Oct. 31, 2007
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The Game: Johns Hopkins closes out the home portion of its 2007 schedule as the Blue Jays welcome Franklin & Marshall to Homewood Field. Both teams are coming off road victories as Johns Hopkins improved to 3-5 overall and 2-4 in the Centennial Conference with a 42-21 victory at Juniata, while the Diplomats slipped past McDaniel, 24-17, in overtime. The Diplomats carry a 2-6 overall record and a 2-4 Centennial mark into the game.
About the Coaches: Jim Margraff is now in his 18th season as the head coach at Johns Hopkins and carries a 110-68-3 (.616) record into this week's game against Franklin & Marshall. 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 71-46-2 (.605) record in league play.
John Troxell is in his second season as the head coach at Franklin & Marshall and carries a 5-13 record into the game against the Blue Jays. Despite being in just his second year as the leader of the Diplomat program, he is very familiar with the Centennial Conference. Troxell spent four seasons (1997-2000) as an assistant coach at Muhlenberg before a five-year stint as an assistant coach at Lafayette.
Seniors Playing Final Home Game: Today's game against Franklin & Marshall is the final home game in the careers of the 12 seniors on the 2007 Johns Hopkins football team. The senior class has helped the program to some of its highest points since arriving. Johns Hopkins has compiled a 25-15 (.625) record since this group arrived in 2004 and the Blue Jays earned a share of the 2004 Centennial Conference title and grabbed the program's first-ever outright Centennial Championship in 2005. In addition, the Blue Jays made the program's first appearance in the NCAA Playoffs in 2005 and won the ECAC Southeast Championship in 2004.
November Reign: The month of November has been kind to the Blue Jays of late as they are 15-2 in November since 2001 and 27-14-1 under head coach Jim Margraff.
Road Warriors: Johns Hopkins is 15-6 in its last 21 road games dating back to a 17-3 win at McDaniel in the final road game of the 2003 season. All three of Hopkins' wins this season have come on the road (Hampden-Sydney, Dickinson, Juniata).
Home Sweet Home: Since the beginning of the 1996 season Johns Hopkins is 44-18 (.705) at home and has twice enjoyed 10-game winning streaks at Homewood Field during that time.
Strength of Schedule: The eight teams the Blue Jays have played this season currently boast a combined record of 45-20 (.692). Hopkins' first seven opponents of the season are currently a combined 45-12 (.789).
Streaking: Since the start of the 2002 season the Blue Jays sport a 44-18 (.710) record. Taking it back farther the Blue Jays are 50-21 (.704) since the start of the 2001 season and 55-26 (.679) since the begininng of the 2000 season. The 55 wins the Blue Jays have amassed this decade matches 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 scored four touchdowns on five trips to the red zone at Juniata and are now 21-of-23 (91.3%) on the year with 14 touchdowns and seven field goals to their credit. In Centennial Conference games the Blue Jays are 18-of-19 (94.7%) on trips inside the zone with 11 touchdowns and seven field goals.
Rushing and Points Go Hand-in-Hand: The Blue Jays have always tried to present a balanced attack that keeps the opposition off balance and a close looks at this year's statistics reveals that Hopkins is averaging just under 140 yards on the ground and just under 180 yards through the air.
However, the team's scoring success seems to be tied more closely to the success of the running game. In the five games the Blue Jays have rushed for 129 or more yards they are averaging 28.2 points per game. In the three games they've been held under 129 yards on the ground they have averaged 9.7 points per game.
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 35-11 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 65-6 (.915) under head coach Jim Margraff when scoring 24 or more points...the Blue Jays have won 52 of their last 55 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 Included in PDF Version
