Johns Hopkins 2025

[primitiveskills]

Didn't actually write down any notes but should have a good enough recollection. If anyone else who was there sees something they think is amiss feel free to chime in. I wasn't paying attention to see who was in street clothes on the sideline today to know if any of this might be impacted by hurt folks.

JHU vs Air Force Depth Chart

Attack
Melendez
Chauvette
Ayers / Bauer -> Ayers started the game but they switched him and Bauer somewhere around Period 3

Midfield

Collison
English
Bauer /Ayers -> when Bauer went to attack Ayers took runs here

Evans
Phillips
Crogan

Rawson
Jameson Smith
Teachout

Defense
Smith
Kilrain
Weishaar

Goal
Webb - played 1st "half"
Staudt - played 2nd "half"

SSDM
Hackler
Calhoun
Monfort
Mcdonald
Luke Martin

LSM
Eye
Deans
Luke Martin
Hazard -> Pretty sure I saw him get some runs

Faceoff
Calahan
Hobot

General Takeaways
- Offense is a work in progress, spacing not always great, ball movement maybe a hair slow at times. Still getting back into the swing of things and figuring out new / modified personnel. Early on there seemed to be a decent focus on skip passes to Chauvette, not too surprising. I thought Bauer looked good, the rest of the top billed cast only so-so. Collison didn't really show too much in terms of having taken the next step, Melendez ok but not taking over the game, English didn't seem to dodge a ton / wasnt especially effective. Crogan impressed me for just looking the part in terms of preparedness and picking up the speed of the college game as a freshman especially one who presumably wasn't exceptionally touted.
- Defense seems like they'll figure it out, the poles seem good enough and you've got plenty to choose from. Hackler and Monfort look steady, I don't think Calhoun got gashed too bad. Mcdonald on the other hand might need some more seasoning as he was definitely getting picked on for a minute and was often a step slow and chasing stick. Luke Martin seems capable with the short stick, may be worth letting him do that full time.
- Goalie play was Jekkyl and Hyde, Webb I thought looked fantastic, Staudt came in and looked rather rough. Whether it was just not seeing the ball well due to time of day and some sun or coming in mid-game on the fly without a more settling warm up and entry I don't know but I'd think it is Webbs job to lose at this point from my vantage point.
- Faceoffs it is hard to tell what will or won't work on any day against the opposing crew but Calahan and Hobot seem like a fine one-two punch and the wings were alright. Eye and Hackler seemed to be the two top wings that started the game.

Thanks, Ruffled. Good stuff.

[ColumbiaBlueBlack]

Interested in the 3rd D spot. Last week I thought it was Jojo Todaro filling in for QK but now the roster has him moved over to SSDM.

In the later stages of the contests, I had Todaro with a pole and Kaufman with a shorty.

[51percentcorn]

Rooting for Todaro - coached by Pat McCabe and originally committed to Syracuse and then switched - the only real highly ranked recruit that stuck with the program after Petro's departure (4* - numerical 89 grade by IL - Under Armour AA). Hard to think there were no options for him after April 2020. Amongst the comments published there was this..."A bonafide force at Showtime, Todaro has just about everything that you'd want in a high caliber D1 defensive prospect. It's a tremendous '21 class of Long Island defensemen, but Todaro is right there towards the top." Injuries certainly have played a role in the fact he has seen very little game action. If things start fallling the right way - he would also have another year of eligibility. Not projecting it or predicting it by any means - but would be a great story.

[Hoponboard]

Air Force vs Hopkins video posted.

https://youtu.be/SpOTXLYdgbc?si=lTe9QIVuv0cHCl_x

NJIT up later.

[primitiveskills]

Air Force vs Hopkins video posted.

https://youtu.be/SpOTXLYdgbc?si=lTe9QIVuv0cHCl_x

NJIT up later.

Thanks, HOB. Nice to see Ayers and Bauer with nice finishes. They're both so good at creating separation that if they can finish it should be a huge boost to the offense. Crogan looks like a guy who belongs; D1 game doesn't seem too fast for him. Webb is fun to watch in cage, but seems like Staudt had a rough game. Most of the AF goals were second-line SSDMs getting picked on, though in fairness Peene and Cassas are monsters and those physical matchups aren't favorable. Any other nuggets not captured in the highlights?

[norcalhop]

Air Force vs Hopkins video posted.

https://youtu.be/SpOTXLYdgbc?si=lTe9QIVuv0cHCl_x

NJIT up later.

Thanks for this! faceoffs look good.

[HopFan16]

Air Force vs Hopkins video posted.

https://youtu.be/SpOTXLYdgbc?si=lTe9QIVuv0cHCl_x

NJIT up later.

You deserve the presidential medal of freedom, HOB. It's also not lost on me that you follow the ball better than 99% of ESPN+ camera operators.

Some observations:

- Chauvette looks bouncier. Particularly like his assist to Crogan, where he goes right at a shortie on a wing dodge, draws a slide, gets the entire defense ball-watching and then skips it to Crogan (he also may have been able to hit Melendez on the crease). That's not a play he was making last year. Feel like he worked hard over the summer to become a bit more of a dynamic threat. He's never going to be Jeff Teat but if defenses have to at least respect his ability to create, then it makes the offense a lot more dangerous. He had a hand in three of the six goals
- Agree with comments on spacing on O. Definitely a work in progress, which is not surprising.
- Easy to say from the cheap seats but a couple of the ones Staudt let in did appear to be a tad soft
- FOGOs Callahan and Hobot look good. Very different styles but both effective. Don't think McKee was dressed
- The shorties will get better. If they don't it's gonna be a long season. They were certainly picking on #45
- I spotted Deans, Eye, Weishaar, Martin, Hazard...but no Brown.
- Ayers looks comfortable at attack. Sure loves the skip pass. Will probably get him in trouble on occasion but it's good that he's seeing those lanes
- I realize it's mid-October and lots will change but 3 and 49 need to start showing something. I sound like jhu06 but you can't say they haven't had their opportunities.

[Hoponboard]

NJIT vs Jays video posted.

https://youtu.be/KtNMTTRKDT8?si=Z5OoE1JdGV8hUG8F

Hop outscored Highlanders 13-3.

[Hoponboard]

Video guide for NJIT vs Jays.

08:23 - Erik Chick unassisted

44:10 - Erik Chick assisted by Ryan Evans

1:20 - Sam Teachout unassisted

1:42 - Sean Crogan assisted by Ryan Evans

2:34 - Erik Chick assisted by Liam Gregorek

3:06 - Goalie Patrick Moore makes a Blaze Riorden impression

3:35 - Liam Burke assisted by Liam Gregorek

4:02 - Chuck Rawson unassisted

4:19 - Liam Gregorek assisted by Ciaran McCleary

4:37 - Gabe Sorichetti assisted by Jameson Smith

5:16 - Ciaran McCleary assisted by Liam Gregorek

5:35 - Gabe Sorichetti unassisted

6:07 - Liam Gregorek assisted by Erik Chick

6:22 - Erik Chick assisted by Liam Gregorek

[HopFan16]

Chick making a donation to the Joe Pollard Center for Fall Ball Excellence?

Nice to see Gregorek producing. Do we know if NJIT played starters? Either way, good for the backups' confidence to lay the smackdown.

Didn't realize Staudt played well into the second scrimmage. Maybe wanted him to get some more reps given the apparent struggles vs. Air Force but would seem to confirm that at least initially Webb is the leader in the clubhouse. It's not the same situation as last year when Ierlan made it clear from the get go that he was the starter.

Thanks again HOB. May the gods smile upon you for the rest of your days

[DocBarrister]

NJIT vs Jays video posted.

https://youtu.be/KtNMTTRKDT8?si=Z5OoE1JdGV8hUG8F

Hop outscored Highlanders 13-3.

Great video HOB. Thanks.

Kinda the Liam Gregorek show. Gregorek pretty much showed the entire repertoire … good looking passes, outside shooting, gb, off-ball movement and the goal, dodging and a dish for a score.

Coaches need to find some playing time for the young man.

DocBarrister

[primitiveskills]

Video guide for NJIT vs Jays.

08:23 - Erik Chick unassisted

44:10 - Erik Chick assisted by Ryan Evans

1:20 - Sam Teachout unassisted

1:42 - Sean Crogan assisted by Ryan Evans

2:34 - Erik Chick assisted by Liam Gregorek

3:06 - Goalie Patrick Moore makes a Blaze Riorden impression

3:35 - Liam Burke assisted by Liam Gregorek

4:02 - Chuck Rawson unassisted

4:19 - Liam Gregorek assisted by Ciaran McCleary

4:37 - Gabe Sorichetti assisted by Jameson Smith

5:16 - Ciaran McCleary assisted by Liam Gregorek

5:35 - Gabe Sorichetti unassisted

6:07 - Liam Gregorek assisted by Erik Chick

6:22 - Erik Chick assisted by Liam Gregorek

Thanks, HOB. As always, much appreciated. Didn't see man-up in either highlight but curious who ran EMO in the first game? Chick might have the best right-handed shot on the team and I guess I wouldn't have been surprised to see him out there.

[jhu06]

Thanks to RF and of course HOB for the awesome video and those of you that were there with writeups.

Don't know if IL was there but one of their writers has been working on a fallball piece so I'm sure we'll get something later this week although I'm not sure what more it will have to add than what we've seen here.

16, I'm not going to go Chris Partlow and stick someone in a vacant just off a preseason video. I have to watch it first and there are a lot of new numbers to learn.

I have not been nice to Stuart Phillips on here and haven't really been impressed with him in the limited run he's gotten over the years but they continue to believe in him and I'm reminded of Patrick Deans. He flashed his first year and none of us really knew where he came from and then he gradually came on. As well I'm reminded of John Kaestner's season 10 years ago where after years lower on the depth chart he blossomed his senior year. Obviously with so many teams losing so much talent these guys like him and evans who are veterans might be able to take advantage especially early in the season where their experience going up against younger players or veterans with less playing time could give them an edge.

[HopFan16]

Thanks, HOB. As always, much appreciated. Didn't see man-up in either highlight but curious who ran EMO in the first game? Chick might have the best right-handed shot on the team and I guess I wouldn't have been surprised to see him out there.

Same thought crossed my mind. He's got pretty good hands and finishes well. Seems like he warrants a look on the inside/high crease EMO.

There were a few man-up sets in the first video. Looks like it was Bauer/Ayers behind, Chauvette and Collison on the left, Melendez and English on the right/up top, Phillips inside.

[DocBarrister]

Air Force vs Hopkins video posted.

https://youtu.be/SpOTXLYdgbc?si=lTe9QIVuv0cHCl_x

NJIT up later.

Thanks for this! faceoffs look good.

Thanks for the video HOB. Great work.

Chauvette may have had more assists in this scrimmage than he did all last season. He’s definitely working on his dodging and playmaking skills. He will need to if he is to remain productive.

Bauer has a motor.

Didn’t see much from Collison except the usual screen in a two-man game that didn’t quite work. Just a scrimmage, and I think the team was focused on plays other than midfield dodges. Still ….

The O looks relatively small but fast.

FOs looks good for a scrimmage.

The D looks to continue its aggressive ways, but some of those slides were slow or nonexistent.

DocBarrister

[primitiveskills]

Thanks, HOB. As always, much appreciated. Didn't see man-up in either highlight but curious who ran EMO in the first game? Chick might have the best right-handed shot on the team and I guess I wouldn't have been surprised to see him out there.

Same thought crossed my mind. He's got pretty good hands and finishes well. Seems like he warrants a look on the inside/high crease EMO.

There were a few man-up sets in the first video. Looks like it was Bauer/Ayers behind, Chauvette and Collison on the left, Melendez and English on the right/up top, Phillips inside.

He can shoot from range as well. Guess we'll see in the spring.

[Hoponboard]

Thanks for the multiple appreciation. There’s still the Delaware scrimmage on the 26th, but the freshmen class is sorting itself out.
The top tier includes Crogan, Gregorek, Hobot and McCleary.

A couple of sophomores have stepped up including Sorichetti, Rawson, Chick and Martin. Of course, Kilrain, Ayers and Chauvette have built on their freshmen success.

No Iler sighting. He must be hurt.

[HopFan16]

Thanks for the multiple appreciation. There’s still the Delaware scrimmage on the 26th, but the freshmen class is sorting itself out.
The top tier includes Crogan, Gregorek, Hobot and McCleary.

A couple of sophomores have stepped up including Sorichetti, Rawson, Chick and Martin. Of course, Kilrain, Ayers and Chauvette have built on their freshmen success.

No Iler sighting. He must be hurt.

Iler was practicing as of a few days ago. I think they're just being careful with him

Other guys I did not spot in HOB's videos: Claiborne, McKee, DiCicco but may have missed them. Jewell appeared to be playing SSDM?

Brown did not get in until the second scrimmage which is curious. Gotta be honest I remain befuddled by his development/usage

[Sagittarius A*]

Thanks for the multiple appreciation. There’s still the Delaware scrimmage on the 26th, but the freshmen class is sorting itself out.
The top tier includes Crogan, Gregorek, Hobot and McCleary.

A couple of sophomores have stepped up including Sorichetti, Rawson, Chick and Martin. Of course, Kilrain, Ayers and Chauvette have built on their freshmen success.

No Iler sighting. He must be hurt.

Thanks once again for the great video work HOB!!
I know this is a tall task fraught with uncertainty, but if you had to pick a starting lineup for the Spring based on what you've seen so far in Fallball, what would it be?
Who have you been most impressed by?

[HopFan16]

Thanks for the multiple appreciation. There’s still the Delaware scrimmage on the 26th, but the freshmen class is sorting itself out.
The top tier includes Crogan, Gregorek, Hobot and McCleary.

A couple of sophomores have stepped up including Sorichetti, Rawson, Chick and Martin. Of course, Kilrain, Ayers and Chauvette have built on their freshmen success.

No Iler sighting. He must be hurt.

Thanks once again for the great video work HOB!!
I know this is a tall task fraught with uncertainty, but if you had to pick a starting lineup for the Spring based on what you've seen so far in Fallball, what would it be?
Who have you been most impressed by?

Won't speak for HOB, would appreciate his perspective as well since he was in attendance but based on the videos and reports it seems pretty clear that the top 6 on offense is exactly who we assumed (Chauv, Melendez, Ayers, Collison, English, Bauer).

The four big questions that won't be definitively answered in the fall:

1) Goalie: Most figured it'd be Staudt but Webb appears to have made it a legit competition
2) 3rd close D spot next to Smith and Kilrain
3) SSDM depth behind the Yale transfers
4) Second midfield

As for #2, Weishaar looks like he might be getting a shot there, but they also could be toying with the idea of bumping Deans down? That brief practice clip of Kaestner playing with the starters may have been just that: an out-of-context clip that didn't actually mean much.

For #3, Colhoun and McDonald got the most run in the AF scrimmage outside of Hackler and Monfort. But Claiborne and DiCicco also didn't play. In the NJIT game, it looked like Pace, Jewell, and Ives were getting some run. That group is going to need time to shake out. I think the only thing you can bank on is the Yale guys will play a lot.

Second midfield you know what you're getting in Evans and Phillips at this point. Crogan is emerging. But the group that starts on Feb. 1 probably won't even be the same group that plays the following week, let alone by March/April. There's a host of guys with theoretical upside (Rawson, Iler when healthy, Gregorek, McCleary, Chick, etc.), some of whom will likely get into the mix eventually. But it's still so early, especially for the freshmen. I doubt that the real offense we'll see in the spring is even installed at this point.