Sept. 2, 2015 BALTIMORE, MD -- In the fifth of a seven-part series breaking down the 2015 Johns Hopkins football team, HopkinsSports.com takes a look at the Blue Jay wide receivers. While newcomers to the program may make an impact this season, the breakdown includes only returning players.
Who's Back: Well, pretty much everyone. What does that mean? Johns Hopkins had 231 completed passes in 2014 - players who accounted for 228 of those 231 receptions are back this season.
Munday, Donaldson Headline Returning Receivers - Offensive coodinator Greg Chimera has an abundance of riches at wide receiver with juniors Bradley Munday and Quinn Donaldson headlining one of the deepest and most talented units in program history.
Munday earned First Team All-Centennial honors a year ago as he led the team with 62 receptions for 820 yards and six touchdowns. He is already closing in on 2,000 career all-purpose yards and is one of the most electrifying players in the Centennial Conference with the ball in his hands.
Donaldson totaled 51 receptions for 825 yards and 10 touchdowns - somehow that wasn't good enough for any post-season recognition. While Munday is smaller and shiftier, Donaldson has the size (6-0, 200) and speed to create matchup problems in the secondary.
Need further proof that Munday and Donaldson are among the top returning tandems in the nation? Consider this: In JHU's game at nationally-ranked Muhlenberg and its two NCAA playoff games last season, Munday and Donaldson combined for 47 receptions for 580 yards and seven touchdowns. That averages out to about 16 receptions for 193 yards and just over two touchdowns in what proved to be Hopkins' three biggest games of the 2014 season.
Not a Two-Man Show - While Munday and Donaldson will (rightfully) draw most of the attention, containing them doesn't ensure success. Senior Ryan Finkel (23-248-2) and junior Boone Lewis, Jr. (20-176-1) both added more than 20 receptions last season and will benefit from the extra attention defenses have to pay to Munday and Donaldson (not to mention RBs Brandon Cherry and Stuart Walters, who have more than 3,000 career rushing yards between them).
A number of other players, including Evan Adamo (9-91-0), Brett Caggiano (8-86-0), David Brookhart (5-51-1), Tory Palmer (4-60-0) and Kyle Morgan (3-30-1) are also back after scratching the stat sheet in 2014.
The Tight Ends - Johns Hopkins hasn't typically featured its tight ends in the pass game too much, but they have played a key role in a prolific rushing attack. Senior Michael O'Connell started nine of 12 games here last season and had a pair of receptions. Like receiver and other positions, this is where several newcomers have opened eyes in the preseason.
Numbers to Know
9 - The number of different players returning who caught at least one touchdown pass in 2014.
228 - Players who accounted for 228 of Johns Hopkins' 231 receptions last season are back this season.
156-2,072-17 - The combined career receptions, receiving yards and TD receptions for juniors Bradley Munday and Quinn Donaldson entering the 2015 season.
- Pride and Poise -