the only returning starter on the line, Smith will be counted on to become more of a leader as the Blue Jays lost two First Team All-Centennial performers on defense.
Taking over at the defensive tackle position vacated by three-year starter Pat Doyle will be sophomore Alan Cody. Cody played in nine games as a reserve last season and registered six tackles on the year. His development this season will be crucial to the success of the Blue Jay defense.
The Blue Jays lost both of their defensive ends from last season, but senior John Scillieri and junior John Avirett appear ready to assume a starting position. Scillieri played in all 11 games last season and has played in 17 games in the last two years. Avirett made the most of his opportunities last season as he picked up three sacks in just six games.
Another player who could figure into the plans at defensive end is junior Chris Wegman. Wegman played in all 11 games and earned three starts at linebacker last season. He registered 14 tackles on the year and has the versatility and athleticism to make the move.
Linebackers
The Blue Jays have an abundance of riches at linebacker and the depth here could allow the coaching staff to make a couple position changes to improve the effectiveness of the defense as a whole.
On the outside, senior co-captain Paul Longo and sophomore sensation Max Whitacre return to lead the group.
Longo, a Verizon District II Academic All-American last season, started all 11 games in 2002 and finished third on the team with a career-high 68 tackles, nine of which were for losses. He also finished third on the team with eight pass breakups.
Whitacre enjoyed a standout freshman year as he played in nine games with seven starts. He finished eighth on the team with 39 tackles (most among freshmen) and added two pass breakups, two tackles for losses and one interception. He is one of the most talented young defensive players in the Centennial Conference.
Other players who will see time on the outside include sophomore Mike Barrasso and seniors Joe Nuni and Matt Taylor. All three saw extensive action last season and combined for 25 tackles on the year.
The often overlooked Mike Little will need to be replaced on the inside, but Wegman (who will play ILB if he doesn't move to DE), seniors Colin Slemenda and Peter Botsolas and sophomore Adam Luke have all excelled in game situations.
Slemenda has a knack for making plays and finished 10th on the team in tackles (36) last season. He also blocked a punt that was returned for a touchdown against Gettysburg.
Botsolas was limited to just four games by injuries last season, but made 10 tackles in limited time, while Luke was also hampered by injuries last season, but appeared in nine games with one start and registered 17 tackles on the year.
Secondary
Johns Hopkins returns four players with starting experience and three other young players who provide quality depth in the secondary.
Junior Matt Campbell, a First Team All-Centennial performer a year ago, is the defensive leader from his safety position after he paced the squad with 86 tackles, including 39 solos and three for losses. He added seven pass breakups and three interceptions and is a dangerous player on punt returns as well.
Seniors Rich Lamour and Joe Deluzio return as starters at cornerback, where there is extra pressure in the Blue Jays' 4-4-3 alignment.
Lamour started all 11 games last season and led the team with four interceptions. He added 37 tackles and nine pass breakups and is a strong defender against the run as well.
Deluzio played in nine games with three starts a year ago and picked up 15 tackles and four pass breakups. The ability and Lamour and Deluzio to play one-on-one on the outside allows the Blue Jays to shut down the run and put extra pressure on the quarterback.
Sophomores Jim Sanders, Travis Reznik and Adam Colicchio are all capable players who should see increased playing time this season. Sanders played in all 11 games last season and has 12 tackles to his credit, while Reznik appeared in 10 games with six tackles.
Special Teams
Senior Chris Smolyn returns for his second season of handling both the punting and place-kicking chores. He earned Second Team All-Centennial honors as a place-kicker last season as he was 8-for-10 on field goals and scored the first playoff points in Johns Hopkins football history with a 32-yard field goal against Frostburg.
Smolyn became the first JHU punter since 1993 to average over 35 yards per punt as he was good for 35.3 yards per punt on his 30 attempts. He had a long punt of 61 yards and seven of his 30 punts were downed inside the opposition's 20-yard line.
The return game rests in the capable hands of Stopper, Cook and Campbell. Stopper averaged 18.4 yards per kickoff return last year and ranks eighth in school history with 647 kickoff return yards in his career. Cook averaged 20.9 yards on eight kickoff returns and 8.0 yards on 14 punt returns, while Campbell had a team-high 18 punt returns and averaged 6.2 yards per attempt.
Schedule
The Blue Jays will embark on their 10-game schedule on September 6 at Rochester. This will be the earliest Johns Hopkins has ever played a football game.
A two-game home stand against Washington & Lee and Randolph-Macon will follow the season-opener and the Blue Jays will close out the non-conference portion of 2003 schedule at Carnegie Mellon on September 27. The Blue Jays are 9-2 in the month of September over the last three seasons and have lost just twice at home in the month of September since the beginning of the 1996 season. A strong start against the non-conference opponents would give the Blue Jays some much-needed momentum entering league play.
The schedule of games in the Centennial Conference has changed for the first time in several years as Hopkins will open the league slate at Dickinson on October 4 before Franklin & Marshall and Gettysburg come to Homewood Field on October 11th and 17th, respectively. The Gettysburg game is the only Friday night game on the schedule this season.
A road trip to face fellow 2002 Centennial Conference co-champion Muhlenberg will take place on October 26. The game against the Mules is listed as one of 10 Division III games to watch in the 2003 Street and Smith's College Football Preview.
Hopkins will close out the home schedule on November 1 against Ursinus before having a bye week to prepare for the annual season-ending showdown at McDaniel on November 15. The Blue Jays have closed the season strong in each of the last two years as they have not dropped a game in the month of November since the end of the 2000 season.
