Johns Hopkins-Dickinson Football Notes

The Game: Johns Hopkins (5-0, 4-0 Centennial), ranked ninth nationally, returns to action after its bye week and hits the road for a Centennial Conference game at Dickinson (2-3, 2-2 CC).

A Look Back: Johns Hopkins improved to 5-0 on the year and ran its regular season winning streak to 16 games as the Blue Jays topped Juniata, 56-14, on October 4. Dickinson evened its CC record at 2-2 with a 27-14 win over F&M on the same day.

Poll Position: Johns Hopkins is ranked ninth in this week's AFCA Division III Poll and ninth in this week's D3football.com Poll. The number nine ranking in the D3football.com Poll is the highest in school history (in that poll), while this is the 13th time Johns Hopkins has been ranked in the top 10 by the AFCA.

Ranking Streaks: Johns Hopkins is ranked in the top 20 of the AFCA Poll for the 33rd consecutive week dating back to early in the 2011 season and in the top 25 for the 34th consecutive week.

Flipping the Calendar: While September has certainly been kind to the Blue Jays of late (19 straight wins for JHU in September), October has seen virtually the same level of success for JHU. Johns Hopkins enters this week's game at Dickinson riding a 13-game October winning streak that began with a 49-24 win at Susquehanna on October 23, 2010.

Can't Get More Even: The success of the Johns Hopkins football team since the start of the 2001 season has been well documented. Amazingly, that success has been nearly identical on the road and at home. Dating back to the start of the 2001 season, Johns Hopkins has played 74 home games and is 56-18 in those games.
Remarkably, head coach Jim Margraff's team has been just as successful on the road as the Blue Jays are 56-17 in 73 games away from Homewood Field during that time.

Quick Starts: Johns Hopkins is 5-0 for the fourth straight year and the seventh time since 2002. Prior to 2002, Johns Hopkins hadn't started a season with five straight wins since 1932!

Friday Night Lights: This week's game at Dickinson will be the 50th Johns Hopkins has played on Friday night since 1982. Since then, the Blue Jays have compiled a 32-16-1 (.663) record in Friday night games, including a 28-11-1 (.713) mark under head coach Jim Margraff.

More Friday Night Lights: While the Blue Jays have played 49 Friday night games since 1982, only four of those 49 have been away from Homewood Field. This week's game at Dickinson will be the first Friday night road game for Johns Hopkins since 1996, when the Blue Jays dropped a 12-7 decision at FDU-Madison.

Off the Bye: JHU did not have an in-season bye week during head coach Jim Margraff's first 11 seasons (1990-2000). Since then, JHU has had a bye week 11 times and has posted an 8-3 record in its first game after the bye. Most recently, the Blue Jays have won six straight games coming off a bye week and have outscored the opposition 250-51 in those six victories.

Balanced Ground Game Leading Offense: Three different players are leading the Johns Hopkins ground game this season as sophomore Stuart Walters, junior Brandon Cherry and sophomore Dionisio Roman have combined for 911 yards and 12 touchdowns in five games.
With this trio leading the way, Johns Hopkins is averaging 244.2 yards per game on the ground and has 20 rushing touchdowns in five games. JHU ranks second in the Centennial in rushing yards per game and leads the CC in rushing TDs. Below is look at JHU's three top running backs:

Stuart Walters - Leads the Blue Jays in rushing with 402 yards and also has three touchdowns • Ranks sixth in the Centennial in rushing yards per game (80.4), fifth in kickoff return average (24.2) and eighth in all-purpose yards per game (105.6) • Ranks 23rd in school history in rushing yards (1,065) • Averaging 5.6 yards per rush this season and in his career.

Brandon Cherry - Ranks second on the team in rushing yards with 306 and has three touchdowns as well • Also has nine receptions for 75 yards and one TD • Ranks seventh in the Centennial in rushing yards per game (76.5) and 13th in all-purpose yards per game (95.2) • Ranks 17th in school history in rushing yards (1,544), tied for 15th in rushing TDs (14) • Has averaged 6.1 yards per carry in his career.

Dionisio Roman - Ranks third on the team in rushing yards with 203 and counts a team-high six rushing TDs to his credit • Has the longest run on the team this season (46T vs. Juniata) • Has nine rushing TDs on 66 career carries (one every 7.3 carries).

Anderson Breaks Out: Senior Braden Anderson has quietly jumped up among the Centennial Conference leaders in several statistical categories with his recent efforts against Muhlenberg and Juniata.
On the year, Anderson is 94-of-137 (.686) for 1,046 yards with eight touchdowns against four INTs. He has also rushed for 138 yards and five TDs.
Anderson currently ranks second in the CC in pass efficiency (146.18) and third in pass yards per game (209.2) and total offense (236.8). He also leads the league in completion percentage.
Anderson has been at his best in JHU's last two wins against Mulenberg and Juniata as he combined to go 49-of-65 (.754) for 562 yards with seven TDs against just one intercpetion in wins against the Mules and Eagles.
In addition to his statistical exploits, Anderson also became the seventh straight Johns Hopkins quarterback to win the first start of his career when JHU topped Randolph-Macon, 42-3, in the season-opener.

Deep Receiving Corps Excels: Senior quarterback Braden Anderson has done a good job spreading the ball around thus far this season as 14 different players have at least one reception and six players have seven or more catches on the year. Like the rushing attack, there are several players fueling a passing attack that is accounting for 219.7 yards per game:

Quinn Donaldson - Tied for the team-lead with 21 receptions, which have gone for 331 yards and three TDs • Ranks fifth in the Centennial in receiving yards per game (66.2) and eighth in receptions per game (4.2) • 15.8 yards per reception is third-best in the CC among players with 20 or more receptions • Had four receptions for 93 yards and two scores at Muhlenberg.

Bradley Munday - Tied for team-lead with 21 receptions, which have gone for 219 yards and two scores • Ranks fourth in the Centennial in receptions per game (5.25) and ninth in receiving yards per game (54.8) • Enjoyed the best day of his career at Muhlenberg as he had 13 receptions for 150 yards and one touchdown - 13 receptions and 150 yards are both career highs, while his 56-yard TD reception with just over two minutes remaining in regulation sealed the victory.
Munday's 13 receptions are the most by a Johns Hopkins player since Dan Wodicka had 13 at McDaniel in 2011, while his 150 receiving yards are the most since Wodicka had 159 in that same game against McDaniel in 2011.

Ryan Finkel - Ranks third on the team in receptions (14) and receiving yards (152) • Had five receptions for 49 yards and one TD vs. Juniata and notched the 50th reception of his career in the win over the Eagles.

In Case You Didn't Notice: Johns Hopkins has 97 completed passes through five games. All 97 have been caught by players who will return next season.

Defense Strong After Five: The Johns Hopkins defense has gotten the season off to a good start as the Blue Jays are allowing just 15.4 points and 331.8 yards per game thus far. The opposition is averaging just 3.4 yards per rushing attempt and has converted just 24-of-75 (.320) third down opportunities.

More Defense: In addition to allowing just 15.4 points per game, the Blue Jay defense has forced 13 turnovers and generated 11 sacks in five games. Hopkins' 13 caused turnovers rank second in the Centennial, while the 11 sacks are tied for third.

Good Hands Team: The Johns Hopkins defense came up with just eight interceptions in 11 games during the 2013 season. Through five games this season, the Blue Jays already have 10 to their credit with three against Randolph-Macon, Moravian and Juniata and one against Susquehanna.
Sophomores Jack Toner leads the way with three INTs on the year, while classmate Garrett Spek has a pair of intercpetions to his credit. Brady Watts, Ryan Rice, Sebastian Edwards and Keith Corliss all have one thus far.

Watts Earns CC Defensive Player of the Week: Junior Brady Watts earned Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts in the win at Muhlenberg. Watts posted a career-high nine tackles, including one sack, and forced a fumble to fuel a defense that limited the Mule offense to 348 yards (more than 100 under their average entering the game) and four field goals (MC's two touchdowns came on defense and special teams).
Watts is currently tied for third on the team with 21 tackles on the year.

Hitting the Century Mark: Johns Hopkins had two players reach the 100-tackle mark for their career vs. Moravian and another reach the mark in the win against Juniata. With 21 tackles on the year, including a team-high 5.0 TFLs and 3.5 sacks, senior defensive end Michael Longo now has 111 tackles, 25.0 tackles for losses and 16.0 sacks in his career. Junior Keith Corliss, who leads the team with 31 tackles this season, now counts 113 career tackles to his credit - the most among active players. In addition to Longo and Corliss, senior defensive back Ryan Rice posted four tackles in the win against Juniata to top the 100-tackle mark. He now has 103 tackles, including 7.5 for losses, to his credit entering this week's game vs. Dickinson. Rice's 15 career pass breakups and five interceptions are the most among active JHU players.

JHU Ties Victory Record: Johns Hopkins posted a 10-1 record in 2013 and tied the school record for victories in a season. Only four times previously - 2003, 2009, 2011 and 2012 - had Hopkins won 10 games in a season. Johns Hopkins had never won more than seven games in a season prior to 2002, but the Blue Jays have posted eight or more wins 10 times in the last 12 years.

Centennial Conference Champions: Johns Hopkins claimed its ninth Centennial Conference title last season with all nine championships coming since 2002. JHU's nine CC titles are tied for the most in league history with Dickinson and Muhlenberg.

Centennial Favorites: For the sixth consecutive year and the ninth time in the last 11 years Johns Hopkins was selected as the favorite in the league's preseason poll of coaches and SIDs.
The Blue Jays received 14 of 20 first-place votes and totaled 158 points to out-distance Muhlenberg, which checked in at number two in the poll with six first-place votes and 147 points.

A Return to the NCAAs: Johns Hopkins made its third straight and fifth overall appearance in the NCAA Playoffs last season. The Blue Jays are 3-5 all-time in NCAA action with a trip to the 2009 NCAA Quarterfinals and an appearance in the second round in 2012 highlighting their playoff history.

On a Roll: Johns Hopkins is 38-1 in its last 39 regular season games dating back to late in the 2010 season. The only team to top the Blue Jays duirng that run? Franklin & Marshall, which topped the Blue Jays, 14-12, in 2012. JHU's 39-game regular season run began with a 49-24 win at Susquehanna on October 23, 2010.

On A Roll, Part II: Johns Hopkins is 40-4 in its last 44 games overall since late in the 2010 season. Three of the Blue Jays' four losses during that time have come in the NCAA Playoffs.

At Home at Homewood: Johns Hopkins has parlayed its home field advantage into victories in recent years. In fact, the Blue Jays are 23-3 (.885) in the home blacks since the start of the 2010 season.

Sustained Success: Since the start of the 2002 season the Blue Jays sport a 106-32 (.768) record. Taking it back farther the Blue Jays are 112-35 (.762) since the start of the 2001 season and 117-40 (.745) since the beginning of the 2000 season.

Seven's Heaven: Since the beginning of the 2003 season the Blue Jays are 97-23 (.808) when scoring more than seven points and 0-7 when they have been held to seven points or less.

- Pride and Poise -