<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=33MZio_0vMCWRgH00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=33MZio_0vMCWRgH00" width="1012" height="675" >The Game« Johns Hopkins opens the 2024 season on the road as the Blue Jays make the trip north to take on Ithaca. Kickoff is set for 1 pm on Saturday, September 7 at Ithaca's Butterfield Stadium.A Look Back« Johns Hopkins posted 12-1 record, won the Centennial Conference title and advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals last season. The Blue Jays finished the 2023 season ranked eighth in the final AFCA and D3football.com polls.« Ithaca posted made a second straight trip to the NCAAs in 2023 as the Bombers went 9-3 and won the Liberty League title en route to the second round of the NCAAs.The Facts« This is the 139th season of Johns Hopkins football. JHU first fielded a team in 1882.« Johns Hopkins enters this week's game with an all-time record of 596-490-57 (.546).« Overall, JHU owns 16 Centennial Conference titles (all won since 2002) and has qualified for the NCAA Playoffs 12 times (all since 2005).Oh Captain, My Captain« In a vote of the team, four players were selected to serve as captains of the 2024 Johns Hopkins football team.« Graduate student Will Leger (TE) along with seniors Olliver Craddock (LB), Bay Harvey (QB) and Cole Peters (LB) will lead the team as co-captains in 2024. Harvey is in his second year as a co-captain, while Craddock, Leger and Peters are first-time captains for the Blue Jays.Poll Position« Johns Hopkins drew a trio of preseason rankings as the Blue Jays checked in at #7 in Lindy's Preseason Poll and #8 in both the AFCA and D3football.com Preseason Polls.« Since it debuted its poll in 1999, this is the first time the AFCA has issue a preseason poll. The number eight preseason ranking from D3football.com is the second-highest in program history, surpassed only by a #6 ranking in the 2019 preseason poll.« Ithaca checked in at #19 in the AFCA Preseason Poll and #20 in the D3football.com Preseason Poll.« Johns Hopkins is appearing in the AFCA Top-25 for the 131st time in 246 polls since the poll debuted in 1999. Additionally, the Blue Jays are in the D3football.com Top-25 for the 150th time in 260 polls since D3football launched its poll in 2003.One of Three« The Johns Hopkins-Ithaca game is one of just three Division III football games on the opening weekend that features two nationally-ranked teams.« In addition to Hopkins-Ithaca, John Carroll (#20 AFCA/#19 D3football.com) will play at Wisconsin-Whitewater (#3/#3) and Wisconsin-River Falls (#17/#17) will travel to Alma (#7/#7).Program Ties« Ithaca head coach Mike Toerper spent seven years as an assistant coach at Johns Hopkins from 2010-16.« While at Hopkins, he helped coach current Blue Jay head coach Dan Wodicka, who played at JHU from 2010-13.« Wodicka started his coaching career with a two-year stint at Johns Hopkins that covered the 2014 and 2015 seasons. During that time, his roommate was ... Mike Toerper.« Former Ithaca and now first-year Cornell head coach Dan Swanstrom served as the Johns Hopkins offensive coordinator from 2008-13 and also coached Wodicka, who graduated as JHU's career leader in receptions.Wodicka's Debut« This week's game at Ithaca will mark the head coaching debut for Johns Hopkins' Dan Wodicka.« A 2014 Johns Hopkins graduate, Wodicka spent the last five years (2019-23) on the Blue Jay staff, including the last two years as the defensive coordinator.« Wodicka launched his coaching career with a two-year stint as the Johns Hopkins' wide receivers coach (2014-15) and made stops at Northern Michigan (2016) and Williams (2017-18) before returning to Homewood in 2019 as the special teams coordinator and defensive line coach.« During 10 seasons with the program (four as a player and six as an assistant coach), Wodicka has helped Johns Hopkins to a record of 100-16 (.862), eight Centennial Conference titles, eight trips to the NCAA Playoffs and two Centennial-MAC Bowl victories.« Wodicka graduated as Johns Hopkins' career leader in receptions with 260, which went for 3,148 yards and 16 touchdowns. He remains second in school history in receptions and is also second in receiving yards.« Wodicka takes over for Greg Chimera, who left Johns Hopkins after the 2023 season to become the offensive coordinator at Penn.« Wodicka's ties to Johns Hopkins go beyond the football field. His father, George, is a 1982 Johns Hopkins graduate and was a classmate of Jim Margraff's. In addition, Dan's sister, Maggie, played on the Blue Jay women's basketball team and graduate in 2020.A Hopkins Man Shall Lead Them« For the 45th consecutive year, a Johns Hopkins graduate will lead the Blue Jay football program.« Jerry Pfeifer, a 1965 JHU graduate, guided the Blue Jays from 1980-89 before turning the program over to Jim Margraff '82, who would become Hopkins' career leader in victories (221) over a 29-year career from 1990-2018.« When Margraff passed away suddenly after the Blue Jays' run to the 2018 NCAA Semifinals, Greg Chimera '09 was appointed the head coach and served from 2019-2023 before Dan Wodicka took over on February 1, 2024.It's Been a While« This week's game at Ithaca will mark Johns Hopkins' first game in the state of New York since November 29, 2014, when the Blue Jays dropped a 24-21 decision at #7 Hobart in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs. The Blue Jays' Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach that day? Mike Toerper. The Blue Jays' wide receivers coach that day? Dan Wodicka.« The last time the Blue Jays played in the state of New York in the regular season was on September 3, 2011, when they traveled to the Merchant Marine Academy and picked up a 45-14 season-opening win against the Mariners.Great Memories for Wodicka« Dan Wodicka likely remembers well the last regular season game the Blue Jays played in the state of New York.« In that game on September 3, 2011, Wodicka had 11 receptions for 133 yards and two touchdowns in a 45-14 season-opening win at the Merchant Marine Academy.For Openers« Johns Hopkins has won its last 12 season openers dating back to 2011.« During the 12-game winning streak in season openers, the Blue Jays have outscored the opposition 504-211 and only three of the 12 games have been decided by 15 points or less.Sweet September« Dating back to 2010, Johns Hopkins is 49-4 in the month of September.« Also dating back to 2010, the Blue Jays are 23-1 at home and 26-3 on the road in the month of September.Against the Liberty League« In addition to being the second all-time game between Johns Hopkins and Ithaca, this week's game against the Bombers will also be the 15th all-time for the Blue Jays against a team from the Liberty League. The Blue Jays are 9-5 all-time against the Liberty League.« JHU bookmarked its 12 wins in 2023 with wins against Liberty League opponents as the Jays opened the season with a 27-17 win over Ithaca and topped Union, 39-17, in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs.At Home at Homewood« Johns Hopkins won a school-record 19 consecutive games at home from midway through the 2019 season until the NCAA Quarterfinal game in 2023.« Since the start of the 2014 season, the Blue Jays are 50-5 (.909) at Homewood Field.« Since the start of the 2010 season, the Blue Jays are 66-8 (.892) at Homewood Field.Road Warriors« Johns Hopkins went a perfect 5-0 on the road in 2023 and will carry a six-game road winning streak into Saturday's game at Ithaca.« In their last 20 road games dating back to 2019, the Blue Jays are 17-3. All three losses came against teams ranked in the top 20 at the time of the game (#6 Muhlenberg-2019 | #4 Mount Union-2021 | #18 Susquehanna-2022).« Dating back to 2013, JHU is 49-9 overall on the road (45-5 in the regular season).Close Calls« Since the start of the 2013 season, Johns Hopkins has lost a total of 15 games. Those 15 losses have come by a total of 86 points for an average margin of defeat of 5.7 points. The setbacks have come by one, two (twice), three (four times), four, five (twice), seven, eight, 10 and 15 (twice) points in that time.« Translation, 12 of Johns Hopkins' 15 losses since the start of the 2013 season have come by a touchdown or less.On a Roll« Johns Hopkins is 116-8 in its last 124 regular season games dating back to late in the 2010 season.« The Blue Jays are 129-18 in their last 147 games overall since late in the 2010 season.« Since the start of the 2010 season, the Blue Jays are 132-21 (.863) overall and 104-10 (.912) in the Centennial Conference.« Dating back farther, Johns Hopkins is 195-46 (.809) since the start of the 2002 season, 201-49 (.804) since the start of the 2001 season and 206-54 (.792) since the start of the 2000 season.Additional Information Available in PDF Version Above</div></body>

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Johns Hopkins Game Notes | The Wodicka Era Begins

« Johns Hopkins opens the 2024 season on the road as the Blue Jays make the trip north to take on Ithaca. Kickoff is set for 1 pm on Saturday, September 7 at Ithaca's Butterfield Stadium. A Look Back. « Johns Hopkins posted 12-1 record, won the Centennial Conference...

Johns Hopkins Game Notes | The Wodicka Era Begins

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