Johns Hopkins offensive coordinator Greg Chimera doesn't need a cheat sheet when it comes to studying the defense of the team's opponent in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.
Asked about Rowan (7-3), which visits the No. 6 Blue Jays (10-0) at Homewood Field Saturday at noon, Chimera immediately rattled off the Profs' national rankings: seventh against the run (77.5 yards per game), tied for 16th in points allowed (13.7), and 17th in total yards (267.0).
"They're tough against the run and the pass," Chimera said Wednesday. "So I think we just need to do a good job of mixing things up and try to keep them off balance and hopefully, things will work out for us. We just have to do what we do well. When we're playing well and [senior quarterback] Braden Anderson is locked in, we're a tough offense to stop."
Riding a three-game winning streak, Rowan has surrendered a total of just 12 points over that same span. But Johns Hopkins senior left tackle Kyle Flynn said the team won't deviate from its offensive philosophy of relying on the run to set up the pass.
"I think the plan for us is to just run our game plan," he said. "We've been a successful offense, and they've been a successful defense. I think it's going to be some good football to watch when they come in with theirs and we come in with ours. If we need to make in-game adjustments, we obviously will."
As strong as the Profs are against the run, they are a little more susceptible through the air, allowing an average of 189.5 passing yards and 14 passing touchdowns. Chimera said the key is to be effective in both the run and pass on Saturday.
"I think when our offense is clicking, it's because both are working," he said. "There hasn't been a game where we've played really well on offense and were one-dimensional. It's really when Braden's locked in and doing things right in terms of the run game and pass game. … I think we need to be efficient passing and running to beat Rowan."