Aug. 6, 2008
2008 Centennial Conference Football Guide
HERSHEY, PA - The Johns Hopkins football team, which has grabbed at least a share of four Centennial Conference Championships in the last six years and sports a 45-19 overall record since the start of the 2002 season, was picked fourth in the 2008 Centennial Conference Preseason Poll, which was announced at Tuesday's league media day at the Hershey Lodge. The Blue Jays picked up two first-place votes and totaled 86 points in the poll of league coaches and sports information directors. Muhlenberg compiled 126 points on the strength of 14 first-place votes and grabbed the top spot in the poll.
Johns Hopkins posted a 4-6 record, including a 3-5 mark in Centennial action, last season. Playing the most difficult schedule in the league (JHU's 10 opponents last season combined to post a 61-44 (.581) record), Johns Hopkins won three of its last five games after a 1-4 start and its last four losses all came by eight points or less. The Blue Jays won 4-of-5 road games a year ago and will look to carry that momentum into the 2008 season as they will play three of their first four games away from Homewood Field.
Dickinson, the 2007 Centennial Conference runner-up, earned 98 points and was picked second in the poll, while Ursinus placed third with 90 points. Johns Hopkins followed in fourth and was followed by Moravian (77 points), Gettysburg (72), Franklin & Marshall (52), McDaniel (29) and Juniata (18). Gettysburg earned two first-place votes as well.
Junior running back Andrew Kase headlines a group of 10 returning starters on offense as he rushed for a team-high 1,009 yards and five touchdowns en route to earning Second Team All-Centennial honors a year ago. In addition, junior Mike Murray and sophomore Max Islinger return after combining to start all 10 games at quarterback last season. Junior Mike Stoffel, a Second Team All-Centennial pick a year ago, is one of five returning starters on the offensive line and sophomore Tucker Michels returns to lead the receiving corps after posting 27 receptions as a freshman.
Junior Colin Wixted will lead the defense from his linebacker position after pacing the team in tackles (81), tackles for losses (16.5) and sacks (5.5) last season. He also earned Second Team All-Centennial honors a year ago and was the only sophomore linebacker in the league to earn first or second team honors. He will be joined at linebacker by A.J. Albert, who led all Centennial Conference freshmen with 53 tackles last season. Wixted and Albert give the Blue Jays one of the top linebacking tandems in the league.
Another key returning player for the Blue Jays this season is sophomore place-kicker Alex Lachman. Lachman wasted little time making an impact as he enjoyed one of the finest rookie campaigns in school history. He hit 11-of-12 field goals, all 23 of his extra points and tied for the national lead in field goal percentage (.917). His 11 field goals are the most ever by a Johns Hopkins freshman and he earned Third Team d3football.com All-America honors and First Team All-Centennial status.
Jim Margraff is entering his 19th season as the head coach at Homewood and carries a 111-69-3 record into the 2008 season. He is the all-time winningest coach in school history and has guided the Blue Jays to four Centennial Conference Championships (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005), three ECAC Championships (2002, 2003, 2004) and one appearance in the NCAA Playoffs (2005).
Johns Hopkins will open the 2008 season at home against St. Lawrence on September 6. The Blue Jays' league opener comes two weeks later when they visit Gettysburg (September 20 ? 1:00 pm).
2008 Centennial Conference Preseason Football Poll
Rank-School (1st-place votes)- Points
1 - Muhlenberg (14)- 126
2 - Dickinson - 98
3 - Ursinus - 90
4 - Johns Hopkins (2) - 86
5 - Moravian - 77
6 - Gettysburg (2) - 72
7 - Franklin & Marshall - 52
8 - McDaniel - 29
9 - Juniata - 18
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