Oct. 23, 2007
The Game: Johns Hopkins travels to Huntingdon, Pennsylvania to take on Juniata in the first meeting between the two schools since 1929. The Blue Jays are coming off their bye week and carry a 2-5 overall mark and 1-4 Centennial record into the game. The Eagles slipped to 0-7 overall and 0-6 in the Centennial with a 28-13 loss at Moravian last Saturday. This is Juniata's first season in the Centennial Conference.
About the Coaches: Jim Margraff is now in his 18th season as the head coach at Johns Hopkins and carries a 109-68-3 (.614) record into this week's game against Juniata. The all-time winningest coach in school history, Margraff has guided the Blue Jays to four Centennial Conference Championships, three ECAC titles and one appearance in the NCAA Playoffs. In addition to his overall totals, he also ranks among the all-time winningest coaches in the history of the Centennial Conference as he sports a 70-46-2 (.602) record in league play.
Darrell Alt is in his fourth season as the head coach at Juniata and caries a 3-34 career record into this week's game against Johns Hopkins. Although Juniata is in its first season in the Centennial Conference, Alt is no stranger to the league. He spent two years on the coaching staff at Gettysburg, where he coached outside linebackers and special teams.
A Brutal Stretch: The Blue Jays' schedule to date has to rank as one of the most difficult in the nation. The seven teams Johns Hopkins has played thus far are currently a combined 42-10 (.808). At 5-3, Gettysburg actually has the worst record of any team the Blue Jays have played thus far with the remaining six teams Hopkins has played currently boasting a record of 6-2 or better. No other team in the Centennial Conference has played teams whose combined winning percentage is better than 70.
After the Bye: Johns Hopkins had its bye week last week and returns to action with this week's game at Juniata. Prior to 2001, Hopkins hadn't had a bye week since 1979. Since 2001 the Blue Jays have had five seasons with a bye week. In those five seasons the Blue Jays have compiled a 2-3 record in the five games after their bye week. This will be the fifth time in six post-bye games that the Blue Jays have played on the road.
Road Warriors: Johns Hopkins is 14-6 in its last 20 road games dating back to a 17-3 win at McDaniel in the final road game of the 2003 season. Both of Hopkins' wins this season have come on the road (Hampden-Sydney and Dickinson).
Home Sweet Home: Since the beginning of the 1996 season Johns Hopkins is 43-18 (.705) at home and has twice enjoyed 10-game winning streaks at Homewood Field during that time.
Streaking: Since the start of the 2002 season the Blue Jays sport a 43-18 (.705) record. Taking it back farther the Blue Jays are 49-21 (.700) since the start of the 2001 season and 54-26 (.675) since the begininng of the 2000 season. The 54 wins the Blue Jays have amassed this decade are already just one shy of the school record for wins in a decade (55/1990s).
In the Zone: Johns Hopkins continues to be the most effective offensive team in the Centennial Conference in the red zone. The Blue Jays got a touchdown and a field goal on their two trips to the zone against Ursinus and are now 17-of-18 (94.4%) on the year with 10 touchdowns and seven field goals to their credit. In Centennial Conference games the Blue Jays are a perfect 14-of-14 on trips inside the zone with seven touchdowns and seven field goals.
Comeback Kids: The 20-17 win at Dickinson was the latest in a long line of comebacks for the Blue Jays, who trailed 7-0 early in the first quarter. JHU has 11 come-from-behind wins to its credit since the start of the 2004 season. The Blue Jays posted an amazing six come-from-behind wins in 2004 and two more in 2005. Randolph-Macon's 14-0 lead last season was the largest overcome by the Blue Jays since JHU came back from a 14-0 deficit to knock off Ursinus, 20-14, on October 30, 2004.
Shutouts: Johns Hopkins has posted 14 shutouts in 17+ seasons under head coach Jim Margraff and the two in 2005 mark the fourth time in the Margraff era that JHU has posted two or more shutouts in one year (1992 (2), 1996 (2), 2003 (3), 2005 (2)). The Blue Jays posted 11 shutouts in the 20 seasons prior to Margraff's arrival.
Seven's Heaven: Since the beginning of the 2003 season the Blue Jays are 34-11 when scoring more than seven points and 0-5 when they have been held to seven points or less.
Keys to Success: Johns Hopkins is an impressive 64-6 (.914) under head coach Jim Margraff when scoring 24 or more points...the Blue Jays have won 51 of their last 54 when scoring 24 or more...at the same time, Hopkins is 78-10-2 (.878) when holding the opposition to 14 points or less under Margraff...the Blue Jays have won 45 of their last 47 games when holding the opposition to 14 points or less.
It's All Academic: Johns Hopkins has earned 23 CoSIDA Academic All-District selections since 2003. JHU's 23 selections in that time are more than the other CC football-playing schools combined. Taking it back even farther, Johns Hopkins has earned 49 CoSIDA Academic All-District selections since 1991. During that time the other CC football-playing schools have combined for 44 selections.
Individual Player Notes of Interest
