The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
John Carroll ranked 12th in preseason D-III poll
Preseason rankings are usually a reward for a promising season from the year before.
In the case of John Carroll, several other factors are likely in play for its 2018 preseason ranking.
The Blue Streaks, despite a 6-4 mark in 2017, check in at No. 12 in Street & Smith’s preseason Division III Top 25 poll.
In 2017, JCU was in the midst of a transition from Coach Tom Arth to Rick Finotti, but a bigger factor might have been a closer look at the numbers in 2017.
The Blue Streaks had one dud last season — a 4721 loss at Heidelberg. Their other three losses were to Wisconsin-Oshkosh by six points (23-17), Ohio Northern by seven points in overtime (27-20), and Mount Union by four points (31-27).
“I think you have to play and earn the right to get those plays to beat teams (like Mount and Oshkosh),” Finotti said after last season. “Sometimes the ball bounces your way; sometimes it doesn’t.”
Oshkosh’s only loss of the season was to Mount Union in the D-III NCAA national semifinal round, and the Purple Raiders were 15-0 and the national champion in 2017.
Mount Union is the preseason No. 1 pick by Street & Smith’s, with Oshkosh, Mary-Hardin Baylor, St. Thomas and Linfield rounding out the top 5.
JCU opens its season Sept. 1 at Wisconsin-Stevens Point, then plays its home opener Sept. 15 vs. Otterbein. The next week, the Blue Streaks play at Mount Union on Sept. 22. Baldwin Wallace visits Don Shula Stadium on Nov. 10 in both teams’ regular-season finale.
The Blue Streaks return a host of players in 2018. Among them are the likes of two-year starting quarterback Anthony Moeglin (4,792 yards, 46 TD passes the last two seasons), running back Sam Kukura of Kirtland (19 rushing TDs the last two seasons), defensive lineman Connor Bogard (Benedictine), who had 51 tackles, and six sacks in 2017, and Lake Catholic grad and cornerback Connor Robinson (13 pass breakups in 2017).
Jones a preseason All-America pick
Marc Jones jumped into the spotlight with a recordsetting season for Gannon in 2017.
The Riverside graduate won’t have that luxury in 2018. Jones, who will be a senior running back for the Golden Knights this fall, is a first-team Division II preseason AllAmerica pick in Street & Smith’s college football preview magazine.
Jones had a breakout season in 2017 in his first season as the starter at Gannon. In 11 games, Jones rushed for 2,176 yards and scored 31 total touchdowns. He also had 2,464 all-purpose yards and scored 186 points. Jones averaged 8.09 yards per attempt,
He was the runner-up for the Harlon Hill Trophy, given to the nation’s top player in D-II.
“I’ll be back next year, better than ever,” Jones said after finishing second in the Harlon Hill voting.
In 2017, Jones also earned first-team D-II All-American honors by the Associated Press and the American Football Coaches Association.
Jones’ top single-game performances in 2017 were 354 rushing yards against Slippery Rock and six touchdowns vs. Edinboro. Both marks are Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference records. He was also named the PSAC’s Western Division Offensive Player of the Year.
Jones ended last season ranked third in the nation in rushing yards, regardless of division. San Diego State’s Rashaad Penny led all of college football with 2,248 yards in 13 games. John Smith of Division III Husson had 2,242 yards in 12 games. Jones and Stanford’s Bryce Love (2,118 yards in 13 games) rounded out the four running backs in 2017 with at least 2,000 yards.