Last fall, the Johns Hopkins University football team had a goal: Win the Centennial Conference title outright and reach the NCAA Division III playoffs. The team accomplished that goal, but the wide-eyed group stumbled in an intense playoff atmosphere, falling on the road to Thiel, 28-3.
“Getting there and winning are two different things,” said Hopkins head coach Jim Margraff, now in his 16th season with the Blue Jays after setting records as the program?s quarterback.
The road won?t be easy for the team despite constant success in conference.
“There?s very few blowouts, and the teams match up differently,” Margraff said. “When people look at the last-place team and the first-place team, sometimes it?s the roughest matchup. It?s a very unique conference in that respect.”
The Blue Jays earned a share of the Centennial Conference title for three consecutive years from 2002-04 but missed the playoffs each time after losing out on a tie-breaker. In 2005, though, the team broke through with a 5-1 mark against conference foes. Five of the 2005 squad?s eight wins came by less than 10 points.
“We did a good job of winning some close games last year,” Margraff said, giving credit to his kicker, Ben Scott. “But, at the same time, we understand the season could have been completely different.”
Simply winning the conference is not the goal any longer.
“This year, I can?t let that happen again,” said senior wide receiver Anthony Triplin, referring to the early playoff exit. “It was so tough for that senior class to go out like that, but we learned. We all saw what that?s like. We got a taste of it.”
For the team to build upon last year?s success, the offense must do more in Triplin?s mind.
“I feel like, offensively especially, we show a lot of potential,” said Triplin, the 2005 Centennial Conference offensive player of the year.
“We have a spread-pass attack,” Triplin said. “I think you will see a lot of three-wides this year. We throw the ball all over the place. We?ll run some screens, but we?re not afraid to go deep also.”
Triplin caught 77 balls for 809 yards and three touchdowns last year, but is looking for more scoring output in the passing game.
“I love the deep balls,” Triplin said.
Inexperience at quarterback, offensive line and in the running game must be solved.
“We?ve got a couple of running backs that could be great, but they need to turn potential into production,” Margraff said.
One unit that is not in question is the defensive line, where a solid starting corps returns, along with some capable backups who will play.
“Hopefully, they?ll give us some time to figure out our second level and how good our linebackers are,” Margraff said.
The defensive line will feature a 4-4 alignment.
“The scheme is blitz the hell out of them,” said senior co-captain and lineman Brian Cook, who has 19.5 sacks the past two years.
Hopkins will open the season Sept. 2, hosting non-conference foe Rochester. The Blue Jays? conference title defense begins Sept. 30 in a home game with Dickinson.
“We accomplished our goal, and we were very happy with that,” said Cook?s fellow co-captain, senior linebackerMatt Hagel. “I think now we know what it takes, and with that fueling us … that?s definitely in the back of everyone?s mind.”
