PITCH RIGHT

A Final Post

2008-01-10T15:46:00.000-05:00

Well, the time has finally come. After spending the last couple of weeks mulling it over I’ve decided that this will be my last post here at Pitch Right. It was a difficult decision to make, but I just feel that after two years of covering Navy football this blog has served its purpose, and given way to numerous other medians of Navy football coverage. I feel as though I just no longer have the ability to post regular, meaningful content with regards to Navy football, and with the upcoming semester and a much needed college transfer looming, I need to be more selective with the efforts I choose to invest my time in.

I’m not going away completely though, and hopefully once I get some of my personnel junk in order I’ll be working on some various other college football projects. In the meantime I’ll be making my daily perusals around the various blogs and message boards out there, and occasionally chiming in. And of course I’ll be following the Midshipmen just as much as ever, and looking forward to what awaits in 2008.

Some thanks are in order, especially to those readers who took valuable time out of their days to check in, especially those who’ve commented on an almost daily basis (Gary, FDD, various “anonymous” commenters.) I’m also very much obliged to numerous members of the college football blogospshere, who took the time to collaborate on various projects and helped expose this blog to a larger readership. And of course to the Navy football program itself, especially to the players who’ve taken the time to talk to me, and the sports information department for not freaking out when I started this whole shizzam. My usual exaggerations aside, publishing this blog was about the coolest thing I’ve ever done, and I’m going to miss it. Thanks to all who made this such a great experience.
-Adam

Known Navy Commits

2008-01-08T12:14:00.001-05:00

With several 'verbal' commitments by High School seniors to the Naval Academy this week I thought I'd post some information on the 'known' Navy verbal commits up to this time. Feel free to add anyone I've missed.

Austin Beaty (RB/LB)
HT: 6'2 WT: 215 40: 4.59
Senior Year Stats: 912 yards, 6.0 avg, 6 TD
Highlights: [2006 Highlights] [2007 Highlights]

Austin is a two time 1st Team All District and one time All Galveston County running back out of Friendswood High School in Texas. He self reports a 425 squat, a 285 bench, and 255 power clean. I've seen listed from anywhere from a 4.5 to 4.7 in the 40 yard dash, and he reports a 1840 on the new SAT scale.

Jarren Brown (RB)
HT: 5'8 WT: 186 40:4.53
Senior Year Statistics: 140 carries, 1115 yards, 14 TD
Highlights: [Check Rivals Page]

Passed up offers from Syracuse and James Madison, and was receiving interest from ACC, Big East, and CAA schools at time of his commitment.

Kevin Eckel (FB/LB)
HT: 6'2 WT: 210 40: Unknown
Senior Year Statistics: 65 carries, 399 yards, 4 INTs

Kyle Eckel's younger brother. May project better as a linebacker.

Jonathan Hill (LB)
HT: 6'1 WT: 230 40: 4.53
Senior Year Statistics: Unknown

All County Linebacker. Reports 325 bench and 475 squat. I've seen Hill listed in both the low 4.5s and low 4.6s for the 40 yard dash, but couldn't find any combine confirmed timed. Either way, both times are considered pretty quick for an incoming linebacker. He's a local kid, out of River Hill HS in Clarksville, MD.

Gordon Law (QB)
HT: 6'1 WT: 190 40: Unknown
Senior Year Statistics: 1228 yards and 12 TD (Passing), 997 yards and 12 TD (rushing)
Highlights: [2005 and 2006 Highlights]

Duel threat quarterback. From watching his highlight video you can see he ran a variable option offense which included sets from under center and in the shotgun. He has something of weird throwing motion, but good speed and vision as a runner.

Mike McCarthy (OL/DL)
HT: 6'3 WT: 270 40: 5.2
Senior Year Statistics: Unknown

Also a very qualified wrestler.

David Zapata (RB)
HT: 5-7 WT: 173 40: 4.48
Senior Year Statistics: 1691 yards, 7.68 avg, 21 TD
Highlights: [2005 and 2006 highlights]

Three time All State selection at running back and the ninth leading rusher in New York state history. Ranked the 170th running back in the nation, Zapata looks to be one of those classic Navy running back commits who has good athletic ability and an impressive resume but lacks ideal size for other I-A programs. Rushed for over 6000 yards and 81 TD in High School career.

Notes on the National Championship

2008-01-07T22:43:00.001-05:00

Here are some notes as I watch the National Championship game, because the rest of the blogosphere and media are bound to get it wrong come tomorrow.

First a foremost. Ohio State is losing because of a dropped touchdown pass, a blocked field goal, a bunch of personnel foul penalties, and bad tackling. This BS about we always hear about from the media regarding SEC speed and athleticism has been a minimal factor.
Continuing off that point, great design by the LSU offense. Getting the tight ends involved and moving Flynn around really kick started the LSU offense.
LSU's offense is moving the balls because of Flynn, Hester, the offensive line, and some nice catches by the receiving core. Those "x-factor" athletes people said LSU needed to win? Supplements, at best.
Jacob Hester deserves to be more than a walking cliche. An honest attempt at playing tailback in the NFL to start with.
Chris Wells has got to be a scary ass dude to try to tackle.
LSU facing 3rd and shorts and Ohio State facing third and longs has made all the difference.
Momentum is huge, and LSU grabbed it in the second quarter and never looked back.

Competitive Parity in Division I Football as In Relates to Inter-Subdivision Play

2008-01-04T11:06:00.000-05:00

Competitive Parity in Division I Football as In Relates to Inter-Subdivision Play

aka

The Spread is Overrated

Today I'm going to begin a bit differently. In fact, I'm going to begin a lot differently. For today I would like you to think of me not as a Navy blogger, but a very active and enthused participant in our understanding of the college football game.

There have been times, indeed, when I have ventured outside of the scope of Navy football and address the college football game at large. These times have been fewer and far between since returning to Pitch Right after my stint at the Fan House, but have nonetheless marked points in my blogging career. I'm selective with such posting however, and usually reserve my commentary on such matters in cases of great personal disgust or profound national misinterpretation. In 2006 it was my belief that it was the rise of the Naval Academy program which began the downfall of Fisher DeBerry's juggernaut at Air Force, and not (as many asserted at the time) the coincidental rise of the Mountain West conference. While my assertions were not, and are still not I suppose, taken as canon law, I nonetheless stand by my premise even to this day.

Likewise, the topic I wish to address today could be said to contain elements of controversy, which, believe it or not, are born out of my own personnel disgust (maybe that's too hard, let's call it annoyance) and what I believe is a misinterpretation of the topic at hand. That topic is the single most gripping term in the sport today and an all to frequent and convenient explanation that has the blog's buzzing and the talking heads talking. That topic, as you've probably guessed by now, is the spread offense.

I'm man enough to admit that I have many personal bias', although would point out that I'm usually very careful to disguise them. Outside of a personal affinity towards Jarod Bryant in the great (or not so great) quarterback debate of midseason 2006, I've also hinted at being a closet-supporter of the BCS system and have made it known (on multiple occasions, although none too recent) that I would follow Phil Steele into a volcano if I thought it would advance the intelligence of the college football community. And, unlike some Navy fans, I don't innately hate the Air Force Academy, and even found it within my limits to cheer them on against the University of Communism, er, California. So, with that in mind, I have to tell you all how sick I am of hearing about how great the spread offense is, and specifically how great the spread offense is as it relates to inter-subdivision competitive parity. Whoa now, is that even a term? I think it is, but if not, I’d like the rights to it. Basically my beef is with the idea that the spread is the sole reason for the upsets we saw in 2007, and more specifically the upsets that saw I-AA teams defeat I-A teams (old terminology used because of frequent complaints.) It's a point of much debate around my house; often involving my incessant yelling at a TV screen with a few words I wouldn't use in the company of say my three year old godson. Nevertheless, I’ll try to be a good deal more civil in my attempts to rebuke this widespread myth.

It’s About the Kids, Man

In the months following Appalachian State's extraordinary and historic upset win over the University of Michigan (and it was indeed historic) the spread offense (more specifically the read option based spread out of the shotgun) has been the beneficiary of praise from everyone from Stu Mandel to Joe Schmoe blogger in his parents’ basement. The spread has been called, on far too numerous an occasion, the great equalizer of the college game. This is not without merit, as many upset wins of the 2007 season have shown us. While overly cliché and perhaps hastily interpreted, even the detractors to the "in" crowd of the college football landscape could see that Michigan's defense struggled to play in space with Appalachian State, and that the Mountaineers spread offense caused matchup problems for what has been described as a slow Michigan defense. However, since that historic day we’ve been hit with constant barrages glorifying the spread, and somehow have arrived at a point where the craziness and parity of the 2007 season is being explained away by the single, often ambiguously termed offense.

I believe we have interpreted the parity incorrectly, and have overlooked the real reasons for the growing competitive balance, specifically in regard to inter-divisional play. Don't believe me? For every mobile, spread option based Armanti Edwards beating Michigan I will show you a slow, pro-style quarterback Joe Flacco beating Navy. For every "fast" and "elusive" CoCo Hilary running wild I will show you a 240-lb "big fella" (ESPN speak for white guy with the football) in a power running offense run wild on bowl bound Central Michigan and Big Ten member Minnesota. These examples, often overlooked, suggest that I-AA teams can beat I-A without the use of what we understand today to be ‘the spread.’ Furthermore, if you take a look at some of the bigger I-A upsets of the year, you’ll find that in many cases the spread had little or nothing to do with the underdog’s victory. Take Pittsburgh for example. The Panthers had an absolutely anemic conventional offense for most of the year (finished 108th in total offense) but won the game largely because of their defense. Stanford, meanwhile, ran a similarly conventional style offense and beat USC in what is arguably the greatest upset in college football history. In both cases, the traditional factors for an upset were present –turnovers, injuries, and penalties- but were they really enough to get such heavy underdogs over the top?

In my mind they weren’t, which is why I’ve set out to explain why there has to be some other reason for these kinds of upsets, while clearly not giving way to the all too simple citation of ‘the spread.’Please don't misunderstand me. I'm not here to completely discount or discredit the spread. That would make me an idiot. However I cannot sit idly by and watch the spread take all the credit for something that it has only contributed too. The key word here is contributed, as in play a part in. The real culprits for college football's parity are much more subtle; factors which are not as easily apparent to you or me as we spend our Saturday’s watching the myriad of college football action. For the sake of a coherent thesis, I've identified two of these factors, and would like to take an opportunity to discuss both of them, while inviting anyone who has made it this far in the post to offer suggestions of others.

The first factor (and I believe the most profound in the long term) is the growth the game at all levels of competition. What do I mean by this? Well, I mean that if you were a casual observer with no kids or no particular reason to penetrate the very issue, you may be lead to believe that we are in fact a nation of fat kids. While nobody is disputing that childhood obesity is a very real and problematic issue, I would offer up that at least some of those fat kids developed into somewhat athletic fat kids, which coincidently is what this great sport is predicated on. I only kid (partially) but the numbers speak for themselves. A 2006 National Sporting Goods Association Survey found that nearly 12 million kids over the age of seven had played tackle football more than once, up from 7.4 million kids in 1998. As far as High School football goes, the National Federation of High School Sports found that some 1,071,775 young men were playing high school football in 2005-2006, a number which not only signals the highest participation on record, but confirms that football is the most popular of the various high school sports for boys. The survey found that in 2005-2006 alone, high school football saw a dramatic rise in participation, adding some 26,281 teenagers into the fold. And that’s just for 11-man football, excluding the eight man teams and leagues that are present in areas of lower population density around our country. I did some poking around, but was unable to find further statistics. However, I believe even the above support my premise. The game is growing at a very high rate- not just in fandom, but in participation.

It is, in fact, economics at it's base. There is a demand for football in this country, both in terms of playing it, and in terms of watching it. As football becomes more popular more kids are going to want to play it. As more kids play it, and play it at youth and high school programs determined to churn out a better product, players inevitably get better. The talent pool, while expanding because of the sheer growth of the sport, becomes even larger as more and more colleges add football, in effect determining the size of what is "acceptable" talent based on their relative standing in the college football hierarchy.

“The Key Word Is Value. Do you Have Any? Not Yet”

Now here's the second, and potentially more interesting part to my premise. We've established there are more kids playing youth and high school football than they're were ten years ago, and we've also established more colleges have added football in the past ten years, regardless of Division. But you may still find my point bogus, not applicable because, as VarsityEdge.com put it, “[recruiting] has nothing to do with numbers of high school players and all to do with how many players want to continue at D1 and can continue at D1.” This is a valid point, but an ignorant one. Isn’t it possible, I dare say, that as you increase the amount of people playing the sport that you’re inevitably going to uncover and/or develop more players who will be able to continue to the next level? I would certainly think so, unless someone actually suggests that each and every one of those 26,281 teenagers was a 5’3, 124-lb middle linebacker who runs a 5.7/40 and couldn’t tackle a dummy. The point, as I’ve been saying, is simple. The increase in participation has moved us to a point where the supply of I-A caliber talent outweighs the demand for it at the I-A level for it. Obviously when something like this happens you end up seeing very capable players take the next best option- aka playing I-AA football. So while we’ve built these classifications of I-A and I-AA (as well as BCS conference and non-BCS conference) as meaning something in terms of talent differentiation, the reality of the situation is that the increased supply of capable football players has dramatically shrunk the supposed “talent gap” between divisions. Obviously this change began before the 2007 season, but as so often is the case, our perception of such a change remained nonexistent until 2007, when it finally took several groundbreaking upsets to alert the majority of us to it. Yet what of these “excess” Division I-A prospects that inevitably get funneled through the ranks of Division I-AA because of the laws of supply and demand? Are they in fact underrated, or are they undervalued?

A little bit of both, in my mind at least. Obviously they are undervalued to an extent, since their value is largely dependent on their demand at the I-A level. And since we’ve already established there is an excess of I-A talent (more I-A caliber players than I-A scholarships available), those players who don’t get scholarships for I-A teams inherently have less value, because they simply are not needed. However, consider the process by which comparative value is determined. In other words, what makes Team X decide to give a scholarship to Player A and not Player B? This is where you have to account for the idea of underrating; since, in a completely black and white world, Player A and B (both being Division I-A capable players) would have the same value and such a decision would either be incapable of making or have to be completely random.

This is clearly not the case in the real world, as I-A teams make decisions with regards to recruiting which should all be familiar and basic to us by now. However, for a variety of reasons (needs, system fits, etc), many schools discount the ability of certain recruits, and by doing so seemingly determine their value. It’s not always cut and dry though, and actually rarely is when you think about it. All too often in fact players are underrated based on circumstantial events or even taboo factors such as height, weight, and even race. For instance, if Notre Dame, Indiana, and Ball State all choose not give a scholarship to Joe Schmoe, then an outside observer may conclude that Joe Schmoe isn’t capable of playing I-A football. What if however Joe Schmoe had some kind of taboo against him? What if (God forbid we use a case which has actually has happened before) Joe is a 6’, 220-lb running back who ran a 4.58/40 and also happened to be a white guy. What if Joe has been offered to walk on at two of those three schools at linebacker? Does an invitation to walk on make him less capable of playing I-A football? If you said yes, you may want to reconsider. After all, there are dozens of highly distinguished former walk-ons around the country who’ve made names for themselves and gone on (or will go on) to NFL careers. These players weren’t necessarily undervalued if invited to walk on, but because they weren’t given a scholarship they are inherently underrated by there own coaching staff. Eventually though, many of those players go on to win scholarships at the I-A level and some even become stars (Jordly Nelson comes to mind.)

Up until very recently, services such as Scout.com and Rivals.com, along with SuperPrep and Tom Lemmings’ organization, were among the few services which actually covered recruiting, and, in doing so, were able to effectively set the value of players based off of rating them. Now it’s not like they just did so arbitrarily, but then again you have to understand that there were and are limits to what recruiting services can do. Simply put, recruiting services just can’t track of all the capable players in the country, especially when they’re using out-of-date and archaic indicators of value in an increasingly plentiful landscape. Translation? They’re still influencing the value of players, but they’re doing so based on the number of I-A teams (as well as their traditional, and often flawed indicators) and not the number of players. You may be scratching your head right now, thinking that programs, with help from the scouting services, rate and ultimately determine the value of players based on pre-described categories and clearly defined boundaries (Let’s say I-A football.) But in reality that’s not how it works. Players are their own indicator of value, since they’re the one’s who actually do the playing (shocking I know), and ultimately determine the value of that program or team (from a competitive, not fiscal standpoint.)

Let’s use another example. Let’s say John Johnson has offers to play cornerback in I-A football, but only at cornerback. But let’s say John wants to play quarterback, which he can only do at the I-AA level. If he says “no” to those offers and elects to play at a “lower” level of competition does that make him any less capable of playing I-A football? I understand that this is a potentially grey area, but the answer is still no, and that’s he’s still a capable I-A talent. Scenarios like this, and the one of Joe Schmoe, have happened en mass, and I believe hold the key to understanding a competitive balance which will only continue. In the years following the obsession of pre-described and unrealistic categories for what makes a I-A football player, a large number of undervalued players simply “slipped through the cracks” as it were (actually more like a chasm) and found themselves on I-AA teams. These teams, which always had a few good, underrated players, now had more and more undervalued players to go along, and in doing so became to resemble a team which was more I-A in talent. For the last few years such teams were chipping away at I-A teams, but it took 2007 for the floodgates to open and a whole slew of upsets – including, but by no means limited to Appalachian State over Michigan – for such a premise to actually become a possibility.

In ten years the zone read will be defeated. If only but for a time and only in a circumstance, the perception of such a defeat will nonetheless spurn the wheels of change and usher us into a new fad of offensive or defensive merit that itself will be proclaimed the next "great equalizer." Do not be fooled however, as such a system or philosophy will inevitably give way as well. Yet the game, and it's seemingly newfound competitive parity, will remain the same, if not altogether greater. As I have shown, this transformation is due more to a growth within the sport at the youth and high school levels, coupled with the undervaluing and underrating of capable I-A players, than to any offensive fad which has stolen the imaginations of fans across the country. The spread, it can be said then, only augments these factors. The spread then is successful not because of some innate matchup problems that it causes, but rather because it is different, and when executed by capable players (undervalued or otherwise) it can put a defense not used to game planning for it on it's heels. The spread doesn’t make the players successful, but is rather made successful by players who at their very core could be successful in any offense. So it can be said that the above, factored with the traditional emotions that come with being an underdog, not only help us to explain the upsets of I-AA teams over I-A teams, but more importantly help us to understand upsets in the greater context of 2007.

End of Season Awards

2008-01-02T10:32:00.000-05:00

Offensive MVP: Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada

I don't know if you can say enough good things about Kaipo and his continued development within the system. After an impressive ending to the 2006 season much was expected of the Hawaiian signal caller in 2007, and by all accounts he delivered. Statistically Kaipo shined, completing over 50% of his passes for 952 yards and eight touchdowns, while rushing for another 12 touchdowns and 834 yards. But it was what didn’t show up in the statistics which made all the difference. It was his decision making and knowledge of the system which allowed Navy’s offense to reach it’s highest output in year’s, while it was his leadership and energy which helped to keep the team together even in tough situations.

Honorable Mention: Reggie Campbell, Antron Harper, Eric Kettani

Defensive MVP: Irv Spencer

One can only wonder what Navy’s defense would look like in 2008 if Irv Spencer had another year. The senior from Oakwood Village, Ohio was a force in the middle for the Mids this past year, recording 95 tackles (team lead), 57 solo tackles (tied for team lead), 8.5 tfl (second on team), and a team high seven pass breakups. Simply put, Irv was a beast on an otherwise uninspiring defense for Navy this year, and brought a refreshing energy and enthusiasm to the defensive unit.

Honorable Mention: Matt Wimsatt, Michael Walsh, Chris Kuhar-Pitters

Defensive Breakthrough Player: Wyatt Middleton

In a season which saw the secondary undergo a complete transformation due to injury and inconsistency, the Navy defense did get a pleasant surprise with the emergence of freshmen free safety Wyatt Middleton this past season. Middleton, a plebe who attended NAPS last year, finished second on the team in total tackles with 88 and tied Irv Spencer for the lead in solo tackles with 57. While he did not record an interception on the season, he showed consistent improvement against both the run and the pass as the year progressed. I’ve heard a number of people say how Middleton seemed to be out of position for as many good plays he made. I don’t particularly buy that notion, and even if he was you have got to ask the question of “who wasn’t.” In a year which could probably best be described as a “learning experience” for the defense, Middleton was at the top of his class.

Honorable Mention: Ross Pospisil, Blake Carter, Ram Vela

Offensive Breakthrough Player: Eric Kettani

Coming into this season we all new Eric Kettani was good, but c’mon, who actually thought he’d lead the team in rushing? Eric had a monster year in 2007, rushing for 880 yards and 10 touchdowns on an outstanding 5.8 yards a carry. The fact that he virtually usurped Adam Ballard (who had been talked about as having pro potential in his own right) speaks for itself, as Eric brought explosiveness and shiftiness to the fullback position. He’s brought the physical tools of a pro-style running back to the Navy backfield, and has become one of the offense’s most dangerous players.

Honorable Mention: Zerbin Singleton, Anthony Gaskins, Paul Bridgers

Offensive Unsung Hero: OJ Washington

You may be asking why Antron Harper’s name isn’t here. It very well could be, but to me an ‘unsung hero’ is a guy who doesn’t get enough credit for the job he’s done, and if you ask me we’ve all been quick to identify Antron Harper as one of Navy’s best and most productive players. One player who often slips the spotlight however is OJ Washington, the senior receiver from Tacoma, Washington. Ok, so he dropped a few balls throughout the course of the year, but he’s been that solid blur on the outside of every play stalk blocking the wide receiver and allowing for those big holes we see the slotbacks running through. He’s greatly improved his route running over the past couple of years, and even gets into the action receiving (12 catches, 248 yards, 1TD.) He’s been a solid contributor on this team for the past three seasons, and despite returning a fairly veteran group of wideouts next year his services will be missed.

Honorable Mention: Josh Meek

Defensive Unsung Hero: Michael Walsh

The term high-motor is trite and cliché for undersized defensive lineman, and often used to denigrate a player's natural athletic ability and explain away his production by effort alone. My question is why we have to view such explanations as a bad thing. With 57 tackles (t0 TFL) and three sacks Walsh may be a walking cliché for Navy defensive lineman, but something tells me he wouldn’t have it any other way. He was Navy's best defensive lineman in 2007, and returns to lead what should be a much improved line in 2008.

Honerable Mention: Greg Thrasher

Special Teams Player of the Year: Zerb Singleton

I’ll be honest; it wasn’t a great year for the Navy special teams unit, but then again I may have just wanted an excuse to sneak Zerbin Singleton in here somewhere. I am of the firm belief that Zerbin cannot be praised enough for everything he has both overcome and accomplished on and off the field. He’s a bright spot in a sport which is constantly bombarded with cheating scandals, off the field suspensions, and over the top on-the-field antics. He’s a solid all around player in every aspect of the game; a disciplined tackler, determined runner, and heady receiver. He is, to borrow a phrase from the heading of this blog, one of those few players who makes this game “most nearly itself.” It’ll sure be weird not seeing #28 out there next year, but we all know that bigger and better things await him.

Honerable Mention: Reggie Campbell, Corey Johnson, Craig Schaefer

Vote for the Navy Football Play of the Year

2007-12-30T10:42:00.000-05:00

The award circuit for college football may be over now that the Bowl games are in full swing, but here at Pitch Right we're honoring the best players and plays of the season. Today we're starting the voting for the best play of the year for the 2007 Navy football season with five plays I've felt should be in the discussion. Think I missed a play worthy of mention? Just mention it below and I'll gladly consider it, and be sure to vote for the play of the year on the sidebar to your right.

Play of the Year (Nominations)

"The Leap"

The already iconic image of Ram Vela flying over Armando Allen's head to disrupt Evan Sharpley and Notre Dame's offense on a 4th down play that may have given Notre Dame it's 44th consecutive win over Navy. The play was so much more than just the critical stop that pushed the game into overtime, but a play which swung the game's momentum decidedly in Navy's favor after Notre Dame stole momentum midway through the 4th quarter. It's come to symbolize the never say die attitude that is a hallmark of this Navy program, and the triumph of the guy who they thought was too small or too slow to play Division I-A football.

Bobby Doyle to Jarod Bryant

In a game filled with big plays and game changing moments, this one stands out to me as the most memorable. There was Buffin's interception and Jarod's 35 yard run in which he seemingly made every Duke player miss in the open field, but none of it would have been possible had reserve slotback Bobby Doyle (a former QB at Chardon High in Ohio) not thrown a picture perfect pass to backup quarterback Jarod Bryant for the two point conversion. Not only did it tie the game at 43, but it helped to save a season that seemed to be rapidly heading for disaster.

Bullen Does It Again

Taken as statistics only, an outside observer may have seen Joey Bullen's kicking career at the Naval Academy as decidedly average. But for periods of inconsistency and even losing his job for much of the 2006 season, Bullen always proved himself in the clutch and came through when the game was on the line. As incredible as his 44 yard field goal as time expired to beat Duke was, maybe more incredible is how the former backup came in almost stone-cold to redeem himself and prove that it wasn't just the starters who don't quit.

Off to the Races

Up 24-20 with just over nine minutes left in the game, Navy needed a score to keep Air Force at arms length and make it a two possession game. With a defense that had struggled and an Air Force offense determined not to be defeated for a fifth straight year, the Mids got a much needed lift when Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada accelerated past the entire Air Force defense en route to a 78-yard touchdown run off the option. The play put Air Force into panic mode, and helped lead Navy to it's fifth consecutive win over the Falcons.

Not One Step Back

Resiliency. We talked about it so much in the course of the season, but there is no more perfect example of it than in the final play of Navy's 46-44 overtime win at Notre Dame. After four quarters and three overtimes the 2007 Navy football team was not about to let it's best chance in year's pass them by. Need I say more?

Be sure to check in tomorrow afternoon when I present my individual awards for the 2007 Navy football season.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-21T18:59:00.000-05:00

I'm peacing out until next Friday. Headed to Siberia (aka Buffalo) for Christmas. Crank up Handel's Messiah, watch a bowl game, and eat a honey glazed ham. Seriously, does it get any better? Have a blessed Jesus' Birthday.

Never Stopped Fighting

2007-12-21T10:22:00.000-05:00

There's a lot you can say about the 2007 Poinsettia Bowl. There's the blown touchback call, the sloppy field conditions, and the Navy ball control mistakes which ultimately lead to a Utah win. There was a tough game for one of Navy's football's most dynamic players of all time, the Utah halftime adjustments, and the struggles of a coaching staff to adjust to calling a game without their former leader. But I don't want to talk about that stuff right now. I want to talk about a team which never stops fighting.

I want to talk about Zerb Singleton and Adam Ballard and Irv Spencer. I want to talk about Matt Wimsatt, Antron Harper, OJ Washington, and the rest of a senior class which has distinguished itself amongst the most winningist classes in the Academy's history. I want to talk about a group of guys who came into the Academy when there was still a good deal of uncertainty surrounding the program, and the team which developed from that. I love this team. I love everything about it. They're gritty but not to a fault, there resilient but they can still get the job done. They embody every cliche you could throw at them and much much more, and they've made the 2007 football season one of, if not the most memorable season in decades. And even though for the second straight year I unfortunately thank them the day after a heartbreaking loss, it by no means diminishes everything they've accomplished in their four years at Navy, and the greatness which surely awaits them in the coming years.

I think this program is in good hands. I'm going to miss Reggie slicing through opposing defenses or Irv coming out of nowhere to lay the wood, but I know that the program is as strong as it's ever been and that there is a another class ready to step up the plate and take on the challenge. There are so many good things to talk about, so many exciting and new story lines to look into. As we head into the off season we look froward to another season of recruiting and spring practices, and of the perpetual hope which comes with the changing of the seasons. But even as we do so we fail to forget the players who brought us to this point, and we thank them for the enjoyment they've given us over the past four year, and for the service they are about to render for the good of our country.

In the darkened hours of this morning Irv Spncer gave an interview for a postgame report in which he said that Navy football isn't about the coaches or the ups and downs of the college football landscape, but rather about the players who make up the small fraternity they call the brotherhood. I'm grateful to have been able to watch the class of 2008 take it's place in Navy football history, and excited to watch the next set of players take their rightful place on a team and a program which has never, and will never stop fighting.

You guys are freaking awesome.

Quite obvious, If you ask me...

2007-12-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

...that this was a touchback.

P-Bowl: Second Half Live Blog

2007-12-20T22:42:00.000-05:00

Halftime Thoughts: Well, we're ahead. Barely. Still, I've got to give Navy's defense a lot of credit, especially Irv Spencer, Ross Pospisil, and Ram Vela. We've been seeing Utah really run the ball aggressively inside, but also try to get the running game going on the edges using some fakes and misdirection. As far as the offense goes, we just need to eliminate mistakes. Too many false starts for starters, but I don't need to tell you that the back breakers we're Reggie's fumble and the missed 50 yard field goal. I loved Coach N's intensity with the sideline reporter, and you know he's gonna do everything to win this game not only for the seniors, but for the program. I'll do my best to get back to everybody's thoughts, but if I'm slow on the posting forgive me.

11:00- Dude, was that Greg flying on the kickoff coverage? FDD?
11:05- Great job again by the? Navy D, especially the line to force a three and out. Time to pull away...
11:12- Back by popular demand...ESTABLISH THE FULLBACK! Eric Kettani goes in for a touchdown after a brilliant Navy drive to put the Mids up 17-7. The offense is starting to feel it, and now the defense really has some energy too. Look for Utah to try to get aggressive on this next series.
11:20- I will never make a dumb joke about Ross Pospisils name again. He is awsome.
11:24- Not a very good job of making his reads on that last drive, but I won't get too picky. Still, if we're gonna win this game we can't do it running standard triple option the rest of the way. I hope Coach Jasper is trying to set something up.
11:35- Yea, so Greg Thrasher was being held on that touchdown run...
11:40- I don't know what's going on, but Reggie continues to have a very, very tough game. You hate to see it because he's carried this team in the past, but if he makes a few plays in this game Navy is in a much more comfortable situation. Now Utah has the momentum and I have a very bad feeling.
11:43- Hernandez has had two fingertop grabs that have gone for big yards.
11:45- I Love BYU.
11:49- Austin Collie is my hero.
11:52- I hate football.
11:55- Why are we blitzing so much? Honestly...
11:59- Did Ketric Buffin not want to hit Johnson, Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. 21 unanswered points. Geez. Nothing more to say.
12:10- I was just joking about hating football. How about Coach N to call the fullback option on the two point conversion, just like PJ did against ND? Alright, real test here. We need a stop.
12:15- We gotta do something about the underneath pass...
12:19- Greg Thrasher just missed a chance at being the biggest hero ever.
12:20- I hate Brian Johnson. He however is a good player.
12:23- SHOULDA BEEN A TOUCHBACK
12:30- Losing a Bowl game like this really bothers me. You want to seniors to win so badly, and you want the program to make a statement. You figure it shouldn't be this way, that Navy should want and need this game more, but unfortunately it just hasn't turned out like that for the second year in a row. I think we saw some promise today, especially on the defensive side of the ball, but I can’t help going to bed tonight with a bit of a sinking feeling for those seniors who have invested so much in this program.
12:39- Zerb Never Quits.
12:41- ZERB NEVER QUITS
12:43- Mutherfarking turf.
12:45- This team never quits. I think we will be ok next year.

Poinsettia Bowl Live Blog: Half Numero Uno

2007-12-20T21:03:00.000-05:00

9:05-Damn Pitt and Duke. Just what you'd expect from two teams which lost to Navy in football. Also, damn technology. I'm recording VHS because I'm still living in 1998 and have no idea how to operate a DVD recorder.
9:10- Frankly, this is why I hate basketball. The last five minutes in a game take a half an hour. Disgusting.

9:14- Overtime? WTF ESPN? There are a million regular season basketball games and only one P-Bowl. Screw the World Wide Leader.

9:20- Navy with a horrible initial series and UTah moving the ball...Oh yea, this basketball game still has 4 mins to go in overtime, which means we'll be lucky to see the Navy game by the start of the second quarter. I'm bagging the live blog until I can actually see it.

9:30- Reggie Campbell is my boy, but he's having a horrible start. Drops a touchdown pass and then fumbles at the three. Looks like we just gave away easy points...

9:35- Damn you Omar Nelson and your compliments on the opponent's play.

9:37- Sounds like Utah is keying in on the toss sweep. Time to go to the fullback trap

9:38- Bout damn time ESPN...What the hell, that wrapup took forever, lets get going will ya!

9:41- Man they are running it down our throughts. Gotta get something going.

9:43- Man a Brian Johnson overthrow just saved us. We brought five guys on a blitz and got stoned, but forced a punt. Still 0-0.

9:45- My ESPN just went dark. No kidding...

9:49- Is there a reason we keep running the sweep?

9:51- Time to see what Coach Jasper is made of. My guess is he's trying to set something up, but he's being very deliberate about it. Also, Bobby Doyle needs to improve his blocking for next year.

9:54- Don't understand the call to go with Bullen from 50. It's fine when your up 21 against Army with no time in the half left, but now?

10:00- I'm seeing some good stuff from our defense, but Utah looks like they're going to score. I'm excited for some of our young players. Vela made a helluva play on a hook and latter try.

10:05- Shitatzu. Utah's offense is operating real well as Mack goes in for a touchdown. 7-0 Utes. It should be 7-7, but we won't hold it against Reggie.

10:06- Alright, we need something to work on offense. The pass looks like it's there, but Utah is doing a good job of slicing through and getting penetration. Look for maybe a reverse or a trap coming up. Let's keep these guys honest Coach Jasper. Defense is holding in there despite giving up the score...

10:13- TOUCHDOWN NAVY! Great job by Ivin Jasper calling the play, although Holtz actually made a good point about rhythm when calling plays from the booth. I think this score will really energize the team though. Navy has had some chances to stop Utah on defense, now we just need to work on getting third down stops. It's important that we get a chance to score before the half as Utah will get the ball first in the second half.

10:22- Ram got away with a facemask on Johnson, but Navy forces a three and out and we're about to get the ball back. Great job by the Navy D! Ross, Ram, Irv, all these guys are flying to the football tonight. When we talk about a more athletic defense this is what we mean, guys that can get lateral in a hurry!

10:30- Fourth and 2. I think going for it is a good idea, we'll have to see what the play is. I'm putting my money on a midline option.

10:39- Good kick by Joey, but we left them too much time. Utah is going to do some trickeration here ya gotta think.

It’s Business Time: Poinsettia Bowl Pre-Game Live Blog

2007-12-20T16:46:00.000-05:00

Welcome aboard (DING!)* and thanks for showing up! I'm counting you down to the 9 PM EST start of the 2007 Poinsettia Bowl between Navy and Utah, complete will random thoughts, insignificant anecdotes, and lots of criticism directed at things completely beyond my control. Oh yea, and did I mention I'll be live-blogging the football game as well? Sweet deal if you ask me.

First order of business. College Football Live did a fairly good job today in lead-up to the game, complete with a cut-in to Rece Davis on the USS Midway in San Diego. Rece will be calling the action tonight on ESPN. It's a good thing too, as Rece is one of the most knowledgeable and insightful on-air personalities the world wide leader has on its payroll. Unfortunately he will be paired with two of the least knowledgeable and insightful personalities of ESPN college football in Lou Holtz and Mark May. Alright, so maybe Mark May is a bit insightful, and Coach Holtz must have some knowledge from all those years of coaching, but let's be honest; listening to these two discuss Navy football is like listening to the eight year olds down the street talking about which kids' brother can beat up the others'. After all, can we possible forget Lou Holtz's discussion of, uh, your not going actually make me explain this to you, are you?

Needless to say, the last time these two teamed up to call a Navy game things got a bit off topic. From Mark May;s strangely homosexual fascination with Eric Kettani's dressing habits to Lou Holtz's attempt to explain the "wishbone" with a sandwhich in his mouth, the Navy-Pittsburgh broadcast of October can be summed up in three concise words. What. The. Hell. Dude...

Ok, so that's four, but you get my drift. Well, I'm off to go eat something which will potentially shorten my life by a matter of weeks, but after the break I'll get you caught up on how the pundits are seeing this one play out.

5:55- Just got off the phone with my buddy, and he's informed me of several relevant Vegas odds going into the game.

2:1 Reggie Campbell Scores a Touchdown
4:1 Mark May makes a reference to Eric Kettani's tailor
20:1 Rece Davis slips up on the pronunciation of Coach Niumatalolo's name
50:1 PhatPhelix is sighted on national television wearing a rather large sombrero
8672:1 O.J. Washington lines up wide in a go-cart, later explaining that it was his objective to just "take everyone out."

6:05- I’m watching ESPN in anticipation for this P-Bowl preview I keep hearing about, but all I’m seeing is the Tuna’s manboobs.

6:25- It seems like everyone and their mother is going with Utah to win this game, including our friend Brian at Inthebleachers.net, who picked Utah to win 48-31. At least he may be in the right scoring range, as a number of previews I've seen have this game in the high twenties and low thirties. I'm going with the Mids in this one, in a game which will see both teams break the 30 points mark and the winner approaching 50 or more.

7:15- So I'm watching Sportscenter just to see what I can see and BAM, they come out with this Jason Grimsley unsealed statement story like it's a matter or life and death. Turns out Pete Incaviglia took amphetamines in the 90s. While this may seem like an insignificant nothingness on your sports radar, it basically shatters my childhood perception of the Orioles teams of the 1990s. You see as a kid growing up in the 90s in Maryland I loved the Orioles, and even remember a time when they didn't flat out suck. For some reason, I always remember my father saying stuff about Pete "stinky inky" Incaviglia. Turns out stinky inky was a cheater. You gotta wonder how bad this guy woulda been had he not used the 'amps. Why am I telling you this? Because I'm bored and we all need to kill time.

7:19- DING! Check out this preview for another Navy pun. Did that guy just call him Coach Tim Niumatalolo?

(H/T: MWC Podcast and Blog)

7:35- I'm digging up random previews for your enjoyment, so stay with me. Eric from SOS previews the game and (shocker) likes Utah. What's unique about his preview is the lovely history lesson he includes to begin:

Of course, you're probably aware that a Poinsettia is a Christmas "flower". But how did it get its name? It is named after the first ambassador to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett. The poinsettia is native to the west coast, hence the bowl game being named after a Pacific flower. It also could go by other names such as Mexican flame leaf, Christmas star, or Winter rose.

Which brings up the question on everyone's mind. Is it PoinsettA or PoinsettIA?

*For every hastily made and poorly constructed Naval pun I or the ESPN team of commentators make tonight, $1 will be donated to the "Buy Chris Spielman an actual pair of dress pants and shoes" fund.

Why McShay Is Wrong

2007-12-19T09:03:00.000-05:00

To be perfectly honest I was going to abstain from posting this week on account of trying to get myself in the Christmas spirit and enjoying the break between semesters, but after a week of attempting to do such I realized I had to break my silence and my boredom by coming up with something at least marginally intelligent to say.

And what better way to do so then by taking a shot at one of these so called "experts" we're always complaining about? I only kid (well, kinda) on the ripping part, although one of the story lines I'd like to address is the questionable job of breaking down this game that I've seen a number of services do. Case in point, the report I saw this morning on ESPN.com by Scouts Inc. director Todd McShay. I dislike Todd McShay for several reasons. For starters he's predictable and unimaginative in his scouting reports, and often falls into the trap of stereotyping different "kinds" of players. God forbid you ever have a white wide receiver, even one who ran a 10.63 in H.S., because McShay will undoubtedly say something to the effect of "lacks ideal speed" or "separation ability." But alas, I digress, and as much as I like Jordy Nelson I've come to talk about McShay's scouting report for the Poinsettia Bowl, and not for the All-American receiver they call the "People's Champ."

As far as the preview goes, I think McShay is first of all the wrong guy to be doing it, and question why ESPN couldn't get one of their exclusively college football guys to break it down. You can just tell McShay sacrifices facts in exchange for something to say, as he points out Navy will make a "yearly" trip to the Poinsettia Bowl for the second time in it's existence. Last I checked Navy didn't play in the Poinsettia Bowl in 2006, and won't play there in 2008. That hardly qualifies as a "yearly" event if you ask me. But I didn't break my silence to quip about Mr. McShay's hyperbole, and instead want to focus on the comments he makes regarding why Utah will win.

I think he invests too much in whatever advantage Utah may gain from the extra time to prepare for Navy. Considering that these are student athletes with exams to take, the actual time these players have to prep for Navy outside of watching film really isn't much longer than your typical bye week going into a game with Navy. How did teams with extra time to prepare do against Navy this year? Well, let's take a look:

Temple: 361 rushing yards allowed, 439 total yards allowed, 30 points allowed.
Pittsburgh: 331 rushing yards allowed, 497 total yards allowed, 38 regulation points allowed.
Delaware: 342 rushing yards allowed, 506 total yards allowed, 52 regulation points allowed.
Notre Dame: 257 rushing yards allowed, 338 total yards allowed, 28 regulation points allowed.
North Texas: 572 rushing yards allowed, 680 total yards allowed, 63 regulation points allowed.
Army: 287 rushing yards allowed, 294 offensive yards allowed, 31 regulation points allowed.

As you can see from the numbers above, the notion that extra time somehow equates to better play against the triple option is bogus. In fact, if you want to draw a conclusion about playing better against the triple option it would almost certainly have to be based on having played it before, as both Notre Dame and Army (which play Navy every year) fared the best defensively of the bunch. These numbers aside, bowl history does not support McShay's notion as well. For instance, Boston College, which played Navy on December 30th last year and thus had more time for prep work outside of the practice field, gave up 322 rushing yards and 403 total yards to Navy. And that BC defense was no slouch either, finishing the regular season amongst the top defensive teams in the country. Once again, if you go back to 2004 and 2005 and take a look at Navy bowl games against similar Mountain West conference teams, we see the Mids come in as an underdog expected to fall short of their average offensive production during the regular season, only in both cases to exceed it. The point, I believe, is rather simple. The bigtime scouts and "experts" have a tendency to fall back on general talking points, and fail to accurately do even simple research that seems to suggest a point contrary to the one they come in with. It's especially dumbfounding to me how he and many other scouts can pick Navy to score 27 points on the basis of the aforementioned premise that Utah's defense will Benoit from extra time. Not only has Navy scored more points in all their games against teams with extra time to prepare this season, but done so against defenses of similar or greater ability.

I'm a firm believer in that you just can't trust statistics, especially in a bowl game and especially when your playing out of conference. If McShay and the other "experts" want to think Navy's offense will struggle against Utah then they ought to just come out and say they think it's because of Johnson's departure. That, at the very least, is a viable argument. If you're like me, you haven't wasted too much time breaking down this matchup, because, to be honest, you don't need to. I'm sure Utah fans will take exception to this statement, but we as Navy fans have seen this story line before both in 2004 and 2005. And while I don't mean to suggest that the 2007 Utah Ute's are the same team as the 2004 Lobo's or the 2005 Rams, one must also admit that this Navy offense is superior to both the Navy offenses which faced off against those teams. This should be a fun game to watch, but unlike what Todd McShay seems to think, I give Navy- on the basis of history- a much better chance in this one.

I Forgot to Mention- We're Playing a Bowl Game on Thursday

2007-12-17T13:27:00.000-05:00

I will be live blogging this sucker starting a 1800 Thursday evening. Until them watch hockey and be a good American.

Navy Football: (Almost) All In

2007-12-13T10:48:00.000-05:00

Congratulations Navy fans, you've just made it through the first week of a new era. And while were still only six days removed from Paul Johnson's resignation of the head coaching position to take up the same job at Georgia Tech, we've already started to come out of the cocoon of shock and befuddlement, instead embracing a new head coach and a very similar, proven coaching philosophy.

Before the season began, we heard a lot about one of those potentially cheesy strength and conditioning motto's that seem to reverberate through pro, college, and high school locker rooms across the country. This year the motto was "All In," both challenging and reflecting upon the commitment of Navy's players and coaches. Well, here we are in December, and despite the loss of the head coach and the pending loss of several top assistants, the Naval Academy football players remain all in, and the program is already on the road to recovery with a series of moves to continue to momentum that Paul Johnson began six years ago.

The situation I'm referring to is obviously with the coaching staff. I've been deliberate in watching this thing play out over the past week, but with the help of Bill Wagner and other's we're starting to get a good view about what the staff will look like for next year. As we've already established, and as we all surely know by know, Ken Niumatalolo was named Navy's 38th head coach on Saturday. On Monday after practice, Coach Niumatalolo confirmed to Wagner that former quarterbacks coach Ivan jasper will be promoted to offensive coordinator, while defensive coordinator Buddy Green will stay on as well. In addition to these two coaches, Navy is also expected to retain the services of a number of other assistants- among them Keith Jones (outside linebackers), Joe Speed (secondary), Danny O'Rourke (linebackers), and Dale Pehrson (defensive line.) Word on the street is that fullbacks Coach Chris Culton will stay on as well. Whatever the case may be, credit has got to be given to AD Chet Gladchuck, who despite losing Johnson has been able to retain his top two offensive assistants.

Basically, the entire defensive staff will stay, which contrary to some of my own words this year is probably a good thing. The last thing Navy's maligned defense needed after this year was to get introduced to a completely new staff, especially considering the lack of continuity we saw on the defensive side of the ball this year. I'm not saying there will be any "quick fix," but to have the same staff come back next season at least speeds up the process of the defense getting to where it needs to be. Not only that, but Buddy and his staff have been very good bringing in players on the recruiting trail over their tenure at navy, particularly coach Jones with regards to getting some terrific linebackers.

As far as the offensive staff is concerned, it's the whole good news/bad news situation. Obviously losing Paul Johnson- one of the few head coaches to call his own plays in major college ball- is a bad thing, while the losses of coach Monken and coach Bohannon deprive Navy of it's two best offensive recruiters and guys who have traditionally done very well in the south, particularly in Georgia. While Navy and Gerogia tech aren't likely to be going after very many of the same players (if any at all) I wouldn't dismiss their services as recruiters, especially considering the inroads coach Calhoun and his Air Force staff made in Georgia and the southeast last year. As we get closer to the offseason, this will be one of the more interesting story lines to watch. Another significant loss for Navy will be the departures of coach Spenser (assistant offensive line) and of coach Brass (strength and conditioning.) The loss of coach Brass is especially significant, as he's done a great job getting the players ready for the season over Paul Johnson's tenure. But like I said, it's not all bad news, particularly if it is true that coach Culton (fullbacks) has decided to stay. The big story here though is keeping coach Jasper, who like coach Niumatalolo has been a veteran assistant under Johnson and a guy who knows how to both coach players in the system and to make play calls and adjustments on the field. Coach Jasper won't replace coach Johnson in terms of his ability to see the game and make adjustments, but he'll do lot better job than any other guy out there.

With the coaching staff falling in line and looking in relatively decent shape, we now turn our attention to the players. Obviously, any time a program loses it's head coach there is concern about players leaving, but at a place like Navy this concern is magnified. Indeed, when I returned home last Friday and finally got a chance to check my email, one of the first messages I received was regarding the potential of a number of sophomores and freshmen to leave. while this was well before the situation was brilliantly stabilized by Chet Gladchuck and Ken Niamatololo, it still remains a concern that isn't likely to go away until the start of next season. One player Navy fans were particularly concerned with was quarterback Ricky Dobbs. Dobbs, while only a plebe, has been one of Navy's most impressive young players, showing incredible promise both on the practice field and on the JV squad. With a cannon of an arm, quick feet, and a knowledge of the system that likely surpasses the current Georgia Tech quarterbacks, Navy fans were more than a little concerned over the possibility of Dobbs following Johnson to Atlanta. When you take into account the fact that Dobbs is originally from Douglasville, Ga, it seemed like a forgone conclusion to some Navy fans that he would at least try to follow Johnson. While he wasn't shy about admitting the thought did enter his mind, Dobbs confirmed to Bill Wagner that he would be staying at Navy.

"At first, I thought if I went to Georgia Tech I would be at home. If Coach Johnson would have asked, I was gone. But the foundation I've established here... that is what made me stay....It started last year at NAPS. I would tell the guys that by the time we graduate here, we're going to make it to the Top 25.I told my classmates we would be the catalysts and that I would be the leader. I feel as though I need to try to fulfill that promise."

This is absolutely huge news, especially considering that Navy's other "quarterback of the future" - Robby Davis- decided to transfer to Woffard early this season. Not only does this show you that Dobbs is committed to the program, but it shows you he's willing to take on a leadership role, which is especially impressive for a freshmen. In fact, after my initial concern for the players, my fears are starting to be relived. It all goes back to something Matt Wimsatt said last week, when he talked about the importance of getting the younger guys to understand that Navy football does not play for Coach Johnson, and instead plays for each other and the Academy. It was after that point that I realized what an opportunity for leadership these young men had. It seems only fitting that at an institution dedicated to the development of leaders that the players, long cast in the shadow of "systems" and "schemes," should have the opportunity to communicate the importance of their program and to lay the foundation for the next generation of Navy football players. I don't know what's going to happen this offseason, and it may very well turn out that several promising players decide not return next season, but it's the statements I've read within the past week that have really put a smile on my face. We can't lose sight that this is a program we're talking about, and that the program went beyond Paul Johnson. Last week I wrote that I had faith in athletic director Chet Gladchuck, the staff, and the players themselves to continue to momentum established in 2003, and after what we've seen this week my faith has only been confirmed. We're exactly a week away from the Poinsettia Bowl against Utah, and despite the fact that the rest of the country has seemed to already lost faith in America's team, my excitement level couldn't be higher.

It's KN!

2007-12-08T11:07:00.000-05:00

Ken Niumatalolo has been named Navy's next Head Coach.

Where We Go From Here: The Players

2007-12-07T21:20:00.000-05:00

There are a lot of people out there who have been very cynical in regards to what Navy can do without Coach Johnson. This may be true, it may not be true, but I saw a quote from Athletic Dirtector Chet Gladchuck that I want to leave you with for the next week.

You take adversity and you capitalize on it. What a tremendous statement it will make when we take the field in that bowl game, when we show up in force in San Diego as a program that is unified, a program that is focused, a program that is dedicated to winning while properly representing the Naval Academy and the fleet. The coach didn’t beat Pittsburgh, the coach didn’t beat Air Force, the coach didn’t beat Notre Dame, the coach didn’t beat Army. The players in that locker room are the true victors. If they can sustain their mental toughness as they have exhibited on a number of occasions through this period, it will be nothing but full speed ahead.

I refuse to look at this situation as the bitter end of a five year run. Yes, such an outcome is possible, perhaps even likely with the leaving of Paul Johnson, but I still refuse to speculate on the fall of this very much rebuilt program. And as naive and idealistic as that may sound, It's what Coach Johnson would want us to know. It wasn't but a week ago that Coach Johnson affirmed this notion, saying "I didn't carry the ball once" in reference to what he's accomplished in his run at Navy. Chalk it up to coach speak, fine, but I have to admit that I've always had a problem with the fans who attributed everything to Johnson and never give the players their just do. You have to have faith in these guys and faith in the assistants who will stay. You have to have faith that Coach Johnson imparted to them the virtues of success, and that, even if only for a short time, such success can carry on even after his departure. If you can't have faith in that, I don't even know why you would take the trouble to call yourself a fan.

BEAT UTAH

How I Feel

2007-12-07T17:20:00.000-05:00

Up to my head in exams. Computer broke last night, only days after the warranty expired. I was pissed this morning. Now I'm just freaking depressed.

Clint Sovie basically sums it up for me...

I should write something inspiring to attest to the legacy of the greatest college in college football, or at the very least a profanity laced post directed at the entire state of Georgia. But right now I just need to go kick some snow outside.

P.S.- You are all great fans.

Paul Johnson

2007-12-05T14:31:00.000-05:00

When I was 14 years old I went to the Navy football camp with nothing more then the afterthought that Navy had been very bad for most of my life. I was the smallest kid in the group, and between dropping passes and getting burned in coverage for much of the camp, I wasn't really having that good of a time.

On the second to the last night a guy who I had never heard of addressed the high school players. They said he was Navy's Head Coach, but I have to admit that at the time I didn't even know his name. He spoke in a a typical southern accent, and talked about football, life, and God. When he spoke people listened, even 14 year old kids who could barely make their freshmen high school teams, much less dream of playing Division 1-A football. When he was done, I asked one of the other guys who that was. He looked at me quizzically, and told me it was a man named Paul Johnson.

I left the next day thinking nothing of it, that it must have been just another guy in the line of Navy coaches who fielded bad teams that my Father and I would watch once or twice a year at the stadium. I had no idea that I was only months away from following the team incessantly, and just a few years away from taking that passion and starting a blog.

Five years later I can't help but think back to that moment. I grew up a Navy fan, but I didn't become one until that day in the summer of 2003 when I heard Paul Johnson speak and it clicked, at least as much as it can for a local fan anyway. I will always be a Navy fan, that will not change. Not through coaching changes, not through losing seasons, and not even through being an Army ROTC cadet. But even I can't deny that as we move closer to the inevitable decision, that a very real and tangible experience of my fandom hangs in the balance with it.

The Paul Johnson Files

2007-12-04T09:37:00.000-05:00

EDIT: Since writing this post Bill Wagner (the only journalist I trust at this point) has written an excellent blog post updating us on the situation at hand. Block quoting doesn't do justice to the work Mr. Wagner has put into tracking Johnson's movements, so head over to the Capital to get the full story. The short story is though that nothing is a done deal, and there are many factors standing in the way of Johnson leaving at this point.

Every year when I'm doing Q&A's with various blogs, I typically receive a question somewhere along the lines of "How long will Johnson be at Navy," usually followed by something akin to "When do you think he will leave?"

I've never really known how to answer those questions. After all, I've heard the man speak a grand total of one time (at a football camp in 2003) and only been face to face with him once ("uh, can I get your autograph") so how can I accurately judge a man's career aspirations? Unlike other Navy fans, I don't have a compendium of knowledge on his days at Hawaii or Georgia Southern, and aside from the usual message board chatter, I really no very little about the man outside of what I see on Saturday's.

The point is, I can't tell if we're nearing the end of Paul Johnson era at Navy, and unless you've got some actual, no BS-ing around "sources" I don't know if you can tell either. Yes, it is true that Paul Johnson met with his agent Jack Reale on Monday in Atlanta, and it is true that while down there he likely also met with representatives from Duke, SMU, and presumably Georgia Tech. Heck, it might even be true that Georgia Tech has made an offer to Johnson, although I personally would take anything Dennis Dodd of CBS Sportsline said with a grain of salt. Also within the past 24 hours, we've learned that Duke could be close to offering Johnson, which David A. of GoMids.com writes could be more dangerous for Navy fans then we may think.

So where are we at right now? Well, we're at a junction, obviously, but it's not an unfamiliar one. Coach Johnson entertained offers last year, and for the better part of a week we were being told (quite insistently at times) that our beloved Head Coach would be taking a job somewhere else. After all, with both the UNC and NCST jobs opening up after the 2006 season, it looked as though the born and bred Carolinian in Johnson would have to go fix one of those programs. Fortunately for us however it didn't work out that way, and when it was all said and done we still had our coach. This year, in my mind anyways, seems much to same, and if we've learned anything from last year it's that Paul Johnson's name will be popping up for jobs from now on. We've said it before, but I don't think we've realized it until now; it's part of the territory of having on-the-field success, and it’s something we as fans just need to deal with.

There are people out there (quite a lot actually) who feel it necessary to speculate on the nature of these openings, and to predict where Johnson will go. Aside from not being sure if he will go at all (remember, he *hearts* this job) I feel compelled to point out that just because someone says he's going somewhere doesn't mean he will. If that were the case, Johnson would be in Dallas right now, or at least so says Dennis Dodd. It's a waiting game, but it doesn't need to spent in perpetual anxiety. We'll likely know where the team stands within the next 48 hours, and, with or without Johnson, the team will have to move on and prepare for the Poinsettia Bowl.

I have faith in the program. I have faith in the staff and administration to not sit idle and watch the program sink back to where we were in 2001, and I have faith in the players, who always seem to get overlooked with the discussions of systems and coaches. But most of all, I have faith in Coach Johnson, and faith that he will try to do what’s best for both the program, despite wherever his own career may take him. And that, I think, is enough to keep me back from the edge everyone keeps talking about.

Navy to Play Utah in Bowl Game

2007-12-03T15:30:00.000-05:00

The Navy Midshipmen (8-4) will meet the Utah Utes (8-4) in the Sand Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl on December 20th in a matchup which will once again feature the Nation's top ranked rushing attack with a member of the Mountain West Conference.

Utah is an interesting team in that they started out the season at 1-3 but rallied to win seven of the last eight games, including games against Louisville, New Mexico, and TCU. The Utes also took a a very good BYU team down to the wire two weeks ago, but let the game slip away on a busted coverage late in the game. The Utes have played decently on offense this year, but it's their defense which has been the real story over the course of the season. The Ute's are 15th in total defense, and 38th in rush defense.

So far, Ute fans seem for the most part confident in their chances, much like the New Mexico fans in 2004 and Colorado State fans in 2005. I don't doubt that Utah is a good team and that this game looks evenly matched on paper, but once again I remind you that we have heard this talk before in respect to Mountain West teams. Utah may be better than the 2004 New Mexico Lobos or the 2005 Rams, but Navy has been traditionally very good given the extra time to practice before bowl games. So what are your thoughts on Utah? Do you like the matchup? Navy's chance? Leave your thoughts below.

Army-Navy Post Game Coverage

2007-12-02T17:25:00.000-05:00

Ok, here's the deal. As you know, Navy just won it's sixth consecutive game over the Black Knights of the Hudson yesterday afternoon, as the Midshipmen piled on 38 points and (this is the big part) held Army to an amazing three points in a defensive effort I think we can all agree was the best of the season. Also as you also know (probably far too well by now) a host of rumors swirl around Coach Johnson, specifically in regards to the Head Coaching position at SMU. I've got to level with you in that I have no idea what's going on right now in respect to these rumors, and probably won't until after this week. For this and other (ie. finals) reasons, I'm going to be blogging at the pace of a one-legged turtle for this week, and probably won't get around to any comprehensive coverage of the actual Army-Navy game. For this I apologize, although I swear one of these days (and by that I mean within the next two weeks) I'm going to bust out a post of pure literary merit and write something somewhat meaningful on the rivalry itself. In the meantime, here are all the Amy-Navy articles I've managed to find in the course of the many "snack breaks" I've taken between writing papers today. Blogging will resume (albeit at the aforementioned pace) on Tuesday.

Print Media

Campbell Leads The Way As Navy Routs Army (Bill Wagner, Annapolis Capital)
Army Antics, Chatter Irritate Mids (Bill Wagner, Annapolis Capital)
Campbell Directs Mids To Victory (Bill Wagner, Annapolis Capital)

Big Plays Vault Mids Past Rivals (Bill Wagner, Annapolis Capital)

Navy's D Rises to Occasion (Bob Hough, Annapolis Capital)
Navy Takes The Sixth (Ron Snyder, Baltimore Examiner)
Right In Step (Sandra McKee, Baltimore Sun)
Bullen Gets A Good Bounce (Sandra McKee, Baltimore Sun)
Campbell Commands Centers Stage For Navy (David Steele, Baltimore Sun)
Campbell Conducts Himself Perfectly (Christian Swezey, Washington Post)

Photo Galleries

Washington Post
Baltimore Sun
CSTV

38-3

2007-12-02T12:17:00.000-05:00

Reggie was electric. The defense played with purpose and emotion. And at the end of the day, Navy had set a new precedent in the 108th meeting of America's most storied football rivalry.

And yet we brace for the week ahead, left wondering whether or not everything we've been denying to this point could really be true.

Talk to you all on Tuesday.

Stolen Goats

2007-11-29T16:13:00.000-05:00

Must be Youtube day over ath Pitch Right. This tells the whole story...

1989 Army-Navy Game: The Winning Kick

2007-11-29T16:04:00.000-05:00

Often times youngins like myself don't remember games from our early years. Thank God for ESPN Classic, which just finished showing the 1989 Army-Navy game this afternoon. Was this necessarily a smart time of year to take an afternoon off from papers and studying? No, but for a finish like this it was worth it.

Thursday Notes

2007-11-29T15:11:00.000-05:00

Some notes for Thursday evening...

You may have noticed that I've been conspicuously quiet when it comes to all the Paul Johnson coaching rumors that are going on. This is partially due to the busy nature of schedule, but also because I don't think such speculation is very fair during the season, much less Army week. We can talk about valid scenarios once the season if over, but all we're hearing right now is internet rumormongering, and frankly that's not worthy of our time. Secondly, if you haven't heard Navy's very own Zerbin Singleton will be awarded the Disney's Wide World of Sports Spirit Award during the ESPNU College Football Awards on December 6th, an event which you'll be able to catch on ESPN from 7:30-9:30. In addition to winning this award, Singleton has been named Brigade Commander for the second semester. Both of these are terrific achievements, and if you've ever met Zerb you can attest to the fact that there is no more deserving person for such an honor than he is. Lastly, if you haven't been checking out the articles leading up to Saturday's game, you may want to get on that. I've particularly enjoyed a recent article on the up-and-down career of Greg Thrasher, who had a huge game against Northern Illinois a few weeks ago. Lastly, and most importantly of course, BEAT ARMY!

Ominous Words from Bill Wagner

2007-11-28T19:26:00.001-05:00

Via his Navy Sports Blog...

Kaheaku-Enhada, who sat out the home finale against Northern Illinois, seemed to be moving quite well in practice this week so perhaps this is much adieu about nothing. However, don't be shocked if he undergoes surgery during the offseason.

Personally, I'm worried. I don't want this to sound like a shot at him, but it seems like Coach Johnson always under-reports the injuries to the media. I know he's doing his job, but ever since that whole DeJuan Price fiasco a year ago I tend to take "week to week" to mean "out indefinitely." Am I just being cynical, or has anyone else noticed this?

Despite 3-9 Record, Army No "Gimme"

2007-11-27T21:45:00.000-05:00

For the past five seasons the majority of Navy fans have penciled in the final regular season game of each year as a "W." Oh don't tell me you haven't done it at least once, after all we can talk about the greatness of the rivalry and all it symbolizes all day long (and certainly with good reason) but when it comes to the Army-Navy games of late, Paul Johnson and the Midshipmen have dominated. In fact, from the years 2002-2005 Navy outscored Army 176-54 in a series of games that for all intensive purposes were not even close. That was until last year when, in Robby Ross' final game, the Black Knights put on an inspired first half performance and came within several late offensive miscues of beating the Midshipmen. This year Navy once again comes in with a winning record and having already cliched a bowl game, while Army limps in with only three win on the year. Like last year, however, Army will be no "gimme" for the Midshipmen, who are looking to extend their winning streak over the Black Knights at six games.

Army is not a very good football team, but on Saturday they will be an extremely motivated football team, and when you couple that with their ability to at least be competitive this year with Navy's defensive struggles, you get a recipe for a closer than expected game, if not an outright upset. It's cliche, but it's true; you have to throw out the records in a game like this, and when you don't you risk overlooking an opponent with a lot to play for. And with a group of seniors who have never beaten Navy and the eyes of the nation upon them, I'd say that Coach Brock's group has a lot to play for.

Maybe Paul Johnson's "coach speak" is starting to wear off on me, but after what we saw last year I'm nervous about this game. Remember, last season Navy came into this game at 8-3, fresh off poundings of Eastern Michigan and Temple. The triple option was unstoppable, and it looked like Navy would coast to another big win over Army, just as the Mids had done each of the past four seasons. After all, Army limped into the game at a paltry 3-8, having dropped six straight and smack in the middle of what many fans would tell you was a football program in crisis. It made perfect sense then that for three quarters the team remained, for all intensive purposes anyway, deadlocked, in a game which probably resembled by-gone days in which each program was in it's glory or in it's misery, mostly depending on who you talked to in the stands. If last year wasn't a reminder to us that anything can happen when it comes to a rivalry like this, I don't know what is.

It's disconcerting to say the least if you're a Navy fan, especially considering the success Army had against the triple option last year, and the glaring fact that it was Navy's defense which won the game for the Midshipmen. That defense is of course long since gone, and despite an offense which is supposedly much better, the concern most Navy fans seem to be feeling today is whether or not Navy's defense can bail the offense out if Army's defense can effectively brickwall the triple option as it did last year. It's an interesting question, and on which I'm really not too sure about. On one hand you have to believe the offense will find a way to keep on doing what it's been doing, but with Kaipo-Noa not having played in three weeks you wonder if he'll be as sharp as he looked in the first half against North Texas. But, unfortunately for us, the problem may not be caused by Navy's offensive play, as when you take a look back at the tape last year it's clear that Army's defense just flat out out-played Navy in the first half last year. Some people have suggested Kaipo's nerves may have gotten the better of him in his first Army-Navy game last year, but to tell you the truth I think that's a cop-out. The reality is that Army's defensive line did a good job stringing out the triple option, and this begins with the play of the defensive end and the disruption of the initial read. In fact, if we look at stopping the triple option in terms of experience, then Army should have an advantage on most of Navy's 2007 opponents.

Once again, as I've found myself saying all season long, Navy "should" beat Army. Army has had some valiant games this season, but they're still 115th in the country in total offense, and 114th in the country against the run. Usually these are the kinds of numbers that jump out at you, but keep in mind the Black Knights are in a similar statistical situation as they were last year, and that didn't stop them from containing the triple option for much of the game. Who knows, Navy may come out guns a blazing and put up numbers reminiscent of 2002 or 2003, but if last year was any indicator, this game will likely start out slowly with both team's getting a feel for one another. Yet if Navy's offense can't get on track by the beginning of the first quarter, the Midshipmen endanger their chances by putting too much pressure on the defense, which, despite the favorable matchups against Army, is still susceptible to giving up big yards. Like last year, the Mids will have to play fundamentally sound defense, and not give up the big play to guys like Jeremy Trimble in the passing game. If the Midshipmen can do that and limit the time of Army's possessions, the offense, slow starting or not, should be able to carry the game. Anyway you look at it though, this game is far from a "gimme."

Breaking News: Army-Navy Still the Best Rivalry in College Football

2007-11-25T20:34:00.000-05:00

If you've watched any college football over the past four days (and if you haven't may I be the first to say what the hell is wrong with you?) you've probably heard the word "rivalry" thrown around quite often. It was after all Rivalry "week," a weekend in which teams from around the country squared off against their cross state or traditional antagonist in games which, depending on the rivalry and the stakes at hand, made or broke those teams' seasons. Curiously lost in the discussion of border wars and iron bowls was Army-Navy, a game which, very simply, transcends the bonds of collegiate athletics with ease, and commands the attention and rooting interests of a Nation in an actual war for survival. It is a game that means much more than two universities or institutions, and embodies the highest examples of mutual respect, sportsmanship, and competition. It is, even in today's age of big time money making machines and conference championships, the Nation's rivalry, and one of the last vestiges of an event which I can only describe as absolutely American.

Yet not everyone feels the same way. Last year I penned a piece for the Fan House in which I asserted that the Army-Navy game was not only the best rivalry in college football, but arguably the best rivalry in sports. Period. Since that time I've heard plenty of chatter regarding what truly is the "best" rivalry in sports, with irate fans from Michigan and Ohio claiming their own cross state rivalry, as well as a fair share on snooty and condescending cosmopolitan types who inevitably claim that we jingoistic Americans neglect to feature the finest rivalries of premier league "futbol" or whatever they are calling soccer these days. Yet, even in the face of these arguments (some better than others) many of us are undeterred, and continue to point to that first Saturday in December as the most platonic example of what a rivalry should be.

With each team being some half a century removed from being in the National Title picture, it's not difficult to see why there are doubters in the conversation. Yet for as much is made about Michigan-Ohio State or Alabama-Auburn, at the end of the day those local rivalries are just that, local. Don't get me wrong, I'm not naive enough to think that people from around the country don't have rooting interests in those games, and by no means am I suggesting that such rivalries don't often have major implications on the college football postseason. But what happens when your not a fan of either of those schools, and when you couldn't care less about the implications of those games? The great thing about Army-Navy is that everyone has some kind of connection to the game, even if your not a graduate of one of the institutions or have some other proximal affiliation with the schools. With personnel from the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps stationed around the world and often in areas of danger, I don't need to tell anyone that this game is anything but localized, and despite the certain fact that the eyes of the college football universe won't be trained on M&T Bank Stadium exclusively, it doesn't diminish the importance the game holds for the teams and their fan bases.

Later in the week we'll get to breaking down the matchups of this game, and sometime following the game I'll get around to writing a somewhat lengthy and long overdue post about myself and my own personal, albeit limited, experience with the rivalry, as well as where I plan to go with the blog itself in the coming months.

Until then (as if I had to tell you): BEAT ARMY

Fact or Fiction

2007-11-20T18:28:00.000-05:00

Where have I been the past few days? Well, aside from trying to install a spread option offense for a six man, er, person football team that may or may not play a game on Thanksgiving, mostly I've just been hitting the books and taking some time off before we hit Army week in the coming days. Nevertheless, I found some time to steal a page from ESPN's notebook for a quick game of Navy football fact or fiction.

Northern Illinois's Offense Had As Much to Do With Navy's Defensive Improvement as the Defense Itself

Fact. This is a tough call to make because either way you slice it I think it's apparent that we saw improvement from the defense on Saturday. That being said it should be obvious by this point of the season that Navy's defense plays much better when it's against teams that play a more conservative style of offense, which the Huskies did on Saturday. Northern Illinois ran the ball 44 times against Navy, on an average of 3.4 yards per carry. As we all know, Navy's biggest defensive porblems have come against the pass, but NIU completed only 20 passes against the Midshipmen. So what does all this mean? It means that Northern Illinois ran the ball, and they did so in fairly predictable situations. For as bad as Navy's defense has been all year, they actually have played decently against inside rushing games (think Notre Dame) and that's exactly what we saw on Saturday. Of course it took some great efforts like Ross Pospsil's 20 taclkle day, but for one of the only times all season Navy's defense was simplified partially due to the nature of the offense the Mids were playing. Navy's defense played better on Saturday, that's a fact, but they did so largely because they were playing a team in which the matchups were much more favorable.

At leasts one Navy "senior" will be back next season

Fact. We learned late last week that both safety Corey Johnson and wide receiver Greg Sudderth are being extended academically through the Fall 2008 semester, while the status of FS Jeff Deliz still appears to be up in the air. Johnson is a guy who has a year of eligibility left, while the Mids will have go to the NCAA regarding Deliz and Sudderth, both of whom should be able to get an extra year of eligibility if indeed that's what they decide they want to do. In any case, I think it's fair to say that at least one of these "seniors" will be back next year, which, football-wise anyway, is a good thing.

Jarod Bryant is a More Decisive Runner than Kaipo-Noa

Fiction. This was one of those points that Scott Zolak was really trying to hammer down during the broadcast, but one which probably doesn't ring true. I say "probably" because you've got to realize that the two quarterbacks have different running styles, and that Jarod's is more conducive to called plays that don't feature as many option or read elements. Phelix did a great job breaking this down in his postgame over at the Bird Dog, and as his research shows 40% of the plays Navy ran were predetermined runs, while another 40% were one-read option plays that included a number of midline options (option to give or follow the fullback inside.) With 80% of the plays being called involving one read or less (as well as 9% of plays being pass attempts) it's easy to see why Jarod would look a lot more "decisive" at quarterback. This isn't to say that Jarod is not a decisive runner, because he is. He's quicker than Kaipo between the tackles and arguably has better vision inside, and used these assets en route to a 139 yard day on the ground. However when we're talking about being purely "decisive" it's apples and oranges because of the different strengths and weaknesses of each quarterback and the now prevalent fact that the offense does take on a different look and feel with Jarod at the helm. It's easy to say that Kaipo is less "decisive" than Jarod, but you have to remember he usually has an extra one or two reads when he's in the ballgame. So no, I don't think Jarod is necessarily a more "decisive" runner than Kaipo, but I also don't think that diminishes the job he's done in relief all season.

Hope everyone has a happy and restful Thanksgiving and enjoys some very exciting college football action over the next few days.

AAR: NIU at Navy

2007-11-19T19:38:00.001-05:00

I spent the better part of two days trying to think of something insightful to say about this game, and actually even started to write the same old after action report that you've undoubtedly seen in every paper and Internet report you've read since Sunday morning. Basically, Jarod was efficient, the defense didn't suck as much as usual, and God gave Ross Posposil the virtue of hitting people. Hard. Let's just leave it at that, shall we?

Zerbin Singleton for President in 2008

2007-11-18T12:06:00.000-05:00

Quite honestly. If Zerb isn't elected President some point down the road then we have all failed as Americans.

Talking NIU

2007-11-15T21:23:00.000-05:00

I wish I had more time this week because I really would like to go into some details about Saturday's Navy-Northern Illinois game. Not only should it be another high scoring affair, but it will be senior day a hopefully a chance to reward for some of the hard working seniors who've helped to turn this program into a consistent winner. Unfortunately I won't be in attendance on Saturday, and I haven't had much time this week to write on the many plots coming into the game. That all being said, I'm not going to leave you totally in the dark, and thanks to Breezy from Red and Black Attack, we've got your NIU preview. I shot Breezy some questions the other day, and he's been kind enough to talk a little about his team and his thoughts for the game. As usual, there will be ample postgame coverage on Sunday and Monday. Until then, here's some thoughts to mull over....

Q: When this game first came out on Navy's schedule, a lot of Midshipmen fans thought it would be a good "measuring stick" game against what has been one of the MAC's best teams over the last several years. Yet the Huskie's have been down this year, and at 2-8have fallen to the bottom of the conference. In as many or as little words as you like, can you "fill us in" so to speak on what's gone wrong for the Huskies?

A: There are a lot of places to go with this question. First of all,there have been more injuries this year than any year Joe Novak has been coaching. He's said repeatedly in interviews that he's seen nothing like what has happened this year. We've had 13+ season-ending injuries and our defensive line has been hit the most, with 6 guys out for the season. Secondly, we almost have a non-existent senior class this year. All 4 of our captains are juniors and there are only 4seniors on the 2-deep, including our backup FS and the Kicker. It's clear to see that this team is very inexperienced and lacks veteran leadership. One thing representative of this is turning the ball over, and we have kept doing this consistently, as we rank 117th in the nation in turnover margin with a -14. It also doesn't help that we have a new offensive coordinator in Roy Wittke from ASU and it didn't seem like everybody was on the right page until last week's win vs Kent State.

Q: You mentioned the other day on your blog that Northern Illinois has experienced a plethora of injuries at the running back position, with leading rusher rusher Justin Anderson listed as "questionable" with a bum knee. QB Dan Nicholson also had to leave the game early last week after suffering a concussion. Will both of these players play, and what impact, if any, will their loss have on the tam if they don't?

A: I fully expect both Justin Anderson & David Bryant to play in this game. They have been dealing with injuries like these for a while now. I am more worried about Justin Anderson because of his punishing running style. He is more likely to get banged up early and have the speed back Bryant relieve him just like what happened in the last game. If they don't play, then there's nothing left in the cupboard,because all we have left is guys that haven't received a carry this season. With Dan Nicholson, he has gotten rocked a few times this semester and he consistently comes back and plays decent. Honestly,he can't get any worse with his 9-14 TD-INT ratio, and it seems the WRs are finally getting in rhythm with him at QB. God forbid our backup QB Ryan Morris comes in and plays. All he will do is hand the ball off over and over again, as he is a former walk-on with considerably less talent. Novak says Nicholson has a 75% chance he's going to play Saturday.

Q: Navy has been notoriously bad on defense this year, especially against teams which run more "spread" oriented offenses. Can you tell us a little about the Northern Illinois offense, including who the playmakers are and what kind of looks the offense gives?

A: Yeah, we don't run the spread so you can be a little less worried.We pretty much run a one-back balanced attack. We use a run-first orientated mentality and that has always been the case with Joe Novak as head ball coach. There's a lot of pre-snap motion and it seems like we are trying to get our TEs involved a lot more involved in the offense. Our huge playmaker right now on offense is WR Matt Simon.He always is consistently good and comes through with huge plays. One other player to look for (other than RB Justin Anderson of course),would be WR Britt Davis. He has been inconsistent all season, but has tremendous athletic ability and can make the tough catch. Also, look for RB Justin Anderson to come out of the backfield a lot and make some catches. Also our offensive line looked like a freaking bulldozer last Saturday so I would watch out. Those guys are hungry.

Q: Gearing up for Navy's offense can be a touch task for a team which doesn't face it on a yearly basis. What is Head Coach Joe Novak getting his team prepared, and do you expect the Huskies to have any success against Navy's offense?

A: All week HC Joe Novak's been saying that nobody is going to stop Navy's offense, and the best that we can do is slow it down, by controlling the ball on offense and obviously scoring a lot on that end too. That's what he has been preaching. The defense has been working hard on their assignments for defending Navy's offense. I doubt we stop you guys at all really. Well, we do have really good linebackers, so I'm pretty confident that we can stop your offense a few times. And you don't throw the ball, so our "Huskie Prevent D"isn't going to consistently give up yardage and let you guys come back if we take the lead early.

Q: I'm not sure if you're a prediction guy, but how do you think this game will play out?

A: I believe that the new-found confidence after a win at home will travel to Annapolis and the Huskies will get this win in a shoot-out,41-38, barring any significant injuries on our offense.

Jarod Bryant Will Start Vs. Northern Illinois

2007-11-15T15:41:00.001-05:00

...via report on Bill Wagner's blog.

Wednesday Linkage

2007-11-14T09:22:00.000-05:00

NIU Coverage:

Coach Johnson Weekly Presser (Navysports.com)
Northern Illinois Poses Potent Threat For Mids (Bill Wagner, The Capital)
NIU Weekly Press Conference (NIUHuskies.com)
NIU Game Press Release (NIUHuskies.com)

Senior Day Coverage:

No Beating Around the Bush: Reggie Campbell (Bob Socci, Navysports.com)
Navy Profits from Slots (Bill Wagner, The Capital)

Also, for all our future scholars out there. Actually go to your classes, that way you don't hear about having a ten page paper due a whopping whole day before it's due.

EDIT: Also learn how to spell "Wednesday"

New Poll: Your Thoughts Wanted

2007-11-12T22:56:00.001-05:00

I'm reconsidering my "the sky is falling" position when it comes to Navy's defense. As you know, there are two schools of thought when it comes to the present state of affairs, and I realize I've been on the side that's been very critical of both the players and coaches. I still think there is more than good reason to view the defense as a colossal disaster, but my question to you is whether or not you think my analysis of the defense has failed to take into account all the factors which have led us to this point, and if perhaps I've overlooked the most obvious factor that we are in fact dealing with a very young defense at a service academy. I could sit here and give you my reasons why I still think the defense should still be performing better than what we're seeing, but I thought it more productive to engage in a conversation about something which has at one point or another left us all searching for answers to a weekly question. Please leave your thoughts below, and yes, it's all for your reason to be that I'm just a blogger who has no idea what he's talking about.

Navy-North Texas: The Aftermath

2007-11-11T09:53:00.000-05:00

First and foremost, obligatory reference to the insane final game statistics.

Speechless. Ridiculous. The Sky is Falling. OMG. What. The. Hell. Dude...

These are only a few mong the many printable sentiments echoed by fans during Navy's 73-62 victory last night over the North Texas Mean Green in a game which saw the highest combined point total by two teams in the modern era. Basically, If you like offense this game was like Christmas, and if you like defense you've probably already died of shame.

Emotionally speaking this game probably drove you absolutely crazy and most likely to the verge of rational incapacitation. My emotions watching this game went as followed:

Annoyed - Mad- Pissed - Somewhat relieved - WTF?!? - OMG - This is actually kinda funny- Hysterical - Violently Hysterical - Is this actually happening? - Relieved- Jaded- LOL and so on...

You get the point. Watching this game was like watching someone walk off a plank into shark infested waters only to jump back up on ship and do it again like ten more times. No wonder Paul Johnson looked noticeably shaken up after the game.

Fighting On

We'll get to the doom and gloom stuff in a second, but I don't think you can say enough about Navy's offense, in particular the mindset of the players. The word resilient certainly comes to mind, but at this point the Midshipmen offense is beyond resilient. It's not just a matter of scoring 74 points almost at will, but of doing so with the clear knowledge that anything less is a recipe to lose the game. The fact that Kaipo-Noa and the offense can keep a collective nerve with that knowledge is nothing short of incredible.

The numbers themselves are overwhelming; 680 yards of total offense, 572 yards on the ground, six different ballcarriers finishing with over 50 yards on the ground, and a whopping 10 yards a pop on the ground. For as good as Navy's offense has been in the past, these are really unprecedented numbers in terms of what Navy has done under Johnson.

But any discussion of record setting numbers has got to start with the offensive line. This was by far the best combined performance by the line all year, and in my opinion one of the best performances by an offensive line since Johnson has been here. If you get a chance I'd recommend going back and taking a look at the achieved feed, and you'll get a first hand account of what we mean when we talk about getting blockers to the second level. Antron had a particular awesome game, and got to the second level so quickly I nearly thought about writing Paul Johnson and requesting Antron be moved to slotback.

Speaking of slotbacks, how about the performances of Shun White and Zerbin Singleton? The two combined for 234 yards and four touchdowns, and that's not even factoring in Reggie Campbell, who, despite being banged up scored a touchdown on the ground and took a free kick back 73 yards for another score. Ok, on to the bad news...

"We've got to do something. We've got to make some changes...We've got to do something."
-Paul Johnson

There is very little I can even attempt to say about the defense, and even if there were anything to say, I don't even know where we'd begin. I, like Paul Johnson, am bordering on speechlessness, which to be frank is a difficult and alien position for a blogger like myself to be in. It's as if we held a convention on all the defensive struggles this year, and to kick it off we let a freshmen quarterback and what is essentially a high school coaching staff run up and down the field in one of those early basketball season exhibitions that features some D-I school beating up on a D-III school. Obviously we knew Navy would struggle with the spread, but I at least didn't expect the Mids to have that much trouble. It was, in many respects, the same old story. Missed tackles, guys out of position, and guys playing slow. Mostly though, guys just looked confused (especially the corners) and as easy as it is to say "we need to make a change" I'm really not sure how you go about doing that. For years we've prided Navy's defense on, at the very least, not allowing the big play, but all it took was watching one North Texas drive to see that wide receivers were running past the entire defense.

Yes, there is consolation in the fact that the defense only gave up 13 second half points, or the fact that they intercepted two passes, but let's be real here folks, the mere phrase "we gave up 46 first half points" does not bode well for a college basketball team, much less a football team. During the game I noticed a lot of fans calling for the head of Buddy Green, and as much as I think such speculation is premature, you can't help but look to him at times like these. We've all been saying the same thing again and again; nobody expects the defense to find the solution, but we should be expecting at least some improvement. That's what I think what makes this most recent performance so hard to digest, because after holding Notre Dame to 28 points in regulation last week, Navy's defense appeared to take a major step back against what is, by conventional wisdom anyway, a lesser team. Time will tell if this North Texas team is for real, but it goes without saying that this game had as much to do with Navy's defense just flat out not playing well as it did with North Texas playing their best offensive game ever. As far as Buddy Green in concerned I think you have got to give him another year, but if the defense can't make noticable improvements by next season, his job could be in trouble. And, for the record, it's not as if I'm the only one with these sentiments.

Turning Point

The turning point of the game came just before the half, when Navy scored with 1:16 left in the first half to cut the North Texas lead from 18 to 11. Navy’s defense then came up with a huge stop, forcing North Texas to punt the ball with only 24 seconds left. After a solid punt return Navy got the ball at midfield, and Kaipo-Noa proceeded to throw a fly pattern to Reggie Campbell, who caught the ball and ran out of bounds at the North Texas three. On the very next play Zerb took an option pitch and went into the endzone to cut the lead to only four points. Within the final two minutes of the half, Navy effectively canceled out North Texas’ earlier onside kick, and with the score right after the half the Midshipmen were able to take the lead. Fantastic game management by Paul Johnson and clutch play by both the Navy offense and defense.

This And That

I give credit to Todd Dodge and his offense, and to tell you the truth had Navy not been on the other end it probably would have been fun to watch his offense at work. Like Adam Ballard said in the postgame, this North Texas program may very well be something of a sleeping giant, and one has to think that in a couple of years Dodge will have this team back in bowl games and at the top of the Sun Belt standings. That being said, I think Dodge had a better defense at Southlake Carroll, and I'm not even joking on that one...Just when you thought Navy couldn't possibly play any more people on defense, we actually saw Jordan Reagan in the secondary yesterday. I just thought it was kind of funny, especially because when I asked him during the summer if he thought he'd see any playing time this year he was quick to reply "nope." He's a Carrollton guy, so at least the one time he did get to play it was in his home state. To bad he couldn’t come down with what looked like a sure interception just before the end of the first half. Irv Spencer is a legitimate beast and perhaps the only consistent bright spot on Navy's defense...Kaipo bruised his knee during the game, but Jarod Bryant came in to play most of the second half and did a fine job, rushing for 57 yards and a touchdown. Coach Johnson indicated in the postgame that Kaipo should be back next week...Speaking of Kaipo, the guy was money on all his throws (4-5 for 108 yards and a TD) and did an excellent job inviting the hit on the option and getting rid of the ball…Freshman defensive back Emmett Merchent returned two kicks, one going for 57 yards, in yesterday's game...Oh yea, Shun White is fast, Adam Ballard is a beast, and technically we still don't have the worst defense in the country…And did I mention we’re GOING TO THE Poinsettia Bowl!

Navy 74, North Texas 62

2007-11-10T19:30:00.000-05:00

Holy crap that was weird.

The Weirdest Freaking Game You've Ever Seen Second Half Open Thread

2007-11-10T17:46:00.000-05:00

Let's laugh our way to our highest offensive output to the season, and toast a glass to the worst defense since Cumberland allowed 222 to Georgia Tech in 1916. Leave comments below.

No Live Blog

2007-11-10T16:06:00.001-05:00

We are experiencing MAJOR technical difficulties getting this feed. Sorry all.

More Podcasting

2007-11-08T21:25:00.000-05:00

I'm on CFB Weekly again this week talking about Navy's victory over Notre Dame. I'm the first guest, so check it out.

Thursday's North Texas Coverage

2007-11-08T13:39:00.000-05:00

I apologize in advance, but there will be no "Scouting North Texas" segment today or tomorrow. Real Life is momentarily getting in the way, and, despite the fact that I'm sure this will end up all over the North Texas bulletin boards by this afternoon's practice, we are in fact talking about North Texas here. Translation? I can't cut into my normal work load to preview a Sun Belt team.

Long story short, they have a good pass offense, we have a bad defense, and if you put two and two together that could mean bad news for Navy. If you need more info, I'd go ahead and consult The Bird Dog.

I will however be live blogging the game on Saturday afternoon, so I invite everyone to at least check in during the action. If you're watching the game you'll be on the Internet anyway, so be sure to stop by. Until then, I'll mostly be posting links I come accross.

The Fear of God Other Stuff

2007-11-07T14:22:00.000-05:00

Four days after the most amazing thing ever, fans and media members are still buzzing over Navy's 46-44 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. But as Annapolis holds parades and the yard buzzes with "OMG dude did you see that," the Navy football team is back at work preparing for what figures to be another close, edge-of-your seat type game that could go either way.

North Texas.

This is of course your classic "trap" game. Navy, 5-4 and coming off of an incredibly emotional win, travels to Denton, Texas to take on a 1-7 team which has shown glimpses of ability this year, but has really yet to play a complete game. We see these games all the time, and under Paul Johnson the Midshipmen have done a good job preparing for seemingly "lesser" opponents off of big wins. But then again, we have really yet to see a win as big as what we saw on Saturday, and the mindset of the team coming off of the win is anyone's guess. The biggest challenge this week for the Midshipmen is going to be staying focused. Everyone wants to talk about the Notre Dame game- and rightly so- but as far as the team is concerned the most important game of the season becomes Saturday's matchup in Denton. The Mean Green, led by first year head coach Todd Dodge, are going to be hungry after a 1-7 start, and will have plenty of incentive to beat the team that just beat Notre Dame the week before.

I don't want to talk up North Texas too much, because (as I predicted in the off-season) the reality is they aren't a very good football team at this point in time, but are still more than capable of beating a Navy team that does not show up to play. Defensively, in particular, I worry about Navy’s ability to contain North Texas’ spread offense, which averages just under 300 yards per game through the air (12th Nationally.) The Midshipmen defense is going to have to play one of it’s best games of the season if Navy is to avoid another down to the wire finish. Fortunately, if there is any coach in the country who can make a 1-7 team seem like USC, it's Paul Johnson. Don't be fooled, Navy should beat North Texas, but then again just a couple of weeks ago we were saying how Navy should beat Delaware, and we all know how that ended.

Other Stuff: Adam Ballard, despite being a legitimate pro prospect at the fullback position, says that a possible future in the Marine Corps is right now more important than any chance at making an NFL roster...Wondering where Greg Sudderth was for the Notre Dame game? So was I, until I read on Bill Wagner's blog that the senior wide receiver suffered a season ending ankle injury in practice last week. Helluva shame for a guy who had been bothered by injuries for most of his career...Five Blog Poll voters, including myself, gave Navy a 25th place vote in the most recent poll if for no other reason than it seemed like a fun thing to do after Saturday's win...Finally, North Texas game notes.

North Texas Game to Be On TV...Kinda

2007-11-06T16:03:00.000-05:00

Good news on the viewing front today, as it has come to my attention that the North Texas- Navy game schedule for 4 p.m. EST on Saturday will be available on video feed from two locations. Trey King of JumpTV Sports shot me an email earlier today letting us know that the game will be broadcast over both the North Texas Sports website and at CollegeSportsDirect.com. The game will cost $9.99 on a pay-per-view basis at CollegeSportsDirect.com, and will also cost $9.99 for a one-month subscription to the North Texas website. However, if you go with the North Texas website then you will be able to cancel your subscription up to a week after you sign up.

Tuesday Linkage

2007-11-06T10:03:00.000-05:00

Coach Wyatt Explains Paul Johnson's Offensive Adjustments- Good reading for anyone interested in the X's and O's of the triple option or for anyone who ever wondered what the significance of the "tight" formation of the flexbone is all about. Scroll down until you see the pictures of the flexbone formation.

Video of "The Stop"- Awesome video of the final play and ensuing celebration from a Midshipmen at the game.

Highlights from the Game- Video highlights from numerous plays throughout the game, including Ram's sack.

John Feinstein on NPR

Coming Up Big: The Defensive Plays that Beat Notre Dame

2007-11-05T16:33:00.000-05:00

As a commenter pointed out this morning, at this time last week I was less than convinced of Navy's ability to beat Notre Dame. In my defense, Navy's defense had shown very few signs of life this season, and the fact was that it didn't take a Gallup poll organizer to figure out that the vast majority of well informed Navy fans had their serious doubts going into the game. In fact, on the surface it would not appear as though Navy played a very good defensive game, giving up 375 yards and 44 points to an offense which had been previously ranked dead last in the country. But for those who watched this game and who have followed Navy's defensive struggles all year it was more than apparent that the very much embattled Navy defense made major strides against the Irish, and in the end came up big and helped deliver arguably the biggest win in Navy football history.

So often in big games we here that same cliche of "guys made plays" just thrown around. It's a cliche I've come to hate, but one which I can't help but find myself embracing when discussing Navy's timely defensive performance on Saturday. Let's face it, Navy didn't play a perfect defensive game by any means, but when the going got tough these guys never quit, and when the team needed stops the most the defense came up with them. On a day of big plays here are the three biggest from the defense:

Ram Vela Goes Superman

Only two days after the game the image of Ram Vela hurling himself over the head of Armando Allen has already reached iconic status, and rightfully so. Not only has his picture been in the sports section of every major newspaper in America, but the sophomore from San Antonio has already reached cult-hero status at EDSBS.com. Contrary to the captions in those papers, Ram didn't actually register a sack on the play (it was credited to Kahur-Pitters) but the disruption caused was enough, as the play itself gave the Midshipmen a much needed shot of momentum after he has previously whiffed on an easy sack minutes earlier that let the Irish back into the game. Oh yea, and it stopped what everyone thought was a sure fire, game-winning scoring drive for the Irish. To his credit, Ram never quit after the 4th and 14 conversion, and neither did Navy's defense.

Kahur-Pitters Take It In

In my mind, this was really the critical turning point in the game. Navy, trailing by one, had survived a missed Notre Dame field goal late in the third quarter, and as Kaipo-Noa and the offense took the field it looked as though the Midshipmen were going to be able to pull ahead. But Navy's drive stalled at the Notre Dame 29, and Joey Bullen was unable to connect on a 47 yard kick, giving the ball back to the Irish and swinging momentum back in favor of Notre Dame. I don't know about you, but I sure had a sinking feeling at that point, knowing that the offense may have just missed their one opportunity to take the lead. But to their credit, the defense never quit, and Michael Walsh and Nate Frazier crashed down on Evan Sharpley, in the process knocking the ball free deep in Notre Dame territory. Kahur-Pitters, who seemingly came out of nowhere this week to have a huge game, did a good job picking up the fumble and running it in to give Navy their first lead of the game.

The Stand

Navy's final defensive stop will forever be remembered as "the stand." In his post game comments, Coach Johnson told the media that he "sent the house" on the play, indicating that he blitzed all eleven defensive players. It was a gutsy yet calculated move, as Johnson guessed correctly that after failing to throw for the conversion on the previously called back play Wies would not risk throwing it again. The play was made possible by a great push by Nate Frazier up front and a fine job by Blake Carter crashing from the outside, forcing Travis Thomas to cut right back into a slicing Irv Spencer. Great call, great execution, and above all, the greatest defneisve play I have ever witnessed.

Putting It All Together

Last week, I echoed the words of Paul Johnson in saying that Navy's defensive struggles were not all physical, and that if the Midshipmen could just find a way to play with confidence then Navy would be successful against the Irish. This week we saw exactly that, as the Midshipmen defense fed off of the entire team's momentum and played with more tenacity and more speed than we have seen in week's past. Also critical to our understanding of Navy's defensive success are the negative plays forced. Navy had had just five sacks all year until Saturday, when the Midshipmen defense sacked Evan Sharpley a whopping four times for 35 yards. I thought the defensive line did an outstanding job the entire game, in particular Nate Frazier, who overcome weeks of criticism by stepping up and getting penetration in the backfield when it counted. Michael Walsh played a good game to, as did Kahur-Pitters. Wyatt Middleton, who left the game in the fourth quarter with a still undisclosed injury, was having an awesome game in run support, as was Blake Carter, who despite being out of position of a Notre Dame touchdown pass made some greta tackles to prevent long gains. And then there's Irv Spencer, who once again showed that when it comes to playing with fire and intensity, he's on par with the best linebackers of the Paul Johnson era. I could go down the entire list, but at one point another almost every member of Navy's defense made a play which, in it's own small way, helped build up the unit's confidence and contribute to the win. These efforts were no limited to just starters though. Darius Terry, who came in for an injured Kevin Edwards for several plays, made an excellent play to seal of Robby Parris from catching a touchdown pass, while Ross Pospisil and Emmett Merchent came in late in the game and were in on several big stops in overtime. After the Delaware loss, I questioned if Navy's defense was going to get any better this season. I know we need to keep it in perspective (especially against a struggling Notre Dame offense) but after Saturday evening I'm excited to see what the future holds for this young Navy defense.

The You Tube Fallout

2007-11-05T15:19:00.001-05:00

Scenes from the weekend of Navy football fandom:

You Knew It Was Coming...

2007-11-05T08:24:00.000-05:00

...The long awaited John Feinstein article. Enjoy.

God I Love This Game

2007-11-04T20:49:00.000-05:00

Where should I start? Where can I start? I mean seriously, after 43 years, more than double my life mind you, where could I possibly start?

I guess the only place to start is at the end, more specifically the play you’ve by now seen a million times, and, if you’re like me, could see a million times again. It was a play that probably never should have happened to be honest, a play that was born from a questionable pass interference penalty that seemed to once again snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. But after 43 years, three overtimes and a fourth and goal stop called back, Navy’s much aligned defense wasn’t going to settle for another week of woulda, coulda, and shouldas, and wasn’t about to let the window slip away.

It was a fitting end to a game which Navy fans are already calling one of, if not the best finishes in the program’s long history, as Navy’s much maligned defense stood tall and stopped Travis Thomas in the backfield on a second fourth and goal in the third overtime. It was, as it has been said many times today by many different people, the stuff of which legends are born, and I consider myself both extremely blessed and extremely fortunate to have witnessed it in person.
When I got back from the airport this morning I read that Coach Johnson gave the team three keys to success in his pregame speech. He told them, three strait times, to believe that they could win. Never was a cliché more apt or appropriate, and never have they rung more true. Navy won this game for a lot of reasons, many of which we will undoubtedly look into in the coming days, and not the least of which was the final stop on fourth and goal.

But if you ask me, Navy won this game because in the end the Mids wanted it more, and because in the end players like Ram Vela decided that they didn’t want to be the guy who was remembered for missing an easy sack that allowed the Irish to climb back in. It was because a guy like Nate Frazier played his ass off all game, and that what looked to be a hodgepodge of defensive backs before a game showed up and made plays when it mattered.

As I look back on this game, typing this report while watching my taped copy for the second time this evening, I can’t help but stare at disbelief at the screen for a moment, asking myself if this really happened, if I was really there. But watching those vital snapshots, the images of Vela over Allen and Kahur-Pitters rumbling into the endzone let me know that what we saw last night was something that we as Navy fans will never forget.

There have been some people who’ve already started saying that this win doesn’t mean as much because of Notre Dame’s 1-8 record. These people have no idea what they are talking about. As Coach Johnson said last week, this is still Notre Dame, still bigger and stronger, still faster and more athletic, and still filled with 43 years of winning tradition over the Midshipmen. For an outsider, it may have been hard to see a David vs Glioth matchup in a showdown of 1-7 and 4-4 teams, but make no mistake about it, that’s what it was yesterday, and will be for some time to come. But for one time, just one time, David came out top, and in the process vindicated 43 years worth of balls to the walls never-say-die Navy football players. And to think, all it took was a little belief, and a defense that refused to quit.

God, do I love this game.

The View from the Stands

2007-11-04T15:55:00.002-05:00

I spent the entire flight back this morning trying to think of something poetic to say. I'm still thinking, and as I spend the afternoon trying to finish up odds and ends I continue to ponder the right words to say about Saturday evening. I'll let you know if I come up with anything, but for now, this will have to do:

Random Navy fans were hugging me, Notre Dame fans shaking our hands and offering us congratulations, and I even had a "Yes!" shouting match with some kid who ran up to me at some point during the celebration. In all, it was the mot amazing thing I've ever witnessed at a sporting event, and maybe even in my whole life. I only wish every Navy fan could of been there in that cold twilight yesterday evening, because God knows there are many more individuals who have suffered through this streak on a much deeper, longer level than I could even imagine. Like Paul Johnson said, this one is for you guys.

GO NAVY!

I Was There

2007-11-04T13:40:00.000-05:00

That was the most amazing sporting event I have ever even had the privilege to hear about, much less attend. Amazing, simply amazing.

Thursday Linkage

2007-11-01T15:17:00.000-04:00

My interview with the College Football Weekly Blog Show. Navy segment begins at the 24:00 mark. Not the greatest of interviews, but hopefully you get the drift.

Part 2 of the Q&A with HerLoyalSons.com.

Keep an eye out for another Q&A over at the Blue Gray Sky.

Q&A With Her Loyal Sons

2007-10-31T09:12:00.000-04:00

Our coverage of Notre Dame week rolls on with a the first of two Q&A's with Irish bloggers, this one coming with Matt from Her Loyal Sons, one of the top Notre Dame football blogs out there. You can catch my answers to Matt's questions on his website tomorrow, and also be on the lookout for my somewhat rushed interview on The College Football Weekly Blog Radio Show later today. Alrighty then, let's get cracking.

First and foremost, in as much or as little detail as you want, can you explain to all of us what the hell happened over the past two months?

Ok, here we go: A lot of ND fans, and even some "objective observers" would tell you that ND has fallen victim to a "perfect storm." And what they seem to mean is a "perfect storm" of "excuses." We try not to put much stock in excuses because first and foremost we want ND to be a winning program, and if something is causing that not to happen, then that something needs to be fixed. So instead of saying the ND football team has fallen victim to a perfect storm of excuses, let's instead say that the 2007 Notre Dame Football Season has been the result of a perfect storm of issues, and the issues are all fixable.

And here are some of the issues in no particular order of importance or severity:

1) Poor recruiting by the previous head coach: As much as non-ND fans hate to admit, Willingham's recruiting "efforts" were miserable after his excellent first full class (the one that included Brady Quinn and the like). Not only were his following classes short of quality, but in quantity as well. ND hardly has any 5th year or "regular" seniors left on the team. So as good as Charlie Weis' recruiting efforts have been (2 classes already at ND were "top ten" classes, the current crop is ranked "#1"), the Irish are really lacking in guys who've "been there and done that." This is also really killing ND in terms of leadership. On the offensive side of the ball, only 1 elected captain of the team (TE John Carlson) sees regular playing time. Another captain on the offense was appointed by the coaches to help address the lack of experience and leadership on the offense and, frankly, has made about as many mistakes as any player on the ND roster in 2007.

2)Youth: Closely related with issue #1; A ton of players in key positions on the field for Notre Dame (particularly on offense) are very inexperienced. The top 3 tailbacks are freshmen and sophomores. The top producing receivers are freshmen and sophomores. The top 2 QBs are a freshmen and a junior with 2 years of eligibility remaining and, before the 2007 season, fewer pass attempts than I've fingers. And I lack fingers to spare. Meanwhile, the offensive line is anchored by a single 5th year senior and then a bunch of guys who've hardly played at all. The one other guy who's had many starts on the OL, sophomore Sam Young, played Right Tackle during 2006 and now plays Left Tackle. As you probably know, that an entirely different bag of chips.

3) Scheduling: As of this week, Notre Dame, despite having played nobody in several days, has played the most difficult schedule in the country according to the Sagarin Rankings. Not only is the schedule tough by national standards, but it created a combination of bad match-ups for Notre Dame. ND had to start an inexperienced QB and offensive line against Georgia Tech and John Tenuta's Blitz-happy defense. Then it started another highly inexperienced QB in Happy Valley for a night game. Follow that up with a game against a desperate and much deeper and experienced Michigan, and you just have to roll your eyes and shrug. Notre Dame, by Notre Dame standards, should be able to handle that sort of start. This season ND didn't even acquit itself admirably.

4) Coaching Mistakes: Ultimately, Charlie Weis is still a 1st time head coach who is learning on the job in the toughest, most scrutinized position in all of college sports, and he made a few "rookie mistakes" this year. For starters, he's been conducting less physical practices than you might expect from a college team largely because he was more concerned about his personnel depth issues than making sure young guys were ready to execute at "full speed." He also took his "NFL mentality" to the extreme, trying to scheme around Georgia Tech's defense with a hybrid offense that incorporated elements of the Spread Option – an offense with which none of the players at ND were familiar – because Weis always tries to "win the next game." As a result, a QB who is not even with the team anymore started the 1st game of the season, and ND spent time "scheming" rather than worrying about things like excellent fundamentals and execution. A lot of coaches would worry about building a solid foundation and then hoping that the foundation would prove to be enough to eek out a win or two against tough competition, but Charlie always, always goes for the win first and foremost. Luckily, from statements he's made in recent press conferences along with changes to the conduct of practices made over the course of the season, Charlie seems to have identified those mistakes and is now working to correct them so that we don't suffer the same results in 2008. As ND fans, we knew this sort of thing could happen with a 1st time head coach, but we certainly hoped that it wouldn't.

Clausen or Sharply? Who is the answer for next year? Who will start against the Midshipmen, and more importantly, will they actually do something?

Sharpley will start. Weis made that clear pretty much immediately after the Southern Cal game and has reiterated that fact this week. Clausen could probably use the rest as he's been quite banged up thanks to pretty poor protection efforts by the offensive line. Sharpley has a strong arm but some real accuracy issues. Hopefully 2 weeks of extra practice as the "#1 guy" will help him work that out. It'll be the first time in his career at ND that he's had this much practice as the starter. It would probably also help him if his offensive line can keep the pass rush at bay so he can set his feet and feel comfortable in the pocket. If all that happens, look out because ND does, in fact, have at least one receiver who can run right by anybody in college football (Golden Tate) and a couple of guys that can probably make a few things happen on short passes, not to mention a guy that should have had the best season for a tight end in call of college football (John Carlson).

As for next year's "answer," your guess is as good as ours. Sharpley, we believe, does have 2 more years of eligibility and seems to possess some level of leadership ability. Clausen, who seems to still be healing from off-season elbow surgery, does actually look to be the guy with the most "upside." Add to that mix the entrance of Dayne Crist, a current verbal-commit, who some say has as much if not more potential than Clausen, and we've got quite the QB battle brewing for 2008. One real advantage ND will have in 2008 that it did not have in 2007 is that all of the QBs who are in contention for the starting job are of the same "mold;" All of them are "drop-back pocket-passing QBs." In 2007, with Demetrius Jones fully in the mix for the starting job, that just wasn't the case.

It's likely that a lot will be made regarding the 119th ranked Notre Dame offense lining up across from the 105th ranked Navy defense. Personally I think Navy's defense is hopeless, but what are your thoughts on this matchup of less than stellar units?

Looking at the rankings, ND has faced the #7 (GT), #12 (PSU), #21 (UM), #36 (MSU), #56 (Purdue), #42 (UCLA), #20 (BC), and #4 (SC) defenses in the country thus far. Navy has faced the #102 (Temple), #13 (RU), #22 (BSU), #114 (Duke), #72 (AF), #97 (Pitt), and #90 (WFU) offenses along with Delaware (not ranked among Bowl Subdivision Teams). So the easily opposed force has faced off against defenses with an average rank of about 25th while the easily moved object has countered offenses that average a rank of about 72nd. So strictly by the numbers we have to give ND the edge. That said, as we've so vigorously pointed out earlier, this team is extremely young and extremely prone to errors. As much as very good defenses have beaten ND's offense, so too has ND's offense beaten itself. That's sort of the X-Factor. If Navy can manage to confuse ND and get them to make some mistakes, we'd say this match up comes down to a pick'em. ND definitely has a ton of raw-talent starting on the offense, but it hasn't shown much polish over the course of the season.

Notre Dame's defense has been suspect against Navy's option offense early in games over the last two seasons. What does new DC Corwin Brown bring to the table, and do you feel confident that he and his scheme can stop Navy's rushing attack?

The biggest thing that Corwin Brown has done is bring a new attitude to the ND defense. The past 2 years, Rick Minter ran a "read and react" defense. Corwin Brown takes the initiative much more, and his new 3-4 scheme allows ND to attack an offense from multiple angles on any given play. However, the option offense of Navy forces any defense to simplify things and play disciplined, assignment football. Brown has no experience scheming against such an attack, and the option pretty much takes any advantages ND's new aggressiveness might cultivate and throws it out the window.

When ND is coached well, they always seem to take about a quarter to adjust to the speed and precision with which Navy runs the option. You just can't duplicate that in practice against a scout team, and ND only sees the option once or twice a season. Hopefully ND will be able to limit any early-game advantage Navy has while ND adjusts, and then ND can minimize Navy's points. Corwin seems to be a very shrewd man. Even when he does take risks, they seem to be pretty calculated (ignoring, for the moment, a random call for press-coverage on a 3rd and 29 here and there). If nothing else, ND has more overall speed on the defensive side of the ball thanks to some new talent and the 3-4 scheme, so that should help mitigate a few mental errors. Watch out for freshmen Kerry Neal and Brian Smith; two freshman outside linebackers that get every ND fan's adrenaline pumping.

From what I can gather, there seem to be two different schools of thought on the issue of this year's Navy-Notre Dame game. Some Domer fans hold this game as a must-win, buck-stops-here scenario, while others seem to kind of take up the attitude of "it may as well happen this year" to any Navy upset possibility. How do you feel about this game, and what would a loss to the Midshipmen on Saturday mean for the ND program and the Navy rivalry?

We hope Navy eventually wins one of these games and we hope we never see it. Purely from a PR perspective, ND must win this game above all others. The blogosphere, the media, and the college football fan-base just wouldn't let a Notre Dame loss to Navy die until ND wins another national championship, and maybe not even then. As much as it's important for ND to finish the season on a few high notes, it's also vital that ND avoid any perceived "embarrassment" while trying to maintain an excellent 2008 recruiting class. That's not to say that losing to Navy would be an actual embarrassment to ND, but you can bet that all observers outside of the ND and Navy communities would try to sell it that way, especially to recruits.

The one thing I can say with a high level of confidence is that if Navy were to win on Saturday, it would not, despite some opinions, mean that Charlie Weis needs to be worried about his job. The guy has already managed to get Notre Dame to 2 BCS bowl games, and we've seen what he can do with a team when his decision making is firing on all cylinders. That's bought him a little patience from the ND fan-base. Things have a way of snowballing in either the positive or negative direction, and this season has already been a prime example in the negative. We think most of the Notre Dame faithful have come to accept that. Weis will have time to fix this because Weis earned it, but we're sure he's aware that patience never comes with an infinite supply. What we expect to see, and hope to see, on Saturday, is a young team start to realize just how much talent they really do have. There are some guys on this Notre Dame team with jaw-dropping ability, but they haven't had much room to breath, grow, and realize their own potential. Hopefully this ND/Navy tilt looks fairly similar to the previous two, but I suspect Paul Johnson and the Midshipmen will do all they can to ensure that will not happen.

Should Navy win on Saturday, it would be another great chapter in a long, wonderful story. The Notre Dame/Navy tradition is one of the best in college football, and we're proud to have Navy on the schedule every year.

Go Irish and Beat Army.

I want to thank Matt for taking some time to fill us in, and wish the Irish a great 3-0 end of the season after November 3rd.

The Confidence Factor

2007-10-30T17:05:00.000-04:00

After an extremely busing morning, I finally had some time to sit down this afternoon and watch Coach Johnson's practice presser from yesterday. One of the first things that hit me was his mood, which seemed to be pretty good considering what had just happened and what lies in front this coming Saturday. Anyways, of all of Coach Johnson's presser's thus far, I think this one really got to the core of the problems this season, and highlighted a factor which I think up to this point I think we've overlooked.

This of course is the so called "confidence factor" of the team and specifically of the defense. While I did not cover it in my analysis of Navy's defensive problems on Sunday, Coach Johnson made a convincing point when discussing the role of individual and team confidence when talking to reporters on Monday evening:

"The old adage is it's never or bad or as good as it seems and that's true with the defense. We are making critical mistakes. We have to do better on third down. We have gotten people in third-and-long and when we do that we have to get them off the field. We are going to have to go back and simplify things some more and throw some stuff out. It's clear to me that guys aren't playing fast and they don't know what they are doing so we have to do a better job of getting them up to speed and it's our job as coaches to find something they can do. It's not what we know (as coaches). It's what they (the players) know. At the same time, they (the players) have to do a better job of listening, of putting their eyes where they belong and doing what they are coached to do. They can do that. It's not all physical. The worst thing that can happen is you put a guy out there that isn't sure what he's doing or where he's going and all of a sudden a guy with average speed becomes really slow. We have to get to a point where our guys just line up and play, because I think they want to and I think they will play hard. We have to find something they can do. You have to understand what you are doing so you can play fast. You have to play and you can't be afraid to make a play. There is no question we have to get better. I am surprised we haven't played better on defense, but part of it has been injuries and part of it is the confidence factor hasn't been there. We have had way too many guys play. You aren't going to get better if you keep rotating all the time, but that's been hard to do because of injuries. I will still say that these guys are more athletic than the guys that played before, but they aren't playing football as well as the group that played before them. Those guys were seasoned and they were heady. If one guy didn't get lined up right, somebody would correct him. There is no question that losing Sovie and Deliz hurt us, because they knew where everybody was supposed to line up and they would move guys into the right position if they lined up wrong. I'm sure some of them know what to do, but they are afraid to tell somebody else to move because they are afraid they aren't right."

Frankly, I think Coach Johnson is right on, and gives a simple, but poignant, explanation to a problem which we as fans have been scratching our heads about all season. That's not to say that the contributing factors haven't played a huge role in the process, but the continued slide in defensive ineptitude has clearly been hastened by a lack of individual and team confidence. So what exactly does that mean?

I tend to think of it as a deterministic factor, a sort of (excuse my language) "oh shit" factor that plays into the collective conscience of the defensive unit. It is the old saying of "playing not to lose" instead if "playing to win." It's thinking too much on the field, it's not reacting because you're nervous about giving up a big play, and it's not being instinctive or playing with controlled aggressiveness. It is, in it's essence, being unsure of yourself on the field, and not playing up to your ability because of it.

It's almost like the Midshipmen defense is embroiled in a "funk" of epic proportions, with each new, rotated player struggling to play to full speed because he's more than aware of the defenses reputation. This lack of collective and individual confidence has been exasperated greatly by the loss of veterans like Deliz, Sovie, and Buffin, who have in fact "been there and done that" and have a proven ability to make game changing defensive plays. One thing that comes with having a young defense is an added emphasis on emotion and momentum, two key and overlooked factors which the Midshipmen have lacked for much of the year. Having momentum is huge, because it gives players confidence, which in term allows them to take chances and play with more courage and intensity. Lack momentum and you lack confidence, and begin to doubt your ability to make a play and thus don't play to the level your capable of.

I think Coach Johnson's comments should be taken as a positive. Remember, it's not all physical. That means the pieces are there, although at the present they just horribly spread out over the radius of oh, say, China. The key going forward is to develop some kind of continuity and to get guys to plays as they are capable of. It's a lot easier said than done, but who knows, it could just be as simple as a big third down stop to get some kind momentum on this defensive team. And I'm not talking to holding teams to a couple of touchdowns, because we all know that ain't gonna happen, but I remained convinced that if the defense can regain the confidence factor then they will be able to produce the 2-3 defensive stops per game that will allow the team to win. And that, more than any defensive ranking, is the most important thing.

The Pro Version: Some of you know I'm a Bills fans, and for those of you who don't, well I'm a Bills fan. You may also be aware that the Bills suffered an unreal amount of injuries this offseason, and after having one of the worst defenses in the NFL were forced to adapt with second and third string players. As my father said, there is a good lesson to be learned from this example, and even though it's not completely applicable in the case of the Midshipmen, it's worth thinking about.

Injuries: Maybe it's because I was distracted from the 59 points surrendered to a I-AA team, but I failed to really notice the injuries the Midshipmen sustained on Saturday. Word on the street is things are not good, as Coach Johnson was somewhat mum on Rashawn King, although he did say that he expected McGinn and Kettani ready to go for Saturday. I can't overemphasize the impact Rashawn going down would have on the team, as Coach Green would likely be forced to reach into the bowels of the roster to produce a replacement. Factor in the fact that Kevin Snyder mysteriously was held out of Saturday's game, and we could be looking at a working secondary composed of guys who were exclusivly second and third stinger's coming into the year. Suit up Jordan Reagan, your time to shine may actually be at hand.

Weis Calls Campbell a "Pain in the Butt"

2007-10-30T16:24:00.000-04:00

Notre Dame Press Conference lauding Navy's offense. Also stumbles over the litany of personnel changes in the secondary, in the process breaking the news that S Kevin Snyder had an undisclosed injury last week. Why was I ignorant of this? Transcript link to come later tonight.

The Time Has Come

2007-10-29T15:40:00.000-04:00

Well, it's here. No sense mulling about an inexplicable loss to a I-AA team when we're only days away from taking on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. I'm spending the day handling numerous requests for Q&A's in the lead up the game, but I invite everyone (Notre Dame and Navy fans alike) to take a look at the now Infamous Window of Opportunity post I made nearly a year and a half ago. Here's an excert:

Notre Dame, [a 2006 BCS Bowl] contender, could be severely weakened in 2007 if the incoming Freshmen classes of this and next year do not pan out positively. Their are serious questions about the ability of the Irish to put together a good Defensive and Offensive Line, and the graduation of the current All Americans could leave the Irish open for an upset. However, the Irish are building what may become the best talent pool in the nation, and the opportunity to beat the Irish may only come in the developmental stage of that talent. Navy, on the other hand, is steadily improving but still yearning to prove it can play with College Football elite. Perhaps after this year, we will know where this team really stands, and can venture a more perfect guess at 2007, which may be the last window of opportunity this team gets at taking down Notre Dame in a long time.

Prophesy, or dumb luck? Well, considering how bad our defense has been it may be neither, but it's as good a place to start as any in talking about this game. We'll have to wait until Saturday to see, but when the movable object meets the resistant force 43 years of history will be on the line. All it takes is one time.

Why Is the Defense So Bad?

2007-10-28T09:25:00.000-04:00

Now that we've collectively vented, it's time to turn our attention to the central question of the the 2007 season; Why does Navy's defense suck so much? Well, to attempt to explain this question I thought it apt to look into some of the known contributing factors as well as to explore the possibility of others, with the most notable of these being the job performance of defensive coordinator Buddy Green. As usual (in fact more than usual) I'm interested to hear the opinions of other fans on this assessment, and hope that maybe we can come to a uniform understanding of how the Midshipmen could be giving up 460 yards per game and more than 38 points per game against I-A opposition that has a combined .500 winning percentage.

Injuries- Don't get me wrong, Navy's defense still wouldn't be very good had the Midshipmen not lost Jeff Deliz, Clint Sovie, and Ketric Buffin, but chances are the defense doesn't sink into the depths of the Division 1 ranks had those three veteran players not gone down. Losing Sovie was huge not only because he called the plays and set up the defense, but because he had playmaking ability. With all due respect to Tony Haberer (who will get better with age), the sophomore has been badly exposed in zone coverage and doesn't play with near the same motor Sovie does. Deliz going down took away one of Navy's most sure tacklers, and with respect to Wyatt Middleton put the Navy defense in a bind. Middleton has talent, but he doesn't have the consistency or experience this defense badly needs. The loss of Ketric Buffin to a broken arm against Pitt deprived the defense of yet another good, disciplined tackler and took away maybe the only player on Navy's defense who is capable of jumping routes and picking passes off. Losing any one of those guys hurts enough with an inexperienced defense, but losing all three players virtually deprives the defense of it's most clutch assets. And it's shown too, as Navy has been hard pressed coming up with turnovers and has been absolutely dreadful on third down this season.

Youth- Coming into the year we all realized Navy's inexperienced defense would struggle. That defense, already fairly young to begin with, got a lot younger with the early season injuries to Deliz and Sovie, and continues to be dominated by either young players with no experience, or older players with limited experience. Any way you cut it, the point is that we're playing more underclassman than in previous years. Obviously, this is a problem at any school, but particularly at Navy, where players need the time to physically develop and to learn the scheme and systems. Take away a year or two of that process before a player has to go in, and you're naturally going to have guys learning on the fly and in the process struggling to contain offenses.

Leadership- In the past we've had continuity in terms of class and guys who lead collectively. Even in 2005, when the defense was very much inexperienced, did we see guys step up and take a leadership role. In that case it was the players from the Class of 2006. This year the defense is playing numerous players from all four classes, and although the sophomore class appears to be filled with some talent, no group of players has yet to really assert a leadership role. Irv Spencer and Matt Wimsatt have stepped up with individual efforts and shown flashes of team leadership, but I still don't think they've been able to pull the entire unit together and establish cohesiveness or continuity. Again, part of this comes back to the fact that Coach Green has been playing basically everyone on the three deep at one point or another.

Effort- This is not an opinion call on my part. Not only has Paul Johnson publicly questioned the effort of this Navy defense (after the Ball State loss) but the media and fans has started to wonder whether or not the drive and determination that were hallmarks of previous Navy teams are there at all this season. Theoretically this Navy defense should be the most talented under Coach Green, yet we're learning first hand that the fight and heart given by previous Navy defenses far outweighs any advantage in 40 times or shuttle runs that this defense has. But then again, I guess it's hard to give the maximum amount of effort when there is no unit cohesiveness and your getting pulled out every other series for an underclassman who is just as lost as you are.

Personnel?- Buddy Green did a good job in previous seasons of masking Navy's obvious talent deficiencies on defense with his zone coverages and relatively simple defensive gameplan. This hasn't been the case this year, as Navy's defense has been out-hustled, out-worked, and just plain out-athleted on numerous occasions this season. Part of this has to do with the teams Navy has played this year compared to previous years, but to explain away the problem to just playing better teams with better athletes isn't going to work. Part of the problem, as I've alluded to, is the constant rotating of players in and out. Basically everyone on the three deep has played at some point this year, and aside from rocks like Irv Spencer and Rashawn King, most players have come out in different packages. Also, I'm no recruiting expert and I honestly have no idea what goes on at NAPS, but one has to wonder if the team is just not getting the right kinds of players. David Mahoney, Rob Caldwell, and Tyler Tidwell weren't exactly hot recruits, but they matured into good players who got the job done. Is it simply a case of waiting on players to develop, or is there a problem in the development process? I don't know, but all I'm saying is that from watching this team is seems more apparent then ever that they are just physically being dominated. I'm hoping this goes back to the inexperience issue, because if it doesn't we're in real trouble.

Coaching?- All throughout this season, I've defended Buddy Green and explained away the defenses lack of production to injuries, youth, and bad fortune. But if your not at least entertaining the thought that Buddy Green has done a less than impressive job at the helm of the defense, than your probably smoking something illegal. I thought John Feinstein made a great point on the postgame show yesterday when he said that nobody expects Navy's defense to be good, but that we should have expected it to be showing at least some improvement by now. The mere fact that Navy's defense has progressively gotten worse, coupled with the idea that their is no unit cohesiveness and the aforementioned questionable effort, lead me to think that some of the blame could, and perhaps should, be leveled at Coach Green. Obviously there are factors like injuries he can't control, but then again there are other factors, like play calls and personnel packages, which are entirely in his control. Of certain concern is the issue of blitzing, in particular when to blitz and who to blitz. Has anyone else questioned why Ram Vela is constantly blitzing from the edge, only to run into a tackle who easily redirects him out of the play? I sure have. In addition to questions over scheme, there are also questions regarding personnel. Why, can someone explain to me, was Greg Thrasher playing free safety yesterday? Not only is he a cornerback by nature, but he isn't a very good tackler and has barely played since his decent 2005 season. I know Keven Snyder is no Josh Smith, but it makes more sense to stick with the guy who went in when Ketric went down and has shown some promise in run support. After all, he's going to be around in the offseason when the team is trying to get better, as opposed to Thrasher, who will graduate in May. Now, I want to be careful with the implications of all this, as I'm not by any means advocating the firing of Coach Green that I've heard some fans at games call for. To often in today's sporting environment do we assign all the blame on the coach or coaches, and are quick to dismiss them without giving them a chance to adjust. And adjust is exactly what Coach Green needs to do. This defense needs to show some improvement by seasons end, and, once more, needs to be better next season. We've afforded him and factored in the excuses, but after a certain amount of time I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the play of the entire unit to be raised and for improvement to be made.

The scary part of all of this is that we're witnessing these defensive deficiencies through the eyes of the 16th ranked offense in Division I-A (nomenclature back by popular demand.) Could you imagine the course of events had the offense not played so well up to this point, and if, God forbid, we'd had to punt more than once per game? Even more pressing is the question of whether or not their is any silver lining to be taken from this, or if we're in line for further digression and struggles both this year and next year. I don't have the answers, but if the above problems cannot be addressed at some point, then I fear that even games against Northern Illinois and North Texas will come down to the wire.

Inexcusable

2007-10-27T17:13:00.000-04:00

I hate football. No really, I mean it this time. How in the hell do you score 52 points, compile more than 500 yards of total offense, and still lose a football game to a I-AA team?

I'm sick of playing this game where we talk up the other team, continuing to laud the opposition like masters of diplomacy. Delaware might be a good team, but to give up 59 points to them is simply ridiculous. I mean c'mon, even Division II West Chester held the Blue Hens to "only" 41 points. No, I'm not going to play that game, I refuse to acknowledge the fact that Delaware is that good.

Navy's defense is beyond bad. In fact, it's beyond horrible. I mean, with less than 50 seconds left to go in the first half, the defense surrendered a mind boggling 74 yards and a touchdown to a Delaware offense with no timeouts left. Nate Frazier, true to form, made an incredibly idiotic mistake on an offsides penalty that stopped the clock and allowed Delaware to set up for a touchdown on the very next play, as the Midshipmen surrendered whatever advantage they had going into the half. I think surrender is an appropriate word to use, because when you look at this game and others, Navy's defense has allowed the opposition to dictate the game and move as they please. I don't even know why we blitz really, as every blitz seems to be picked up with ease. Speaking of blitzing, can we please stop blitzing Ram Vela on the outside on every other play. It's an easy read for the quarterback and an easier block for the tackle, and all it's doing is giving the opposition and easy throw and catch.

Despite the incredibly poor play of the defense par usual, the turning point in this game was not the touchdown allowed right before the half, but rather Kaipo-Noa's misguided pitch on Navy's third drive of the game. Consider the fact that the Midshipmen were up 14-7 at the time, and the defense, amazingly, had just stopped Delaware's offense for a second consecutive series. With an offense that scores on nearly every series, Navy had a very good shot at taking a two possession lead against the Blue Hens, and perhaps even more importantly had a shot to give their beleaguered defense some confidence and momentum heading into the remainder of the game. But it was not to be, as Kaipo-Noa tossed a late pitch that was intercepted by Anthony Bratton deep in Navy territory. I don't know what was going on with Kaipo, but he hasn't looked as smooth or confident running the option over the past two weeks. In fact, he was very hesitant to pitch the ball early despite having several favorable pitch reads. It could be physical, but you have to wonder if the margin for error that Navy's offense has been experiencing has gotten into Kaipo's head. The point was that when he did decide to pitch it he threw it away, and with it went Navy's momentum. Even still, we must be careful not to assign the blame of this loss with the offense, which for much of the game operated flawlessly en route to it's highest scoring day of the season. Still, even as the occasional offensive miscue is to be expected, Kaipo-Noa's fumble was huge in that it changed the entire dynamic of the game, and swung momentum back to the Blue Hens.

The rest of the game was all downhill. Even as the Midshipmen scored almost at will, Delaware's offense did Navy one better, and a third quarter Eric Kettani fumbled seemed to seal the deal for the Blue Hens. Like last week, this week's loss came down to Navy turning the ball over and the opposition taking advantage. Once again, Navy's defense failed to anything to slow down the opposing offense, while the inability to force even a single turnover put the offense at a significant disadvantage. And then there was the kickoff coverage unit, which proved once again that when it comes to special teams, Navy has a long way to go.

I seriously don't even know what to say anymore. Starting on Monday I 'm suppose to do a number of interviews and question and answer segments in lead up to the Notre Dame game. The game that just a few weeks ago everyone and their mother starting saying would be the game in which Navy finally climbed that 43 year hill. Now not only do Navy's prospects for upsetting the Irish seem slim to none, but Navy's bowl prospects (which looked like a sure thing two weeks ago) seem to be doubt. I don't mean to take anything away from Delaware, but let's get real, this game had a lot more to do with Navy just being bad than Delaware being good.

Something is going to have to give, and for the Midshipmen to accomplish even some of their goals coming into the season someone is going to have to step up on defense and make a play. If not, we will continue to be subjected to shootouts with mediocre teams, with the prospects of victory hinging upon the flawless execution of an offense in a game which isn't often conducive of perfect play on any level.

Scouting Delaware

2007-10-25T15:57:00.000-04:00

Ah, the Fighting Blue Hens, I do remember thee. After a two year hiatus, Navy (4-3) and Delaware (6-1) resume their intermittent series on Saturday, when the 9th ranked Blue Hens of the Colonial Athletic Conference come into Annapolis to face off against the Midshipmen. Delaware, while an FCS team, has no shortage of offensive firepower, and apparently no shortage of confidence either.

The Blue Hen offense is among the most dynamic in the FCS, averaging 469 yards per game (5th in the FCS) and scoring an average of nearly 37 points per game. The Blue Hens are lead by quarterback Joe Flacco, a former Pittsburgh transfer who has thrown for just under 2000 yards this season with a 9-3 touchdown-interception ratio. Flacco has excellent size (6'6, 230) and a strong, accurate arm (over 72 % completion percentage), and was recently ranked as the top FCS quarterback prospect from DraftDaddy.com. He's surrounded by a veteran and talented group of skill position players, including wide receivers Aaron Love and Mark Duncon (both over 400 yards receiving.) Delaware's main horse however is Omar Cuff, a senior running back who led the team in rushing the last time Deleware played Navy in 2004. Cuff turned heads this year in week one in which he ran for more than 200 yards and a record seven touchdowns against William and Mary, and so far this year has rushed for 875 yards on a 5.1 ypc average. Delaware's defense would seem to be the weaker portion of the team at this point, and isn't filled with as many former FBS transfers as the offense is. Nevertheless, they've gotten the job done early this season, especially against the run. Delaware has the 8th best run defense in the FCS, led by a talented defensive line which includes former Notre Dame starter Ronald Talley.

But for as good as all these numbers and rankings sound, let's not forget the Blue Hens are in fact in a different division than the Midshipmen, and have "padded" some of those offensive numbers against the likes of a Division II West Chester team and some sktchy FCS teams. In fact, Delaware has only won one game this season against a FCS opponent with a winning record, and that came in a 49-31 win over William and Mary in the opener. When you consider facts like this, Saturday's game figures to be especially interesting not just because it's Delaware's first game against a FBS team this year, but because it's Delaware's first game against a decent team period.

Which leads me to my main point. Delaware is a good team, no doubt. But when one considers the lower division the Blue Hens are playing in and the teams they've played against this season, it certainly would appear that the Blue Hens are in no position to call this a "should win" game. We have been constantly exposed to the "history" argument of Delaware fans, who point to the team's 2003 upset of bowl-bound Navy as precedent to predict another upset. Yet this year's Delaware team is not as good as the one which came into Navy-Marine Crops Memorial Stadium in 2003 and walked away with a win. And if your going to talk about history, let's not forget the last time these two teams played, when Aaron Polanco and the 2004 Midshipmen handled the Blue hens with ease.

Had this been any under top level FCS team, I may be more inclined to view the Blue Hens as having a good shot at coming out of this game with a win, but because of the history that is there and because of the comments made by wide receiver Aaron Love earlier this week, I'm more than inclined to think the Navy players will have no shortage of motivation in the lead up for this game. Don't get me wrong, this will likely be a close, hard fought game, but when you breakdown the matchups it looks like Navy's offense should have a significant advantage over Delaware's defense. Many Delaware fans have pointed to the Blue Hens victory over Rhode Island, which runs a similar option offense to Navy. Yet last year's UConn team similarly thought a dominating performance over Rhode Island would translate into success against Navy, but as we all know Brian Hampton and the offense put up more than 600 yards on the Huskies that day.

The real challenge for Navy is going to be containing Cuff, who is a legitimate candidate for the Walter Peyton award (the FCS version of the Heisman.) Navy has struggled against running backs with the ability to break tackles, which is definitely one of Cuff's specialties. I also think Navy's defense will struggle with Delaware's offensive balance, especially when the Blue Hens come out in Shotgun formations. Still, we can't completely ignore the distinction between divisions, and while we can see that previous Navy teams were decidedly less talented to Coach Keeler's championship Delaware teams, we can say that this year's Navy team had as much, if not more, pure talent than Delaware. Combine this advantage with Navy's offensive system, Paul Johnson's coaching, and the extra motivation sparked by Love's comments, and I see the Midshipmen coming up with a critical turnover on defense and comming out on top.

Breaking News: Navy and Maryland Agree to 2010 Game

2007-10-24T16:31:00.000-04:00

2010. M&T Bank Stadium. This is going to put me at odds with a number of good friends. Oh well.

More to Come Later...

So You Think You've Got Talent, Eh?

2007-10-23T11:28:00.000-04:00

Just in case the team needed a little more incentive this week:

"Athletically, I think we're just as good as Navy, if not better," (Blue Hen) junior wide receiver Aaron Love said. "We shouldn't have any problem winning this game."

Thanks to an anonymous comment for pointing this out!

Rematch? Say Whaa?

2007-10-22T20:45:00.000-04:00

By now you've undoubtedly heard that the Air Force Falcons are bowl eligible. If this is an excruciatingly painful concept to grasp, I apologize, but just keep saying to yourself "31-20" and I'm sure you'll get over it. Nevertheless, the Falcons are more than likely going bowling for the first time since 2002, and are in prime position to finish second or third in the Mountain West conference. All of this of course begs the question of which bowl game the Falcons would be playing in. Remember, the Poinsettia Bowl- which Navy is slated to play in if the Midshipmen can win six games- has the second choice of a Mountain West eligible team after the Las Vegas Bowl, and traditionally picks the second best team in the conference. So what if the Falcons finish second, would they be playing in the Poinsettia Bowl in a service academy rematch?

It's actually not a new question, but one which gained steam after both the Colorado Springs Gazette and the Denver Post had stories regarding a potential rematch this morning after Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun sounded off on the issue on Sunday. Coach Calhoun said he would welcome a 'rematch,' which of course isn't very surprising when you consider his team was on the losing end of the original matchup. But the Gazette claims more than just coaching speculation in its assessment, and actually claims that the bowl people are mulling this over.

Weldon Donaldson, a representative of the San Diego bowl, brought up the interest in the service academy game. He noted there had not been discussions with Navy officials or coach Paul Johnson to determine interest. Navy defeated the Falcons 31-20 on Sept. 29 in Annapolis, Md.

After I first read this earlier this morning, my first thought was a rather poignant "are you kidding me?" College football is a game predicated on the regular season, and outside of conference championship games rematches are usually not a good idea unless yours is the team with something to prove. Fortunately, Capital columnist and Navy beat writer Bill Wagner got a jump on the response, and clarified that any potential rematch was out of the question.

Bruce Binkowski, executive director of the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, told The Capital this afternoon that if Navy qualifies for the game as expected the opponent would not be Air Force."We will not schedule a bowl matchup with teams that played during the regular season. No bowl likes rematches," Binkowski said. "We are not interested in a Navy-Air Force rematch so you can close the book on that idea."

So there you have it. It's not going to happen. By my estimation, this will likely mean Air Force will end up in the New Mexico bowl, which, believe it or not, may be more inclined to pick the Falcons over the Lobos, who also figure to be bowl eligible. This means, barring an Navy collapse or BYU meltdown, that the Midshipmen will likely face off with either the Wyoming Cowboys or the New Mexico Lobos. I am, by some accounts, a Wyoming fan, and personally would like to see the matchup of Wyoming's defense verses the Navy offense. But just as long as we're not playing Air Force again, I would be happy with any of the bowl eligible teams in the Mountain West conference.

Non-Wake Player Notes

2007-10-21T19:10:00.000-04:00

I forgot to cover these two news worthy items last week, and perhaps to save myself some aggravation from rehashing Saturday's game, have decided to postpone the usual "Sunday Night" notations until Monday afternoon. As for last week's news, it's a good news/bad news story.

Let's start with the bad news, because it's better to end with the good news as far as I'm concerned. It has been reported and confirmed that plebe quarterback Robby Davis will transfer from the Academy. If you're not familiar with Davis (who was on the JV team) you may recall that he was the first player of the Class of 2011 to commit to Navy last summer. A talented option quarterback from Starrs Mill, Georgia, Davis was regarded by many (including myself) as the best player in Navy's most recent recruiting class. It is being reported that Woffard and Georgia Tech have expressed interest in his services. I've never met Davis, but wish him all the best down the road.

Now for the good news, or at least the good news if your coming at this from a football perspective. Jeff Deliz, who went down for the year against Rutgers in week two, has withdrawn from school for the semester to rehab his injury. I know what your thinking, that's good news? Well, yes and no. Deliz suffered something called a "Lisfranc" fracture, which apparently is a pretty big deal, and was unable to keep up with his academic duties because of it. This means he'll need an extra semester to graduate, and, as the Washington Post is reporting, may end up petitioning the NCAA for another year of eligibility. This is something of slippery slope at the Academy for obvious reasons, but the precedent is there with players like Napoleon McCallum. From what I've read, most fans and graduates seem to think that as long as Deliz will need an extra semester to graduate, he may as well have the chance to play football if he decides that's what he wants. This shouldn't be much of a problem from the NCAA's perspective, so if he decides to pursue this course of action and is allowed to do so by the Academy he could be in a position to play next season. Remember though, this is all speculation at this point, and was brought up as a possibility after Christian Swezney inquired about it last week. While Jeff was absent at practice last week, he was in fact at the game on Saturday. We'll wait and see, but above all I hope Jeff gets healthy and does what he feels is best for him at this point in both his academic and professional careers.

Wake 44, Navy 24

2007-10-21T09:11:00.000-04:00

There really isn't a lot to say. We knew this was going to happen eventually. With a defense among the worst in major college football there becomes just so little room for error on the part of the offense, and despite the ability of Navy to stay in "shoot-outs" it was only a matter of time until the inevitable slip-up occurred. That slip-up came on a second and eight with just over six minutes to play in the second quarter, when Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry came unaccounted for into the backfield on a freeze option play and absolutely leveled Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, who did not return to the game after the hit.

Navy's offense never recovered, and after trading blows with Wake up to that point the wheels came off as the Midshipmen, led by backup quarterback Jarod Byrant, fumbled away the ball three times. Those three turnovers led to 17 Wake Forest points, and with the defense forcing Wake to punt only once in the game, there was no way the Midshipmen could recover.

This was a game which really started out with so much progress, and when Navy took a 17-14 lead in the second quarter I have to say I generally started believing that Navy could pull this one out. But in the end Wake's obvious personnel advantage in speed and athleticism won out, as Josh Adams and Kenny Moore accounted for more than 77% of Wake's offensive production. Wake's aggresive defense forced the issue for Navy, while a talented and deisciplined secondary took away the big pass play of the option. At 4-3, the roller coaster continues, and like it or not, there is still is very little room for error when the Midshipmen host 13th ranked (FCS) Delaware next weekend in Annapolis.

Navy Keys to the Game

2007-10-19T06:30:00.000-04:00

1) Make Wake Make Mistakes- Normally, I'd think of something intelligent to say like "get in Skinner's throwing lanes" or "mix up the zone packages to confuse him" but seeing as though techniques like that only work when your defense is playing well, I might as well not say them at all. Here's the deal, Wake Forest quarterbacks have combined for 12 picks and only five touchdown passes so far. That's a weakness you want to try to exploit, but one which is easier said than done. Ketric Buffin (4 int) looked like he was starting to develop into a ballhawking player who could jump routes and anticipate throws, but with him out for a month Navy doesn't necessarily have the playmakers to force turnovers. Nevertheless, Navy's defenders are going to have to find away to make something happen, and if that means taking chances so be it.

2) Don't Give Up the Big Play- We've already talked about forcing turnovers, but just as important for Navy is not allowing the big play when Wake has the football. Once again, this is a lot easier said than done. I've been having nightmares about Kenny Moore running circles around arm tackles for nights, and until I see otherwise I'm going to be extremely skeptical of the defenses ability to contain Moore and Adams. To be successful and stay in this game, Navy is going to have to force Wake to drive the length of field and trade field goals for touchdowns. It's not just on defense either, as Navy's special team (especially the kickoff coverage unit) will need to stay disciplined and not allow Wake' talented skill position players to get loose.

3) Don't get too Cute- Wake's defense has not been as good as last year's version, and by most accounts Navy should be able to move the football against the Wake front seven. However, one thing Paul Johnson and the offense have to keep in mind are Wake's five defensive touchdowns this season, in particular Wake's four interception returns for touchdowns. With a defense that's equatable to a speed bump trying to stop a blitzkrieg, Navy's offense can't afford to lose serve and give points away to Wake Forest. This doesn't mean playing conservatively, which is also a good way to kill drives if you ask me. Rather, it means playing within yourself and doing what your team does best. It also means, in my opinion anyway, staying away from Alphonso Smith, who unlike other Pitt or Air Force cornerbacks, does not drop the football when thrown to him.

Scouting Wake Forest

2007-10-17T22:50:00.000-04:00

As we looked forward towards the season during the spring and summer months, it appeared that the Midshipmen would face their toughest test against Rutgers in the second game of the season. And while we still have half a season to go and taking nothing away from the Scarlet Knights (except, of course, their idiot students) it now appears that the Wake Forest Demon Deacons- last year’s ACC champions- pose the biggest test for Navy in the 2007 season.

Wake is a good team, perhaps even better than last year’s version. Those are some lofty words, but considering the Deacons haven’t had the benefit of last year’s amazing turnover ratio it may not be as ridiculous as it sounds. Like Navy, Wake Forest struggled early in the year, losing games to 3rd ranked Boston College and a 20-17 contest to Nebraska on a late no-call on what appeared to be obvious pass interference. And, like Navy, Wake fell behind early in their fourth game, and just as it looked like the prospects to repeat as ACC champions were in doubt, the Wake Forest defense picked the team off the ground and sparked a huge comeback against Maryland. Wake proceeded to win the next two games, bringing their season record to 4-2. Now, on the cusp of the Top 25 and eyeing the “easier” portion of the conference schedule, Wake is in good position to make a late season run as ACC Atlantic division champions, and in the process end any talk of a 2006 “fluke.”

Any discussion of Wake Forest has to start with seventh year head coach Jim Grobe. The job he’s done in setting up the program for success took time, but as we saw last year it ultimately culminated in a winning campaign. Grobe of course got his “break” at the Air Force Academy, where he served as an assistant for Fisher DeBerry for ten seasons. Grobe’s offensive coordinator and offensive line coach is Steed “I have a freaking awesome name” Lobotzke, who Grobe coached at the Air Force Academy in the early nineties. Obviously both of these coaches bring portions of the option offense with their pedigrees, but have also adapted it to today’s contemporary game of zone everything. Earlier this week, Paul Johnson equated Wake’s offense with the current Air Force offense under Troy Calhoun, only that the former was Air Force on “warp speed.” Having had the opportunity to watch quite a few Wake Forest games this season, I can certainly back up what coach Johnson is saying, and after watching Wake beat Florida State 24-21 the other night I’d say that Wake’s offense I a more efficient, more talented machine than what Coach Calhoun is running in Colorado Springs.

Despite being 89th in total offense, Wake Forest’s offense scares me, and not only because Navy’s defense (ranked 102nd in the country) is so bad. Remember, this is a Wake team which was without quarterback Riley Skinny for several weeks, and one which played the likes of Boston College, Maryland, and Florida State. You get the point, they haven’t exactly had time to pad the stat book. Nevertheless, this is a dangerous offense that features a veteran, talented offensive line and a host of speedy skill position players. And that’s not even mentioning their quarterback, who oh by the way was 2nd Team All-ACC as a redshirt freshmen last year. As coach Johnson alluded to, what Wake does offensively is not unlike Air Force, although the Demon Deacons don’t rely on speed option looks as much as the Falcons do. There is in fact no easy way to describe Wake’s offense beside “variable” as they run a number of looks from various sets, including zone reads, counters, end-arounds, and just about anything else an NFL fan would describe as “trickeration.” Unlike Air Force however, Wake is running this offense with much more talented personnel and a much better offensive line. So instead of gameplanning for one Chad Hall, you’ve got to account for three or four of them, plus figure out how to come off blocks while playing disciplined in the secondary. Wake’s rushing offense is of considerable concern for Navy, especially with Navy’s struggles up front. The Wake Forest offense leans heavily on a group of talented backs, among them redshirt freshmen Josh Adams (364 yards, 5.3 avg) and senior Micah Andrews (223 yards, 3.3 avg.) Wake’s most dangerous offensive player is Kenneth Moore, a wide receiver who does just about everything for the Demon Deacons. Moore is a guy with breakaway speed and phenomenal vision, and is the kind of guy that Wake will try to get the ball to in a number of ways. With Wake’s imposing and athletic offensive line lead by center Steve Justice, my biggest concern is that Navy;s linebackers will struggle to read and react to plays, and by the time they do Wake will be able to get a body on them. For as good as this offense will be against Navy however, there are weaknesses. Foremost among these have been turnovers, as Riley Skinner has nearly doubled his interception total from all of last year in only four games of action thus far. He’s thrown nine interceptions to only four touchdowns; a disturbing statistic when you consider Wake’s passing offense operates in a similar facet a Navy’s. Likewise, for as good as Wake is at the running back position, keep in mind that talent wise this team isn’t exactly USC yet. This means that on the off chance Navy’s defensive players do find themselves in position, they will have the opportunity to make plays on the football or the ballcarrier.

On the other side of the ball things don’t look so daunting for the Midshipmen, who sport the 21st best offense in the country and the top ranked rushing attack. Wake is currently ranked 46th in total defense, and sports the 22nd ranked run defense yielding just over 100 yards per game. For perspective, consider that Army ran the ball 38 times at Wake’s defense, but only came up with 117 yards (just over 3 yards per carry.) I know Army isn’t exactly Navy running the ball, but it’s going to take more than will alone to move the football against Wake. Wake’s biggest strength on defense is clearly the secondary, in particular the cornerback position. Alphonso Smith is a shutdown guy with big-play ability, and has already taken three interceptions back for scores this season. Navy does get a break in that this Wake Forest defense has been geared more towards balanced, pro-style offenses this season, but talent wise this front seven is right up there with Duke and Pittsburgh. It will be especially interesting to see how Wake’s front seven react to Navy’s triple option offense. One would figure that that because of the nature of Wake’s offense that the defense would be welled schooled in the attributes of defending the option, although it’s worthwhile to point out that triple option out of the flexbone isn’t exactly the zone-read/spread offense that Wake runs. I’m of the undaunted opinion that Navy can move the ball on most anyone, and despite having an especially quick front seven I think Navy will score on Wake. The real question will be whether or not Wake’s defensive speed can translate into turnovers, which the defense lived off of last season. Wake has scored five touchdowns off of either interceptions or fumbles this season, and one of the keys to beating the Demon Deacons is not giving them “easy” points on defense.

It’s also worth noting that Wake is solid on special teams, a facet of the game that Navy has struggled with this season. Sam Swank, the Wake Forest kicker, is perfect on field goal attempts and extra points, and is two of two at distances over 40 yards. Don’t overlook Swank in this game, especially considering how Navy’s games have gone over the past couple of weeks. He’s one of the best kickers in the game and if it comes down to a crucial kick, don’t for a second think Grobe won’t have the confidence in him to get it done. The aforementioned Kenneth Moore is also dangerous punt returned who has already scored once this year.

Wake Forest is a good football team, one which rightfully deserves to be on the cusp of the Top 25. They are talented, veteran, and more than anything else well coached. Yet for all we’ve heard about Wake Forest, it’s worth mentioning that they are not by any means a dominant team. It’s an important distinction to make, and a quick perusal of Wake’s results show that over the last two seasons they’ve only really “blown out” one team (oddly enough, last year’s 30-0 romp of Florida State.) This means, among other things, that Navy will have the capability to stay in this game, despite the obvious advantages Wake holds in most facets of the game. Let’s not sell ourselves short here. The offense is very good, and what they did to a fairly decent Pitt defense lack week can only be described as impressive. I’m not saying were going to see another 500+ yard game of total offense, but let’s just say I have a haunch this isn’t going to turn out like last year’s homecoming game. While Wake’s defense isn’t bad, I’d be careful to overestimate their capabilities, especially against an offense like Navy’s. Remember, the last time Grobe and his team (Seattle bowl bound Wake in 2002) played Navy they gave up 27 points to a much less talented team that only won two games that year, and despite the huge strides Wake has made they aren’t beyond being upset. By the same token, if the Mids do lose to Wake, it’s not the end of the world. Remember, this is a streaking Wake team right now that could very well find itself in the ACC title game by year’s end. This is going to clearly be Navy’s toughest test all year, but with the way Kaipo-Noa and the offense are clicking I would not count the Midshipmen out.

Navy’s Keys to the Game and Final Prediction coming Friday Morning. Also, be sure to check out The Old Gold & Blog, where Zach and Phelix from the Bird Dog have done a little Q&A regarding the game.

BEAT WAKE

Jom Grobe is an Expert in Coach Speek

2007-10-17T14:17:00.000-04:00

It's that time of the week again. As Navy head coach Paul Johnson was busy calling Wake's offense "Air Force at warp speed," Wake Forest head coach Jim Grobe was busy talking the fear of God into his team and the local media in his Tuesday press conference. Here's a snippet:

"We haven't seen anybody slow these guys down. They've only punted around six times in six games. That tells you how good they are offensively, and then defensively, they're a typical Academy football team. They're going to play hard from start to finish...It's as tough a game coming up this week with Navy as any we've played all year."

That's some high praise, especially considering that Wake Forest opened with undefeated Boston College, which is now the #3 team in the country. Last I checked, Maryland and Florida State ain't too shabby either. But if you think that was some loaded language, check out what Wake center Steve Justice said with regards to Navy's defense:

"I think their defense is good. I just think their offense, they put some points on the board and they run the ball really well. So, we've been watching film of their defense. They have a lot of good players. And they have a bunch of different fronts. So it's going to be hard for us to go in there. They have a good defense."

Did someone just use the words "good" and "[navy's] defense" in the same sentence? What happened, did someone send these guys tape from last year? In all seriousness, this is the best job of a coach getting his guys schooled in the art of diplomatic language that I've seen all season. It almost reminds me of last week, except that instead of the fans, it's the coaches and players from each team trying to define why the other will win. It almost makes you wonder why we can't just get back to the days when you could say someone sucked and then proceed to prove that assertion right.

Full Scouting report on Wake coming tonight/tomorrow morning.

Feldman Chimes In

2007-10-16T10:22:00.000-04:00

Bruce Felman, formerly ESPN.com's homeless man look-alike and one of my challengers over at the Inthebleachers.net pick 'em, has chimed in regarding the upcoming Navy-Notre Dame showdown early next month. While this topic has taken on a taboo, "we don't talk about this like Harry Potter don't talk about that bad guy or whatnot" dynamic amongst Navy fans, Feldman calls the Nov. 3rd matchup the ninth most intriguing game of the second half of the season.

Forget USC-ND: This is the Notre Dame game worth tuning in for. If there was ever a season where Navy had a chance to knock off the Irish, this is it. ND has won an NCAA series-record 43 straight games against Navy. They've done so in nine different stadiums, but this is the worst Irish team in that span. Their offense is horrible and their run defense isn't much better (93rd overall) and Navy has a very potent ground attack. The Irish have scored 80 points in the last two meetings in this series, which is exactly the same number of points the Irish have scored in their first seven games this season.

My thoughts? Heck, like I'm going to talk about this game a whole two and a half weeks before this game actually takes place and jinx our chances. I will, however, shamlessly plug my own work and nudge you with a "I saw it coming" nudge.

Air Force Envy

2007-10-16T09:19:00.000-04:00

From the latest AP poll...

Others Receiving Votes: Penn State 95, Virginia 85, Illinois 75, Boise State 37, Alabama 27, Wake Forest 18, Wisconsin 18, Rutgers 18, Clemson 9, Connecticut 7, Florida State 6, Maryland 6, Air Force 4, Brigham Young 2, Troy 1.

This is not a huge shocker. After all, we've talked about rankings in the past, in particular where Navy and Air Force stand in relation to each other. As I pointed out after the Air Force victory, several "ranking" services had Air Force ahead of Navy even after the Midshipmen defeated the Falcons. Two and a half weeks later find ourselves dealing with the same question, and can clearly see that the Falcons, at least in some peoples' minds, are better than the 4-2 Navy team which beat them.

Or are they?

It's important to remember that this is the Associated Press poll, which means, among other things, that the press votes on who belongs where. Air Force, as much as it may bother us to admit it, has done better than expected, and like it or not finds themselves at the Top of the MWC standings. What, pray tell, do you think the voters representing the MWC are going to do when they see that? I don't blame these voters, and as much as it may bother some Navy fans I'd probably do the same thing if I were covering a conference. Remember, people stick with their conferences, that's just the way it is. Had Navy been in a conference and Bill Wagner and Christian Swezney had votes, what do you think they would do?

Don't take it too personally that Air Force gets four votes in the AP poll while Navy gets none. While it may appear on the outside to reflect the "same old story" in regards to Navy not "getting respect," you have to look at these kinds of things objectively. If it's the "respect" angle your looking at, I think you'd be hard pressed to really find intelligent fans and media who think Air Force is a better team than Navy (outside of Colorado Springs of course.) While there is some credence to the argument that Navy matches up better against Air Force than other teams, that still shouldn't explain away the situation. If it's the exposure angle your looking at, well, I don't see how you could possibly see four votes in the AP Poll trumping three ESPN televised games, Sportscenter highlights, and a schedule that features Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, and Notre Dame. By the same token however, this exposure may hurt Navy's ability to get votes in the poll, as actual, non-biased voters cringe at the sight of a defense ranked in the bottom 15 nationwide. And you know what, that's not necessarily as bad thing. With the defense we have right now, Navy doesn't deserve to receive Top 25 votes, although something tells me the Midshipmen may pick up a few votes as the season goes on.

If this issue of Air Force receiving votes is getting under your skin, don't let it. The Navy football team needs to worry about who's up next, and if they can take care of the rest of the schedule you'll find that these things work themselves out in the end. By the same token Air Force can't afford to worry about picking up four votes, and if the team can't deliver against BYU, Wyoming, or New Mexico then it's likely that the MWC voters who voted for the Falcons will switch gears to whoever looks like they'll have the inside track for the conference. This after all is college football, a what-have-you-done-for me-lately game characterized by intense regional loyalty and more than its fair share of politicking. At the very least, take comfort in knowing that your resident BlogPoll voter is having none of the hype, and will instead cast his 25th vote for the BYU Cougars.

In Case You Missed It, my semi-weekly post covering the rest of the college football world, will be up later today at SaturdaySoundsOffs.

Ketric Buffin Has a Bum Arm

2007-10-14T22:14:00.000-04:00

By now you've probably heard, but since I haven't mentioned it yet I may as well. Ketric Buffin, Navy's starting rover and maybe the defenses' best player, went down with a broken arm early in the game against Pittsburgh last Wednesday night. Buffin had been one of the few bright spots for Navy's much maligned defense, and had to date compiled 26 tackles and a team high four interceptions. The timetable for Buffin has unofficially been put at 4-6 weeks, which means that in a best case scenario he'd be back for North texas on November 10th. This injury hurts, but it hurts in a more darkly comedic manner when you consider that Buffin had been the one calling the defensive plays after Clint Sovie went down for the year against Rutgers. With Ketric going down, Navy's already struggling defense is going to have to have to find someone to call the plays against Wake Forest, which is easier said then done when we consider the chaos that ensued after Deliz and Sovie went down.

Jesse Iwuji is currently listed as first on the depth chart at rover, although the pre-practice week depth chart in a situation like this means about as much as any "moral" victory Navy pulled out against Ball State several weeks ago. Junior Kevin Snyder took most of the snaps against Pittsburgh, and all things considered play o.k. Obviously Coach Green will be watching these two players closely this week, but my best guess at this point is that they'll both see time against Wake Forest next Saturday. Not a good sign going into the next month, but this team didn't come this far to let another injury stand in the way.

Midterm Report

2007-10-14T20:58:00.000-04:00

Can you believe we're already half way through the 2007 college football season? I sure can't, and six games in a part of me still feels like we're waiting in eager anticipation for the season to start. In this six Navy games we've witnessed so far this year, I think It's safe to say that this team has already experienced it's fair share of ups and downs, wild comebacks, and heartbreaking loses. Let's briefly recap some of the story lines we've seen up to this point.

Right Where we Need to Be?

Let's head back a ways, specifically to the weeks proceeding the kickoff of the 2007 college football season. If, at that time, you would have asked the average Navy football fan what Navy's record would be halfway trough the year, chances were they'd tell you 4-2. If you were hopelessly optimistic like me, you may have even said 5-1. This optimistic forecast wasn't just Navy fans either, as Athlon, CollegeFootballNews.com, and most preseason publications pegged Navy to start off 4-2 for the season. While we haven't exactly gotten to this point by way of which we all thought, the point is that after a rocky start to the year the Midshipmen are, by many accounts, right where they need to be. Obviously the defense has not been very good (104th out of 119) but the offense has risen to new heights behind Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku Enhada. It may not have been pretty, and it doesn't figure to get much better, but the 2007 Navy Midshipmen haven't dropped the bar yet when it comes to winning, and are right where they need to be to accomplish most of their preseason goals.

Inside Track

After beating Air Force by a more "comfortable" margin two weeks ago, the Midshipmen have the inside track at capturing their fifth consecutive Commander in Chief's trophy. While Army has not fared too poorly this year (the Black Knights are currently 3-4) Navy has beaten Army the past five consecutive years and matches up well against the Cadets from West Point. Paul Johnson will try to make it six in a row when he the two teams square off December 1st in Baltimore.

Battered

Navy has already taken it's fair share of injuries this season, including three critical players on defense. Losing safety Jeff Deliz and Clint Sovie was huge in that it took away the defenses' two most experienced players, while losing Ketric Buffin the other night takes away a valuable asset in the secondary and forces coach Green to go with another inexperienced backup. While Navy's defensive problems run deeper than just inexperience and youth (tackling is, uh, kind of a big deal these days) the loss of these three players have made it especially difficult for coach Green to field a cohesive defense.

Leading the Way

After six games this season Navy leads the nation in rushing, and is halfway home to becoming the first team in FBS history to lead the country in rushing three consecutive seasons. The Midshipmen are currently averaging 345.5 yards a game, which is more than 30 yards more than the next closest team (West Virginia is averaging 311.2 yards per game.) While we've all come to expect Navy's offense to put up rushing yards, the Midshipmen aren't too shabby all around either, currently ranking 21st in the country in terms of total offense with still the "easier" portion the schedule to come.

Offensive Play of the Half

Jarod's Bryant's 39-yard run with less than forty seconds left in the game against Duke put the Midshipmen on track to getting in field position for Joey Bullen in one of the more improbable comebacks during Paul Johnson's tenure here. With overtime looking certain, Jarod seemingly made every defender on the field miss as he advanced the ball to Duke's 39 yard line, which gave the Navy offense a more manageable position to inch closer towards field goal range. Bullen's kick as time expired evened Navy's record up at 2-2, and may just have prevented an early season collapse.

Defensive Play of the Half

No brainer, although there is a clear second. Rashawn King's pass defense against Oderick Turner on fourth a goal from the two against Pitt gave Navy a win over a BCS conference team which many people did not expect Navy to beat. Rashawn had given up a touchdown on a fade pattern earlier in the game, but was in perfect position when it counted in overtime. Honorable mention goes to Ketric Buffin's interception of Thaddeus Lewis against Duke and Tony Haberer's fourth down stop against Air Force.

Looking Ahead

The second half of Navy's schedule is not daunting, not by any means. Obviously, Navy isn't going to scare anyone by just "getting off the bus" as Coach Johnson likes to say, but the Mids should achieve bowl eligibility. Whether or not that comes with a certain degree of cardiac strain, well that's yet to be decided, but considering North Texas and Northern Illinois are both one win teams at this point, six wins is in reach for Navy. But let's be honest here, while six certainly looks attainable, who among us would be completely satisfied with going six and six? Ok, ok, I know, the gravy argument. But after starting the season 4-2 the Midshipmen have a real shot at 7-5 or 8-4, with even 9-3 not out of the question (although, admittedly, very unlikely.)

Crystal Ball

Four weeks ago it looked like Navy may be lucky to limp to 6-6, but after winning their past three games the Midshipmen now seem poise to achieve bowl eligibility and then some. Wake Forest is going to be a huge game that the Mids will be heavy 'dogs in, while Delaware, North Texas, Northern Illinois, and Army should be be wins. Notre Dame is the question mark a lot of people don't want to touch, and after a couple of improved performances it no longer looks as though the Mids stand as good of a chance as they may have two or three weeks ago. But regardless of what happens against Notre Dame or Wake, the aforementioned games are in fact very winnable, and even with Navy's defensive shortcomings the offense should be able to reach a new level as the season goes along. I would not be shocked to see a team like Delaware beat Navy, but by the same token I wouldn't be shocked either if this happened to be the year Navy finally beat Notre Dame. If there is any insight we can draw from the first half of Navy's season, it's that we've got to take it game by game, and despite the positive outlook for the rest of the season, this team isn't likely to get a "breather" the rest of the way.

After Action Report: Navy Downs Pitt 48-45

2007-10-11T16:32:00.000-04:00

Wanting It More

If there is one theme which we can find in the 2007 Navy football team, it’s that of resiliency. We saw it against Duke, we saw it against Air Force, and of course we saw it last night against Pittsburgh.

This wasn’t your garden variety comeback type resiliency though, and dare I say what we saw last night took a little more guts and a little more heart than anything we’ve seen up to this point. This was a game that Navy appeared to have thrown away, a game in which a series of Midshipmen miscues and missed opportunities seemed certain to cost Navy a win. From Joey Bullen’s 35-yard missed field goal before the half to Nate Frazier’s incredibly inopportune neutral zone infraction in the first overtime, the headline that was building past 11 PM last night seemed to be all about how Navy should have won this game, but instead snatched certain defeat from the jaws of victory. Enter resiliency.

I don’t want to sound like I’m overly praising the defense, because God knows Good Counsel could have put up yards and points on us, but the defense did manage to stand tall in key situations. From holding Pitt to a field goal on first and goal in the third quarter to not allowing Pitt into field goal range even after a big fourth down conversation with only minutes to go, Navy’s defense did just enough to allow Navy’s offense to get the job. And did they ever. Navy raked up 497 yards of total offense including 331 on the ground en route to their 48-45 win, all of this coming against what had been a fairly solid Pitt defense. Quarterback Kaipo-Noa was nearly flawless while Reggie Campbell had a huge game with three total touchdowns.

But the real story here was the fourth quarter and subsequent overtime period, as two desperate teams battled it out to gain control of the course of their season. I tip my hat to Pitt’s players, who fought hard all game probably knowing that their season was, for all intensive purposes, an impending disappointment, while at the same time still can’t find the words to describe how awesome it was to see Navy’s players fight to the very end. There must have been three or four occasions in which I thought Navy was done for good, and after Pitt’s huge fourth down conversion inside their own thirty late in the fourth quarter I broke out the proverbial “I hate football” routine. Yet, somehow, Navy rebounded on defense, and amazingly came up with a stop before midfield.

Kaipo-Noa did a good job just getting the offense down the field, with some real help from Tyree Barnes, who finally emerged after five quiet games to become a factor in the receiving game. Yet, as Joey Bullen lined up for a 48-yard attempt with :07 second left, I’ll be the first to tell you I thought that if it did not split the uprights, Navy’s chances were surely over.

Fortunately I was wrong, and unlike the Duke game I stood fast in the hope that something could happen. After holding Pitt on third down on their first series of overtime, I felt a renewed sense of confidence that the team may sneak out of this one, that was until Nate Frazier jumped into the neutral zone on the field goal attempt and basically gave Pitt a first and goal. So, once Pitt scored a touchdown I thought I had to be over, but fortuantly Kaipo-Noa and Reggie Campbell don’t roll over so easily, and just a few seconds later the two teams found themselves tied again. At this point in the game it’s about who wants it more, and considering how desperate Pitt had been playing, I still thought it was only a matter of time until the Panthers just outlasted us. But the Midshipmen never quit, and after scoring on the first possession of the second overtime regrouped on defense and forced Pitt into a third and goal from their own two.

That’s where it gets unfortunate if you were a Pitt fan, as Dave Wannstedt called a play-action pass on third and goal. Considering how Pitt had been pounding the ball up and down the field all night, I thought it was just a forgone conclusion that Pitt would stick it in. Yet after missing the pass on third down, Paul Johnson rolled the dice, with the weak part of his team nonetheless, and asked them to stop Pitt’s offense on fourth and goal.

The rest is simply a shining example of Rashawn King’s awesomeness. Why Wannstedt chose to throw a fade I don’t know. Maybe he thought Rashawn couldn’t defend the fade because he gave up a touchdown on one earlier, or maybe he just thought Navy was going to bring everyone up the middle. But whatever the case, he call a play against Navy’s best and most experienced defensive player, and true to form Rashawn came up with a huge breakup to give Navy the game. It was a wild, nearly heart-attack inducing finish, but honestly, would you rather it had ended any other way?

Come to think of it, don’t answer that.

Game Balls

Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku Enhada- How about Kaipo? Once again Navy’s junior quarterback had a huge statistical day, operating cool and collected under pressure to lead Navy’s offense to 48 points against what had been the 9th rated defense in the country. Kaipo-Noa continued to prove naysayers wrong with his improved accuracy and field vision, going 9-12 for 166 yards and two touchdowns through the air, while at the same time running for 122 yards and a score. Interestingly enough, he said he played “horribly” in the post game press conference, most likely in reference to a number of missed reads he made. Still, he’s proven that he’s the complete package as an option quarterback, and is starting to hit “his rhythm” we always talk about Navy quarterbacks getting into. Honorable mention to Reggie Campbell, who scored three touchdowns and quite nearly broke a kickoff return for a touchdown.

Rashawn King- Rashawn had a tough first half matched up with highly touted Pitt receiver Oderick Turner, but the junior came up with two critical plays in the second half, including the game winning pass defense in overtime. Rashawn also picked off a deep ball in which he was in man coverage with Turner, who is one of the better receivers in the Big East. He also added nine tackles, including six solo stops.

Loved the Playcalling

I thought coach Johnson called his best offensive gameplan of the season, going toe to toe with Wannsted and not blinking in a game in which they both seemed to coach with a calculated, if not sometimes frantic, desperation. After the game Wannstedt admitted he would have never of went for so many fourth down conversions had his team not been so desperate this year, and for Navy to withstand all those conversions and match on fourth down conversations offensively shows the confidence coach Johnson has in himself and his team. One interesting note is that Coach Johnson did not call for the fake punt, which clearly Pitt was expecting (I though I heard Pitt’s defenders saying “watch the fake” on the ESPN broadcast.) Instead, Veteto took matters into his own hands, and if he actually takes it back outside after cutting inside it looks like he may have had a first down.

TV Coverage Woes

Lou Holtz has been criticized up and down by Navy fans, and with good reason. Last night he was completely off his rocker, often making nonsense statements and failing to give Navy much credit for anything. That he could say Pittsburgh was sending a message to the Big East was ludicrous, while his constant referral to Navy’s offense as “the wishbone” made about as much sense as May Day’s obsession with Eric Kettani’s wardrobe. I don’t hold much animosity towards the old coach, and to tell you the truth when he’s not talking about Navy I don’t mind him. Yet he was completely out of control last night in what I would dream a sub-par performance of coverage by ESPN. On the plus side Rece Davis proved once again to be a knowledgeable, in-the-loop broadcaster who at the very least has the audacity to pronounce Kaipo-Noa’s name correctly.

What This Means

Navy gets another pseudo bye-week heading into their October 20th match up with Wake Forest, which, believe it or not, should be a close game decided in the fourth quarter. Navy’s offense has reached a new level of execution for this early in the season, to the point where I would suggest we could start seeing point totals above 50 in the coming month. The defense, however, continues to play fundamentally poor, as tackling has been, as they say, “optional.” For Pittsburgh, the loss last night takes away any hope of somehow climbing back to .500, as the Panthers now enter a tough Big East conference schedule in which their only chance for victory may come against Syracuse. While Navy may not have beaten the Pittsburgh team we expected coming into the year, this was nevertheless a “good” win over a BCS conference team with no shortage of talent. Obviously there is still a lot of work to be done defensively, but believe it or not I think we are starting to see a young group mature. Now all they have to learn how to do is tackle.

Navy-Pitt Second Half Live Blog

2007-10-10T21:44:00.000-04:00

Notable Quotes from various game-time conversations:

"this is putting more strain on my bad heart than pt this morning..."

"was that not the scariest pass ever?"

"thank God the future of our navel is under control'

9:55- Time to see who wants it more. I expect both teams to have moderate success on defense with the halftime adjustments, but something has to give. Mark my words, first team to turn it over loses.
9:58- Hand to hand combat in Alumni Hall at halftime. That sure kicks the hell out of the marching band!
10:01- How come in these kinds of game we get a key holding penalty and the other team doesn't?
10:02- This is very very very bad.
10:05- We are getting killed off of play action. We need to get guys to stay on their men.
10:07- No this is not a touchback. I have no idea what the official was looking at.
10:18-Now we're down, and break wise, we're even. We need to score here just to stay on serve.
10:18-Hmm, I was not aware that Kettani rushed for 250 yards in the bowl game. Thanks for the heads up Coach Holtz!
10:23- TOUCHDOWN NAVY. What else is new. We need a stop or this thing will go on forever. Please no, I still have to finish that paper tonight before PT in the morning...
10:32- WE HELD THEM TO A FIELD GOAL! HOOAH
10:39- Ben Gabbard with a four yard gain!
10:41- TOUCHDOWN NAVY! Oh m God, we're winning again. Dare I even try to suggest our defense can hold? I think I will, at least I hope they will.
10:44- Rashawn King is the freaking man.
10:49- Kettani hit the wrong hole. Look for the fake punt...
10:50- Crap. You could see that coming. Veteto should have stayed outside after cutting back, but give Pitt credit. Once again, crap.
10:52- Our linebackers might as well not have torsos. All I see are arm tackles. We must hold them to a field goal here.
10:55- Pitt, believe it or not, is getting predictable on offense. They continue to run it on second down, and just scored off of a draw. I yelled draw right as they came out of the huddle. I don't think Pitt's OC has the balls to throw it deep, so if I were Buddy Green, I'd load the box and/or fire the outside backers. But then again I ain't a real football coach so take that with a grain of salt.
11:00- Time for a New Mexico.
11:05- I don't like where this drive is going. We're going to give it back to Pitt with just enough time. I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but I think we've lost...
11:11- We need a stop here. That or let them score and go for two after we score.
11:13- Wow, Nate is getting destroyed. The whole Eric Kettani dresses well angle is getting old.
11:15- I hate football.
11:17- DRAW HERE or PLAY ACTION
11:19- Pitt's offense is pissed.
11:20- 86 seconds left. We can do it. We did it against Duke.
11:27- Here we go, the ice man.
11:28- Joey Bullen cannot be iced. He's got one more in him. I can feel it.
11:30- Well that was a freaking shame. How big was that missed field goal?
11:32- I can't believe I'm about to say this, but if Pitt wins this game it's because of Wanny. He's been coaching with a frantic desperation that has given his team the ability to come to this point in overtime.
11:36- OMG a stop!
11:37- Nate Frazier just did the dumbest thing ever. What the hell was he trying to do anyway?
11:40- Pitt scores, almost certainly the winning score. If Navy somehow manages to score on the next drive, Johnson should go for two. We need to force the issue or we're just going to die.
11:44- TOUCHDOWN NAVY- Mids back even with Pitt, but another chance to win the game and we don't get it done. How big was that penalty now?
11:49- Sack on Kaipo. Game over. I hate to say it, but dammit.
11:50- Here's what's going to happen. Pitt is going to run the ball down our through and most likely score.
11:52- Fourth and Goal. Here we go...
11:56- YES! FREAKING AMAZING! RASHAWN KING!

Pitt Navy Live Blog: First Half

2007-10-10T18:56:00.001-04:00

7:00- We're an hour away from game time and I'm an hour away from procrastinating the conclusion to this paper on ancient Chinese legalism until tomorrow morning. It seems like neither Pitt fans nor Navy fans really want to go out on a limb and say that their team will win, so it should be an interesting game, considering someone will have to win.

8:05- Apparently we run the "wishbone." Lou Holtz is a senile old man.

8:06- Mids in Alumni Hall watching the game look good. Reggie Campbell refereed to as a "small fry." Roger the Dodger in the House. Nobody cares about you Mark May.

8:10- Pitt gets the ball first. We shall see.

8:15- Well, we broke serve. Navy's defense does a good job holding and not giving up another third down. Reggie gets a flag for "running" after a fair catch. Whatever.

8:19- TOUCHDOWN NAVY! Reggie takes the toss to the house. Frankly, that drive looked incredibly too easy. I'm scared.

8:30- Damn. Pitt picks up a big fourth down after getting close on 4th and 12. We have got to do a better job on third downs. Now we're getting run all over...

8:32- Serenity freaking now. I knew that looked too easy. Here's the deal, we have to tackle. That drive should of been stopped for a field goal attempt, but because three guys cant tackle one guy, Pitt scores a touchdown. We need to respond, or we lose.

8:36- Mark May needs to stop gushing over Lesean McCoy. If you love him so much why don't you marry him there big man.

8:38- Stop showing this damn sandwich ESPN. It's annoying me.

8:41- Lou Holtz is out of control. I truly do not know what to say. Flexbone coach, it's called the flexbone.

8:47- So, are we going for it or not? Right here I think you have to kick, but then again I'm not an award winning football coach.

8:50- PAUL F. JOHNSON HAS BALLS

8:52- If this is reversed I will disown football forever.

8:55- TOUCHDOWN NAVY! Oh jeez that was the scariest pass ever...

8:55- Well, if you couldn't see that coming a mile away...

8:58- Paul Johnson just made the goofiest face.

9:00- Why is it that we can always stop the offense on the first series but can't the rest of the half?

9:06- Yea, there is holding going on...

9:12- I :heart: the inside fullback trap!

9:16- TOUCHDOWN NAVY! How about Adam Ballard and that offensive line? Hell, I think May Day may have even enjoyed that just a little bit. Seriously, this back and forth is going to happen all night. I hope you have plenty of good cholesterol, because this one could get tight.

9:22- We are not doing a good job accounting for people out of the backfield...

9:23- I tell ya, Bostick can make some throws, even though he has the slowest delivery ever...

9:26- Oh jeez, Rashawn didn't have a chance. I'd be careful to laud Bostick and the Pitt offense too much, our defense just hasn't been good. The balance of the Pitt offense is causing us a lot of problems...

9:30- What can I say? This is the game, this is likely how the second half with be, although I'd look for each defense to come up with maybe one or two stops. One thing to watch out for is the onside kick. Wanny used it coming out of the blocks against Virginia, he may gamble again. I seriously hate games like this. Key play of the first half? Bostick making that eleven yard throw on 3rd and 12...

9:34- "The future of our Naval?" Once again, Lou Holtz is out of control...

9:35- Huge field goal attempt upcoming. This actually could swing the game in Navy's favor considering what we've seen tonight.

9:38- Heads up Wanny, it's more than the pass that's getting you. Does anyone have any halftime thoughts? Anything, dare I say, witty to report?

Live Blogging Tomorrow Night

2007-10-09T18:09:00.000-04:00

I'm somewhat swamped with midterms and the like this week, but seeing as though I'm going to watching the game tomorrow night I thought it apt to fend off any pretense of actually trying to study intermittently while watching the game. Thus, I've decided that as long as I'm watching the game and doing nothing else, I may as well be live-blogging it as well.

Live-blogging is a good deal, and you should stop in for a number of reasons. First of all, because it's hilarious to see the progression of a fan's attitude during a game. After all, who could forget the "I hate football" proclamation during the second half of the Temple game? Live-blogging is something to take only half-seriously, if that, and it's a good way to commiserate during commercial breaks when your significant other tell you to shut the hell up. Anyways, I'll be here all night, so feel free to stop in and push the panic button with me in real time.

Talking About Pitt

2007-10-08T11:45:00.000-04:00

Well, as promised we've got your Pitt preview covered with the help of Chas Rich from PittBlather.com. Chas, who also works for AOL's Fan House, has been gracious enough to answer some of our question on Pittsburgh in anticipation for Wednesday night's game, when 3-2 Navy travels to Heinz Field to take on 2-3 Pittsburgh.

1) This has been an unfortunate year for the Panthers as far as injuries go, with seemingly half the offense going down with injuries for an extended period of time. Could you recap who will be out for this game, and what kind of an impact you think these losses will have on what the team tries to do against Navy?

Out for this game on offense: WR Derek Kinder, QB Bill Stull, OT Jason Pinkston (all were starters); additionally two freshmen offensive linemen -- Chris Jacobson and Dan Matha were expected to be part of the two deep (if not starting by now), but were injured in training camp and are out for the season. On defense: DT Gus Mustakas, DE Doug Fulmer are out. As injuries have mounted and younger, less experienced/trusted players have been playing the offense has gotten more and more conservative -- hard to believe, I know with HC Wannstedt and OC Cavanaugh. It's been all about getting the ball into the hands of Running Back LeSean McCoy. McCoy is a tremendous freshman talent who has made a lot happen with practically no O-line in front of him. As Pitt has shown not even the threat to pass, teams are putting 8-9 guys up front and McCoy has had nowhere to go. The defenses want to put a lot of guys up front anyways since there is a true freshman at QB behind a bad O-line. So even if Pitt does opt to pass, Pat Bostick is under immediate pressure.

2) Last weekend we saw the much heralded true freshman quarterback Pat Bostik make the start with mixed results, throwing a touchdown but also throwing an interception and taking three sacks. Will Bostik make the start this week, and what can we expect from him?

Pat Bostick will be starting. OC Matt Cavanaugh has promised that the offense will be less conservative this week, as he feels more confident that Bostick is more comfortable. Whether that means letting Bostick make an attempt before the second quarter, or what is anyone's guess.

3) The weaknesses at time seem too numerous to mention. A horrible, horrible O-line with a true freshman at QB where the OC wants experience means little trust in the QB to do much until the game is already out of hand (see the last two games in the second half). It means teams line up to stuff the run and rush the QB. The strength on offense is with the WRs (Turner, Pestano and Porter) and TEs (Byham and Strong). Of course, if you can't get the ball to them they become little more than decoys and additional blockers. In case you hadn't noticed, there's a bit of pessimism about the offense right now.

On defense, Pitt may statistically look good on defense, but that is misleading. The first two games were against Eastern Michigan and Grambling (1-AA). That will skew the numbers. The defense looked good against Michigan State, but that was the game where Mustakas went down injured. In the last two games, the run defense has begun to wobble and has struggled to get off the field -- badly. For the season, Pitt's defense is allowing 3d down conversions at about 38% (30-79), but in 2 of the last 3 games it was over 40%. Additionally, against BCS opponents Pitt allowed 5-8 4th down conversions. The biggest weakness for Pitt against Navy is that the DC Paul Rhoads, in his 8 years on the job has struggled mightily in preparing defenses against an option. Mobile QBs are his kryptonite.The history is long and painful. From the unstoppable like Pat White (WVU) to the deceptive Drew Stanton (Michigan State) to the still learning Jamell Sewell (UVa) to the downright lousy D.J. Hernandez (UConn); if the QB has even a hint of mobility, Pitt's defenses have proven to be little more than paper panthers.

4) It seems as though there has been a lot of pressure on Wannstedt to get this team winning since he got to Pitt three years ago. Considering Pitt hasn't been to a Bowl since 2004 and that Pitt is in serious danger of not making a bowl game this year, how much longer does he stay?

Coach Wannstedt isn't going anywhere for at least a year. His contract runs through 2009. He is very close with the big boosters and especially the school's chancellor. Add in the fact that Pitt just lost its Athletic Director and Pitt has been very slow in the past to fill the spot, and there is practically no scenario that I can see -- short of an abrupt, out of the blue resignation -- in which Wannstedt does not return.

5) You mentioned last week on your blog that Pitt's offensive troubles have been tied to first down play calling. Could you summarize the argument you were trying to make, and what, if anything, do you think will be done to correct the inefficiency?

Ah, the 1st down chart play calling chart, Dennis put together. It had to do with the predictability on offense. The coaching staff was so terrified to let Bostick throw, they kept calling running plays on 1st down. In the first 3 quarters, Pitt ran on first down 10 times and threw 3 times. Two of the three pass plays were to a Running Back, though (the other pass play resulted in a sack). The point Dennis was making, was that Pitt wasn't getting much in the way of 1st down yards. It meant Pitt would find itself in 2d and 3d and long situations. Making the offense even more predictable. Pitt's play-calling on 1st down was not helping the offense. The obvious correction is to mix things up a little more. Whether it is a quick dump-off. A slant. Something that changes it from running the ball straight ahead each time. Again, though, it comes back to the OC having confidence in the QB and the O-line giving a play a chance to work.

6) A few months ago this looked like just another non-conference game on Pitt's schedule. Now it's a must win game as the Panthers as they approach the meat of Big East play. How important is it for the team to come out of this specific game with a win?

Honestly, at the start of the season, I had this as a must win for Pitt regardless. If Pitt wanted to get to a bowl game and a 7-5 regular season record, this game seemed vitally important. Pitt needed to hold serve at home, with conference road games at Rutgers, WVU and L-ville. Not to mention non-con roadies at Michigan St. and Virginia. This game is still a must-win, but for a different reason. Fan frustration and dissatisfaction is running at a high not seen in the Wannstedt era. There was some acknowledgment that this could be a tough year. and injuries understandably were a setback. What has the fans upset and frustrated is the very clear and disturbing lack of progress, growth and improvement. The team is playing worse. Sloppier and the coaching has been sub-par. After this game, the only game on the schedule that Pitt looks to have a chance will be against Syracuse. So this game is huge for Pitt.

7) Prediction time. Who do you got a why?

I root for my school. I want to believe. However, I don't have any faith right now. I see Navy absolutely confusing the hell out of Pitt's defense and running wild. Pitt will be it's own worst enemy on offense. Final score, Navy wins 36-23.

Well, there you have it. I want to thank Chas again for helping us out, and remind our readers that Part II of our Q&A (the part where I answer questions on Navy) will be up shortly at PittBlather.com

Breaking Serve

2007-10-07T20:36:00.000-04:00

Navy football is a lot like tennis. Let me explain.

For those of you who watch professional or even highly competitive amateur tennis, you know that breaking your opponents serve is key to winning a set, and for that case an entire match. Breaking serve consists of winning a game when your not serving, a task that is much harder to accomplish when you consider the kinds of serves some of the top players pack these days. So how is this equatable to football? Easy. It's no secret that Navy is very good on offense, and not so much on defense, often allowing the other team's offense to dictate the drive and to score on a regular basis. In this way, Navy is no better than Andy Roddick. Yea, you can be lights out on serve (offense) but if your going to allow the other team to score on their serve (against our defense) than your match (the game) is always going to come down to a playoff (aka a nail-biter.) It's what we saw against Ball State, it's what we saw against Duke, and it's almost what we saw against Air Force.

To be fair, my father has been using this metaphor for several years now, and not just in relation to Navy football either. But don't take his or my word for it, let's check some honest to God numbers (OMG statistical analysis? Uh, not quite...)

TEMPLE 1st T21 15:00 Kickoff T22 12:46 Punt 3-1 2:14
RUTGERS 1st H25 15:00 Kickoff V41 12:12 Punt 6-34 2:48
BSU 1st B25 09:20 Kickoff N00 02:47 *TD 13-75 6:33

DU 1st D18 15:00 Kickoff D28 12:18 Punt 5-10 2:42

AF 1st A16 15:00 Kickoff A25 13:15 Punt 3-9 1:45

The above is a reproduction of the first series of the game for all of Navy's five opponents up to this point. As you can see, Navy has stopped four of the five teams they've played this year on the first series of the game. Interestingly enough, the one case in which the Midshipmen did not "break serve" on the first series came in a situation in which Navy got the ball to start the game, as opposed to the opposition. We all know Coach Johnson likes to kickoff to begin the game if Navy wins the coin toss, but I (and I'm assuming a number of you) have always figured it had more to do with making adjustments and coming out swinging after the half. But, as you can see from the above, another way to look at it is giving his defense the chance to come up with a stop in a much more favorable circumstance. In that way, kicking to begin the game compliments itself; it gives the defense the ability to get a stop, and it gives the offense a more favorable position to score coming off the half.

But how exactly is giving the ball to the other team conducive of a more favorable environment for the defense? Part of it may have to do with play-calling, as offensive coordinators are generally more conservative to open as they get a "feel for the defense," while players are generally speaking more tight. A quick check of the records seems to support this notion, as four of five Navy opponent's started the game with a run on first down. Another part may be psychological in that emotion is said to resonate more on defense, and in the early stages of the game emotion is not hard to come by. A third reason, one which I'm a little iffy on, might have to do with the positioning of the defense, which has been sketchy this year. That is to say it's easier for players to identify and line up against the offense early in the game, although I have no idea why and as I said it's just a rough guess if that. In any case, Navy's defense usually plays better on the first series of the game then at any given point within the first half, a point which, numerically speaking, would probably take me several more hours to demonstrate (those with qualms can look up the numbers for themselves.)

So what does all this mean? I know it may not look terribly convincing this early in the year, but I truly believe that for Navy to win, it all starts with breaking serve on the first series of the game. We take it for a given that Navy will hold serve on their series' (actually we're 3-5 scoring on the first drive with a missed field goal this year) and considering how well Johnson makes adjustments at halftime the goal is to theoretically go up by a break and remain on serve coming out of the half. Among other things, this makes the opposition play catch up, and hopefully make a mistake. Keep in mind this kind of game plan is significant not because it's "duh, this is what we want to do to win," but rather because it's a game plan for winning that accounts for having a struggling defense. So, theoretically at least, by stopping the opposition on the first series of the game -"breaking serve" if you will- you could go the rest of the game without stopping the opposition just as long as the offense continues to score. Obviously it rarely, if ever, works exactly that way, but the game typically does follow a rough outline, with either team cancelling out each other's drives as the game goes forward. That's why breaking serve, and doing so especially early, is so critical, because your giving your team the ability to go into the fourth quarter with the lead and making the other team come back. Because we take it for a given that the offense if going to have a fairly high degree of success, we can surmise that as long as the game is managed correctly, then Navy still has a shot to win, despite the Achilles heel of the defense.

Of course, we could just stop other teams of defense, but where's the fun in that? I'll be coming back to this subject next week, hopefully with some examples from previous years as well as Wednesday nights game.

Sunday Night Notations

2007-10-07T19:35:00.000-04:00

Lose track of what's going on with the Mids after watching USC fall to Stanford and Notre Dame pick up it's first win of the year? Not to worry, I've got your weekend update.

Shun ready to Go: I made the mistake last week of assuming Shun would bounce back from an ankle injury suffered against Duke and make the game against Air Force. As you know he didn't even dress for the game, but should be ready to go this week after Coach Johnson indicated Shun did in fact practice on Friday. Having Shun in the game is big for a couple of reasons, the most obvious being that he's a sub 4.5 guy who gives Navy's offense another home run hitter. However, it's also important to get Shun back because it takes the strain off of using Zerb and Reggie too much, and frees up one of those players to block on plays isolating the opposite slot back. Considering the size of Pitt's defensive front and the looks Navy has given in the past, I think we can expect to see Shun get his fair share of toss-sweeps this Wednesday night.

Right Corner Still Up For Grabs: It's been a revolving door opposite Rashawn King all year long, and five games in it doesn't look like Buddy Green is any closer to finding a permanent starter. You may recall that Darius Terry had started against Ball State and Duke, being briefly replaced at times by senior Greg Thrasher. However, after allowing several big plays down the field Coach Green decided to go with sophomore Blake Carter against Air Force last week. I like Carter in run support, but he wasn't tested much in coverage against Air Force. For him to keep the job, he's going to have to show the ability to keep the receiver in front of him and not give up big plays- something Terry and Thrasher have struggled with this season.

Nechak on the End: Matt Nechak, Navy's promising young outside linebacker, has been moved down to second string defensive end position in an attempt to get him into the game more as a situational pass rusher. Bill Wagner runs down the rest of the defense in his latest article for the Crabwrapper.

North Texas Struggling: I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to watch a number of games this weekend, including some of Navy's future opponents. First and foremost, North Texas. I admire what coach Dodge is trying to do down there, and as I said in the offseason I think he's got the program headed in the right direction, but if you think North Texas is even a decent team at this point you need to get your head examined. That's not to say Navy could not still lose to the Mean Green, because if we've learned anything at all this season it's that anyone, and I mean anyone, can beat anyone else. But still, anyone who watched the Mean Green will tell you that they are running an offense with the wrong personnel, and they just don't look particularly skilled or athletic on either side of the football. Combine that with the youth of the team, and it's likely going to be a very trying rest of the way for coach Dodge and his group. I wish them all the best, just not against us.

The "Year After" Effect: In 2005 Navy beat up on a one win Rice team. The next season Rice went 7-6 in an unprecedented run of success. Also in 2005, Navy survived a Kent State team which similarly found itself at the bottom of the country in terms of wins. In 2006 they turned it around and went 6-6. This year we're seeing more examples of what I've come to describe as the "year after effect" in which traditionally mediocre teams suddenly become decent, if not outright good, the year after losing to Navy and ending the series. Remember last year's UConn team, which went 4-8 and was blown out by the Midshipmen? Well, they now find themselves at 5-0 and in the coveted "Others Receiving Votes Category." Likewise, a Stanford team Navy beat up on last year, minus their starting quarterback, managed to pull off maybe the biggest upset ever against USC just last night! What to make of this I have no idea, but I guess it doesn't do anything for the strength of schedule argument.

Reading the Option 101: Phelix has you covered with a great piece on what it means to "read" an the defense on an option play. Be sure to check it out, he really knows his stuff.

Ram Vela

2007-10-06T10:12:00.000-04:00

One of the best things about an "off" week like this is that you inevitably hear a little more about individual players outside of the football field. Unfortunately for most teams, this kind of news usually comes from the police blotter, and in the case of Navy sophomore Ram Vela, it almost came from the, uh, national defense blotter.

What I'm referring to is last year's visit to the White House, is which Ram was inexplicably pulled over by security guards and subsequently interrogated. I kid you not:

I was about to walk in and the lady checking my ID saw my name and said into a microphone that "he's here" and she asked me to step to the side so I stepped to the side and a secret service agent came and just started hammering me with questions about where I was from, when I was born, just a bunch of questions. He had a piece of paper with him and I was able to see it and it had my name and I guess the guy who they thought I was matched up to me completely. He had the same name, same height, same weight, everything. They were looking for tattoos on my hand and everything. It was pretty scary. I didn't know what to think. I thought maybe I didn't pay a traffic ticket or something and there was a warrant out for me that I didn't know about. Finally they let me go in with the team. It took about 15 minutes and all the guys really gave me a hard time. Everybody thought I had a secret life. I guess the guy they were looking for lived in Minnesota. His name was Ramiro Ray Vela and that is my name. His nickname was even Ram like mine."

Aside from being extremely weird and probably more than embarrassing for Ram, this kind of story cracks me up. Maybe the only thing funnier than that is Ram's outlook at his constant position changes.

"I was a recruited quarterback, played some receiver and slot back at the prep school, then came here and started out as a slot back, was moved to corner, tried to play safety and that didn't work, moved back to corner and now I'm at outside linebacker. I'm wondering if the defensive line is next."

Just a haunch, but I think Ram may have found his spot at the outside linebacker "raider" position. In his six tackle effort last week Ram showed off his speed and instincts that at times seemed reminiscent to former Navy great David Mahoney. With Buddy Green digging deep into the depth chart, he may have finally found a player that has the ability to match up well in both run support and pass coverage. Ram also gives Buddy Green and his defense a player that can get into the backfield when coming on the outside, which could come in handy down the road as Navy's young defense begins to mature. I know we have a long way to go on defense, but the point is that the talent is there, it just has to be developed and refined. It probably won't happen this year, but at some point the players from the class of 2010, including guys like Vela and Tony Haberer, are going to come together and turn in a complete performance.

On to Pitt

2007-10-04T12:30:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Pitt week. That may sound a little weird for me to say on a Thursday afternoon, but unless you've been out in the field for the past year you know that Navy plays the struggling Panthers next Wednesday night on ESPN.

To get us ready for this game, I've asked Charles Rich of Pitt Blather and the Fan House to break down the matchup and help us get a handle on where the 2-3 Panthers stand. As many of you know, Pitt has struggled the past three weeks, and suffered a litany of injuries which have left the first team ranks devastated. Nevertheless, as I'm sure I don't need to tell any of you, the Panthers remain a talented football team which will have no shortage of incentive for beating Navy next week.

Anyways, be on the lookout for the Blogger Q&A we've got planned, and as usual I'll comment on any outstanding news or information that pops up between now and next Wednesday.

Mid-Week Rumblings

2007-10-03T15:19:00.000-04:00

Eye on the Rankings

I'm not endorsing obsession over these, but it's an interesting thing to point out as we move through the season and start to learn more about the team and the opposition.

Navy

Sagarin: 68

CFN: 80

SI: 61

Air Force

Sagarin: 59

CFN: 53

SI: 63

Army

Sagarin: 112

CFN: 104

SI: 109

The only commentary I really have is that CFN continues to rank Navy low, and Air Force high. I can understand (albeit barely) having Air Force perhaps a few places higher than Navy, but to rank a team 27 spots higher than a team they just lost to doesn't make a lot of sense, no matter how you want to try to spin in. I guess this is what Phelix means when he talks about the logic of Air Force fans.

The Maryland Question

By now you've probably heard that Navy-Maryland in 2010 is a no go. I'm not even going to reference you to the articles exposing the Maryland side of the story, but direct you instead right to Bill Wagner's blog. Mr. Wagner disputes Debbie Yow's (Maryland's AD) assertion that Chet Gladchuck was "dragging his feat" on the issue of scheduling, and instead charges that the Maryland athletic department and specifically Ms. Yow were the one's who broke off communication after a deal in principle had been reached for a two game series beginning in 2010. Apparently the option remains open for the series to be continued, but after this latest round of they-said, we-said, I'm not to sure I'd even like to see us play Maryland.

Coach Johnson Addresses Expectations

2007-10-03T09:32:00.000-04:00

Expectations are a constant point of debate among Navy fans. This is nothing new. They're will always be people who look towards success and address setting the bar higher, while there will always be people to remind us that at the Naval Academy, a team can only go so high. What is new in this debate is the voice of Navy's head coach, Paul Johnson, who was quoted on Macon.com as saying he thinks aiming for Top 25 status is a "realistic goal."

"If we can manage to win enough games this year, it'll be five straight bowl games," the Navy head coach said. "Can we be a top 25 team? Maybe. I think would be realistic goal to shoot for."

I tend to agree with Coach Johnson, and have never really understood why not aiming to be in that 25-30 range is unrealistic. After all, it's not as though you are saying that this team will be challenging for to "bust" the BCS system, but rather that if they can win 7,8, or 9 games a year they should at least be considered for Top 25 status. Seeing that the team has been doing that over the past few years, I think this is the point Johnson was trying to make. In his speech to the Macon Touchdown Club, Johnson also addressed the current BCS formula, saying that he believes eventually a playoff system will have to fall in line. His argument is that as the sport expands and the demand for the sport expands, the big conferences will be forced to adopt a system.

Georgia Tech in 21??: Apparently we're playing the Yellow Jackets somewhere down the line. This after Johnson confirmed to the Macon Touchdown Club that Navy will play Georgia Southern (where Johnson won two I-AA national titles) in 2009.

Smart Kids: Johnson also told the Macon Touchdown Club that the average SAT score for the football team was 1330, which has got to be among the highest in the entire country. It's also a good deal higher than my own 1250, making me look like an idiot compared to a college football team. Oddly enough, how refreshing is it in today's day and age for me to say that?

In Case You Missed It: Week Five

2007-10-02T11:05:00.001-04:00

In Case You Missed It, Tuesday's regularly occurring take on the broader college football landscape, cane be found over at Saturday Sound Offs. Hope you enjoy it.

After Action Report: Navy Makes It Five in a Row

2007-10-01T20:29:00.000-04:00

Saving the Season

Just before entering the fourth quarter against Duke two weeks ago, it looked as though Navy’s season was doomed. The Mids, trailing eleven points to the Blue Devils at the time, looked poised to give up another score and dig themselves an impossible hole to come out of. With a defense that couldn’t stop anyone and an impending 1-3 record, the prospects for bowl eligibility and a successful season seemed to be rapidly dwindling.

Over the past five quarters I’d say we’ve learned a lot about this team.

I don’t man to come off as overly positive, and I certainly don’t mean to overlook the obvious facts that there are still major concerns on this Navy team, most notably on the defensive side of the ball. But give these guys some credit. Where 1-3 looked more than likely two weeks ago, the Midshipmen now stand at 3-2, and, and in spite of a weak defense, are still very much in position to achieve bowl eligibility and win their fifth consecutive commander-in-chief’s trophy under Paul Johnson. This is what they mean when they talk about being a winning program, about having a winner’s mentality. It doesn’t always mean blanking the opposition, or blowing out the other team, but always involves getting the job done. What we saw on Saturday was literally a team coming together and willing itself through a game. It wasn’t always pretty times and it wasn’t perfect, but when it was all said and done the guys and blue and grey came out on top, and even did it with a little breathing room for a change. In short, what we saw on Saturday was a team saving its season through beating their most hated rival, and in doing so continued a streak of excellence against service academy rivals.

Defense Stands Tall

Yes, Navy gave up 476 yards of offense to Air Force, but so what? I mean, did anyone really expect the defense to hold Air Force to under 300 yards of offense? I sure didn’t, but that’s not what matters. What matters is that Navy gave up only twenty points to the Falcons, and played its best defensive game of the season. I was very much impressed with a number of individual performances on the defense, in particular the play of the front seven. Matt Wimsatt just had a monster game, and at times even looked like David Mahoney out there, while sophomore Tony Haberer looked confident and athletic in the middle of the unit. And how about Michael Walsh? After being a non-factor during the first four games of the season the junior defensive end finally came alive, recording ten tackles (8 solo, 3 tfl) while playing with excellent effort and intensity. Don’t take Coach Johnson’s words for granted, this unit really did play with passion and effort on Saturday. This was especially apparent when talking about pursuit, for even when Navy’s defenders found themselves out of the play they still hustled to the ballcarrier, and in doing so probably saved several big plays from Air Force. The key for Navy’s defensive success will continue to be contingent upon the play of the front seven, and with a promising performance against Air Force, I’m cautiously optimistic going into the second half of the season.

Players of the Game

Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada: Give Kaipo credit. After being scrutinized by fans and the media over two weeks he turned in a solid performance against Air Force, rushing for just over 100 yards and two scores. Kaipo also completed four of seven passes for 79 yards. He sure didn’t look “timid” on a 78 yard touchdown run off the option in which he blew up the angle on three Air Force defenders coming from across the field, and didn’t exactly burn out by the end of the game as he’s done in the past.

Matt Wimsatt: After having a disappointing string of games over the course of September, Matt finally stepped up with a dominating performance on Saturday afternoon. Despite being held numerous times, Matt did a great job reading and reacting to Air Force’s variable offense, and was all over the field en route to a 14 tackle day. As only one of two seniors on defense, it was imperative that Matt step up and have a big day for Navy, and that’s exactly what he did.

What this Means

Don’t overlook the importance of beating Air Force. Troy Calhoun and the Falcons had built up a whole lot of momentum early and the season and, warranted or not, looked well on their way to reestablishing the program. Navy’s win this weekend goes a long way to breaking some of that momentum, and perhaps more importantly, stems any recruiting advantage Air Force may have built up from an “on the scoreboard” basis (I say this because Air Force still has several recruiting advantages over Navy.) Most importantly though, it puts Navy back on track for the season, and gives the Midshipmen momentum heading into the middle of the season.

Picking Up the Pieces

Where do the Falcons go from here? Air Force has seemingly faded down the stretch after the rivalry game with Navy over the past five years, and after starting off 3-0 the Falcons now find themselves at 3-2. Conventional wisdom would tell us that Air Force should be able to get to 6-6 or 7-5 with the schedule they have, but after imploding down the stretch last year nothing is certain. I don’t hate Air Force with the same passion as other Navy fans do, and to tell you the truth I hope they do make it to a bowl game for Navy’s strength of schedule benefit.

Looking Ahead

Up next for Navy is Pittsburgh, a team, and a program, which has underachieved and finds itself in a state of disarray this season. After winning their first two games against Eastern Michigan and Grambling, the Panthers have dropped three straight, including devastating losses to Connecticut and Virginia, two decent, but not great teams. If you’re asking me, I’ll tell you we have a good shot against Pitt. The Panthers have suffered a host of injuries this season, and have pressed in true freshman Pat Bostick to start behind a struggling offensive line. The Panthers have imploded on defense over the past two weeks, and have yet to face an offense like Navy under the Wanstache. Still, Pitt has no shortage of talent, and with a loaded Big East conference schedule ahead of them, this is a must win situation for not only the team, but their embattled head coach.

Dot...dot...dot

In case you haven’t noticed, Zerbin Singleton has been great this year. With Shun White out with an ankle injury Zerb really stepped up against the Falcons, rushing for 65 yards and a score. But numbers don’t tell the whole story for Zerb, whose second effort and refusal to be denied helped Navy pick up key first downs and keep drive momentum going…Last season Ram Vela was a slotback. This summer he was a cornerback. On Saturday he played the “raider” position, which for all intensive purposes is just a cool name for outside linebacker. He played it well too, recording six tackles on the day and showing real versatility against the run and the pass. After two missed Joey Bullen field goals I would not be surprised to see Matt Harmon start next week, that being dependent upon the status of his groin of course. That being said, if Navy needs to kick a 40+ yarder with only a few seconds left to win the game, you have got to go to the unicable ice man…Reggie Campbell’s 37 yard touchdown run was just another example of his great athletic ability. Not to take anything away from any of the other slotbacks, but he’s the only guy with the quickness, speed, and instinct to turn a run like that back to the middle of the field and score. I hate to sound like a simpleton, but a guy like that has got to get the ball more than five times in a game…

Yes, i am Still Alive

2007-10-01T14:19:00.000-04:00

After Action Report for the Air Force game coming tonight, probably sometime around eight.

Game Time

2007-09-28T17:22:00.000-04:00

Well, I guess I lied.

I had planned to get a scouting preview in and maybe some other posts, but my week just caught up to me. Oh well, we all know what's at stake here anyway, so I don't need to say anything more anyway.

Hopefully the game will go well, if for no other reason than I'm getting a little tired of dealing with the constant comments about the quarterback situation. Let's put our biases aside and just hope that Kaipo burns the Air Force defense, can we?

BEAT AIR FORCE

Shaun's Time is Running Out

2007-09-26T16:14:00.000-04:00

Air Force week. Where do we start? One of the fiercest and most meaningful rivalries in the college football landscape, this year's edition has no shortage in story lines. One of the most interesting story lines of this year's game is that of Air Force quarterback Shaun Carney, who many Navy fans seem to know better as "that punk kid." But regardless of how you view Carney the person, the jury is still out on Carney the football player.

Carney is, statistically speaking at least, one of the best quarterbacks in Air Force Academy history. He's currently second in career passing in Air Force history, and will likely break Dave Ziebart's mark by the end of the season. With a career completion percentage hovering around 60% and 30 touchdown passes to his name, he has more than proven that he can throw the ball with velocity and accuracy, while at the same time possessing the ability to run the effectively. He has more than 2000 rushing yards in his career, and has scored 26 times on the ground in a little over three years of work.

But for all of those numbers, Carney has never been able to beat the Midshipmen, and he has never been able to lead the Falcons to a Commander-In-Chief's trophy, much less a winning season in the Mountain West conference. Not the legacy you'd necessarily want to leave behind, especially considering how hyped he was coming out of High School. For those of you who don't know the story, Carney was considered one of the premier option quarterbacks in the country during his prep days, but because of his size (5'10) he was passed up by the bigger school's and became the top prospect among service academies. Both Air Force and Navy aggressively recruited him, with the Falcons eventually winning out after Carney declared that he couldn't see Navy beating Air Force in the foreseeable future. The rest, you could say, was a tad bit ironic. After attending the prep school in 2003, Carney came in and started against Navy in 2004 and lost. In 2005 he lead the Falcons into Annapolis, built up a lead with the offense, and presumed to watch his team lose. Then, in 2006, under the banner of "Return to Dominance," he fumbled away the opportunity for the Falcons to take a game from Navy's seniors, thus completing a four year sweep of the Falcons by Navy and, as I have contended before, greatly contributing to the fall of his head coach. Three years, no victories. Not exactly what he had in mind as a senior in high school in 2002.

So whats the point in rehashing history? Is it not, as they say, a "welcome to this year" scenario we will be dealing with this Saturday, as a new look and new coached Air Force teams comes calling in Annapolis? Well, not exactly. I read an article this week that downplayed this game, saying that Air Force was focused more on their place in the Mountain West conference than on their service academy rivals. This is complete nonsense if you ask me, especially considering what Carney and his fellow seniors have been through the past three seasons. During the late 1980s and the 1990s, when Navy was losing to Air Force on a regular basis, the thought of upending the Falcons became a hallmark of the team's goals, and while many would argue that the Army-Navy game was still the focal point of the season, some would attest that beating Air Force was the ultimate dream. I don't need to fling mud or address the animosity of the rivalry here, but needless to say this game has and continues to take on a different feel than the Army-Navy game. This rings true not only from Navy;s perspective Navy, but from Air Force's, as the falcons have been dealing with the alien proposition of losing the the Midshipmen these past four seasons, and has been left in a state of competitive mediocrity in the MWC.

Carney knows this. His teammates know this. And while they may not be able to single-handily resurrect Air Force football to it's heyday, they can, to a certain extent, save the legacy of their careers at the Academy. Do you really think that Shaun Carney wants to be remembered as the guy who couldn't beat Navy, the quarterback who led the teams which allowed the Midshipmen to crawl from the depths of college football to preeminent among service academy football teams? I don't know how Air Force will fare on Saturday against the Mids, but I can tell you one thing, and that's that intensity and focus will not be lacking for the Falcons this week. They, one could argue, have much more at stack than we do.

For Navy, this may end up being the most important game of the season. But for Shaun Carney, it will end up being the most important game of his career. Win or lose, the clock is ticking, and his window of beating the Navy in an Air Force uniform is about to run out.

It's Air Force Week

2007-09-26T09:18:00.000-04:00

Obligatory Get Pumped You Tube Videos:

and...

Week Four Position Grades

2007-09-25T14:15:00.000-04:00

Quarterback: A-

Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada was perfect throwing the football until late in the second quarter, when he threw a very, very bad pass that was picked off before the half. Other than that the guy played a great game, and made some nifty runs that put Navy in manageable third down situations. Jarod Bryant was lights out in relief, leading the offense to a fourth quarter comeback by catching a touchdown pass, running for a two point conversation, and making an incredible run to put Navy in field goal range for Bullen's game-winner. Despite whatever controversy that may or may not exist on the Internet, this is the biggest strength of the team right now.

Fullbacks: B

Duke did a good job on the interior line getting to the fullback and tackling at the point of contact, but even with Vince Oghobaase and the other big bodies up front Ballard and Kettani were still able to combine for nearly 100 yards down the pipe.

Slotbacks: B

We didn't see a whole lot from the slotbacks on Saturday, with Reggie Campbell leading the bunch with 47 yards on only four carries. Shun White went out early with an ankle injury, while Zerb Singleton did it all including hauling in three passes for 48 yards. Bobby Doyle did a good job coming in late and threw a absolutely perfect ball to Jarod Bryant for the game tying touchdown. Blocking was a little sketchy at times.

Wide Receivers: A-

OJ Washington, Greg Sudderth, and Tyree Barnes all got into the action on Saturday, with Washington catching a touchdown pass as well as catching a two-point conversation. Sudderth did an excellent job hauling in his touchdown, while Barnes had a nice catch coming back to the ball and nearly taking it to the endzone. If nothing else, these guys proved that they have athletic ability and sure hands, and that they're more than capable of making plays in the offense.

Offensive Line: B+

I thought the offensive line struggled early in the run game, although played well in pass protection and helped give Kaipo all kinds of time in the first half. As the defensive line started to wear down the offensive line came alive, and did a good job getting guys to the ground at the point of attack and on the second level.

Defensive Line: C-

Containment is still a hug issue, as is tackling, in particular around the goal line. Nate Frazier was the lone bright spot on this unit during the game, recording six tackles including a key sack in which he showed great quickness on a stunt. The defensive ends need to show better presence and "feel" for where the quarterback is and cannot lose outside containment on third and long situations.

Linebackers: C+

We've seen a lot more effort out of the linebackers over the past two weeks, and were starting to see senior leaders Irv Spencer and Matt Wimsatt step up. This unit still doesn't have the big play ability that last year's group did, and isn't as instinctive against the run. It will be interesting to see how they match up against Air Force, which doesn't have the personnel advantage that most of Navy's opponent's have.

Secondary: D+

Yikes. Ok, let me start with the positives. Ketric Buffin continues to play very well, intercepting his fourth pass of the year on Saturday which tied him for second in the nation in picks. Blake Carter, who had been conspicuously absent from the past three games, made some good plays in space and proved to be a good tackler. The bad news however is that we gave up 428 yards through the air to Duke, which, if your keeping track, is 133 more yards than we gave up to Brady Quinn and Notre Dame last season. What's really scary is that 235 of those yards came to Eron Riley, who neither Darius Terry nor Greg Thrasher could really control. I give Peter Vaas credit for calling a good game and Riley credit for making some great catches, but you have to be concerned with our ability to contain the long pass play, especially with a freshmen free safety who seemed out of position at times against Duke.

Special Teams: A+

Joey freaking Bullen. Need I say more?

In Case You Missed It

2007-09-25T09:48:00.001-04:00

My weekly non-Navy college football column can be found over at Saturday Sounds Offs. It's a pretty good writup, so check it out. Position Grades Later, so last day to get in your Duke thoughts.

Monday Notations

2007-09-24T14:44:00.000-04:00

More completely random thoughts and observations from Saturday's thrilling win over Duke.

In an attempt to cover this somewhat chronologically, I'm going to start off by saying what a good job Navy's defense did on the first series of the game. The only question I have is what the hell happened after that?...

...Speaking of "what the hell" kind of moments, have we gotten to the bottom of Duke's first touchdown yet? I've heard a lot about how the coverage was bad all day, but Darius Terry actually had great position on the ball and should have prevented the Duke wide receiver from making the play. Obviously the guy ran two or three yards out of bounce, but the call on the field was that he was forced out. From the replay it looked like he probably started out before Terry's back made contact with him, and even in that situation I don't know how you can say he was forced out when Terry is playing the ball. A dumb call and a fluke play but at least it gives the defense a lesson in never quiting on the play...

...Kaipo-Noa did a very good job throwing the ball around early, largely due to very good pass protection from the O-line. I was for the most part really impressed with Kaipo's accuracy, which we knew coming into the season was much better than it was last season. The interception he threw though was horrible, contrary to the belief of the fan in front of me, who placed the blame on Reggie Campbell. Anytime you stare down a 5'6 receiver who is double covered your asking for trouble, and that interception is definitely on you. Kaipo-Noa struggled with reads early and didn't gain much running the ball, but he did do a good job in the second quarter of making something out of nothing. He didn't have the amazing make ten people miss run Jarod had later in the game, but give Kaipo credit. He's not exactly a dear in the headlights out there...

...I think we're seeing a transition from Ballard to Kettani at the fullback position. That's not to say both won't still get carries, but with Kettani's speed and first step it just makes more sense to have Eric in there. One thing he does need to do better is work on picking his legs up as he hits the hole. I saw him stumble on one to many arm tackles during the game. Other than that the guy is a beast, as is Ballard, who still maintains his status as a legitimate badass...

...I've been telling everyone and their mother about Greg Sudderth's sick nasty athletic ability, and on Saturday we finally saw it as he climbed the latter between two defenders to pull down a long grab at the Duke two yard line. Sudderth has ideal size and body control which make him perfect for the wide receiver position, it's just a shame it took the coaching staff so long to realize he couldn't tackle. On a related note, OJ Washington and Tyree Barnes also made plays in the pass game, only confirming the fact that this is the best group of Navy wideouts in a long time.

...A number of people have been asking what's been going on with Reggie Campbell. I don't think he's in any kind of a "funk" so much much as he's just not getting the ball enough. I say this with a degree of reluctance, because I know how fast Navy fans are quick to jump on the "get the ball to the slots" argument that has become the stuff of "Ask the AD" legend. Still, Reggie has looked good when he has gotten the ball on the outside, and I have to say I was very much surprised to see him not get the ball more against Duke, especially with Shun White out. I know we tell ourselves that we're an offense of interchangeable parts, and as much truth as there is in that we all realize that Campbell's is on another level athletically than much of team. Not to incur the wraith of Paul Johnson, but this only semi-knowledgeable blogger would like to see Reggie get the ball more...

...Defensively we played about 50 people on Saturday. That's probably not an accurate number, but you get what I mean. Anytime you see Ram Vela on the field at nickelback, you know Coach Green is reaching down deep (not a shot at Ram, who should be a starter by the time he's a senior.) This is both a good and bad sign. On the negative side of things, you realize that guys weren't getting the job done. Yet by the same token you have to realize it was a very humid day and Coach Green had to try to keep guys fresh. Our defense is bad, I know, but more specifically we're not getting good play out of our defensive ends and our second cornerback. I use the term second cornerback to denote whoever is opposite Rashawn King, who is money against the run and pass. I know Terry had a great game against Ball State and had some good coverage even against Duke (In which he was burned for a couple of touchdowns), but between him and Greg Thrasher we don't have a lot of vertical speed. This is a concern this year with the simplified defense and the new safety package, which is putting a lot of stress on the corners to keep the wide receiver in front of them. As far as our ends go, we're just not keeping containment, which is honestly all they have to do. We did see some ability from Blake Carter (against the run) and Nate Frazier, who despite being doubled most of the game got good penetration and even recorded a sack on a stunt in which he came all the way around the tackle...

...Irv Spencer had two chances at turnovers, but dropped a second quarter interception and inexplicably lost a fumble recovery. Not getting the fumble recovery maybe almost cost us the game, as Duke would go on to score before the half before Kaipo's interception in which they would go on to score again. Had he recovered that fumble, it's probable that Navy goes into the half with a ten point lead. A similar thing happened last week against Ball. We're just not catching the breaks this year...

...I refuse to talk about the quarterback situation in terms of a controversy. It doesn't matter how much I like Jarod or whether or not I think he could do a better job than Kaipo, it's not my call and I realize that the coaching staff has a much better grasp on this than anyone else. I will say that I hope Jarod can be integrated more into the offense, because as he showed on Saturday, he's a gifted and versatile athlete who can do any number of things for your football team. All for putting him back there with Reggie of kickoffs say "I..."

...From what I'm hearing Shun White just suffering a sprain and should be back and ready to go this week. Speaking of slotbacks, how about Bobby Doyle? Between him, Greg Shinego, and Scott Oswald we are solid as far as the three deep goes...

...September 22nd is hereby Joey Bullen Day. Honestly, if he's not the clutch Navy performer of the decade, I don't know who is. Props to coach Johnson for going with him even though he hasn't been great in practice...

...We need a horse collar rule in college football...

...How big was Navy's win? Well, as Bill Wagner claims today in the Capital, it just may have saved the season.

..I guess the fans in section 30 should not have laughed our collective butts off when Peter Vaas told his guys before the half that "it ain't even close to being over" before a silenced Navy-Marine Corps stadium. I guess he was right...

(Photo courtesy of Paul W. Gillespie of the Annapolis Capital)

The "Adam Ballard Effect" is now in Common Usage

2007-09-23T15:45:00.000-04:00

Here's a lighter note to break up all of this cyber bickering we've been having over the quarterback situation, which I really would rather not touch upon now. Anyway, some of you may recall that last year over at the Fan House I wrote a post entitled "The Adam Ballard Effect." I really didn't seem like anything special, but low and behold it's taken on a life of it's own. Not only did Adam send me and email about it later that week, but now, nearly a year later, Bob Socci references it in his latest article on Ballard. Pretty cool if you ask me.

I am an Idiot

2007-09-22T19:56:00.000-04:00

Dear Fellow Navy Fans,

I am an idiot.

Why, you ask, am I an idiot? Well, to put it bluntly, I just missed the single greatest Navy comeback since the 2005 Air Force game. Let me attempt to explain.

I was one of what I can only presume to be a fair amount of fans who left today's game early. With a paper for my old English literature class due Monday that I have still yet to start and the pressing need to get some exercises for the day, I made, with some four minutes left in the fourth quarter, one of the biggest strategic blunders since Mussolini's invasion of Greece in 1940. I don't ask for sympathy, and I don't reckon I deserve any either, but what transpired within the next hour was the single greatest thing I have ever heard via the radio.

Let's back it up. Duke had us on the ropes late in the third quarter, as Thaddeus Lewis suddenly turned into Donovan McNabb and systematically picked apart our defense en route to a 428 yard day through the air. Duke was well on it's way to another score when Duke running back Re'Quan Boyette seemingly just gave the ball to Navy linebacker Tony Haberer on a bizarre fumble sequence, after which Navy managed to do next to nothing on the ensuring series. It was at this point that I had had it. With my forearms looking like the middle of a poorly cooked steak and the general aura of "we're about to give up 50 to Duke" I made the aforementioned decision to pack it up. Obviously this makes me a horrible fan, so I give you all permission to chastise me for the next week. Nevertheless, as I left the stadium I couldn't help but feel that this was one of, if not the worst game the team has played within the past five years, and as I heard the roar of the Brigade behind me I knew Lewis and the Blue Devils were closing in again. When my father and I got to the car, I didn't even bother to see what Bob and Omar had to say, I just turned it to music.

And so began the usual chatter. You know, the "I can't believe we lost to Duke" chatter, followed of course by the proverbial "we're going to get killed next week" kind of chatter. Then of course comes the awkward silence of presumed defeat, followed by the sinking feeling of knowing that the outlook for you week just got a whole lot bleaker. Then, for no apparent reason, something happened.

My father wanted to check WNAV. I had no idea why, but thinking the game was probably about in the books I offered no resistance. Amazingly, Navy had not been buried beneath a hail of Duke touchdowns, and "only" found themselves down by eleven with most of the fourth quarter left. After Joey Bullen barely knocked in a 35 yard field goal we told ourselves that it was nice, but that there was no way we were coming back. At this point I guess I should mention that whenever my Father and I talk football, we always do it in terms of what should happen if something else happens first. For instance, "if we stop them on this series than Jarod and the offense should go for two if they score a touchdown." Then one of us (usually me) says something along the lines of "but we're not gonna stop them." Once again my friends, I am an idiot. Anyway, the next ten minutes we're incredible, with Omar, Bob, and John (but especially John) basically going crazy in the booth. With cautious optimism I held out hope, in the back of my mind kicking myself for not staying a few more minutes just to see what Duke did with the football. First came Bullen's 35-yarder, then the defense stopping an ultra-conservative Duke attack. Then the fun part. Jarod leads the offense down the field, punching the ball in as he catches a pass from slotback Bobby Doyle. Pandemonium on the airwaves as Bob Socci's voice fluctuates with the intensity of a 13 year old boy jacked up on candy and Nintendo, which in this circumstance was perfectly understandable. Then it happened.

After Navy hit the two point conversion Duke appeared to fumble on the ensuring kickoff. However, after the review, the officials gave the Blue Devils the football, at which point anyone listening to the radio expected John Feinstein to unleash a hail of f-bombs. Amazingly, Mr. Feinstein showed remarkable restraint (unlike myself), and as I was ready to toss myself from a moving vehicle he checked himself. That was it though, we told ourselves, that was the game. Can't help the fact that the officials screwed us, again.

At this point I was tempted to turn from WNAV, perhaps letting some old country music song about some guys girl who up and "rund off" take over the last mile or two of road before home. But, knowing that I needed at least some closure as far as the game was concerned, decided against it, and instead allowed myself to listen to Thaddeus Lewis march the Blue Devils down the field en route to what figured to be an easy score. Then came a key third and eleven which Duke needed to get to even think about a field goal, and just as Ball State did last week, so did the Blue Devils pick it up in a third and long situation. Now sitting in my driveway looking like a schmuck I was finally ready to turn the game off and be done with it, but to my complete and utter befuddlement (as well as Mr. Feinstein's) Duke was called for holding. Breathing a sigh of relief I prepared for the ensuring 3rd and 21, swearing that if the Blue Devils converted I would hurl myself wildly off the three foot embankment on the side of my driveway. Then, it happened. Not a second after Ketric Buffin's interception at the 18 yard line, I let out a bellowing "I AM AN IDIOT" (plus or minus some other words mixed in there) before flashing a a willy grin and parking myself next to the car and preparing myself for overtime.

I have to admit, after last week I still didn't think we would win, and if we were to win I recognized that it would probably have to come with the less than a minute left in regulation Jarod had left. Amazing, I told myself, that he should find himself in the same situation as last week. You of course know the rest better than I do, but as Jarod drove the Midshipmen into field goal range it started to become clear that after last week's heart breaker the junior from Hoover, Alabama was not going to let it happen again. Apparently neither was Paul Johnson, who put in Mr. Cool (aka Joey Bullen) to attempt the 44-yard game winner with four seconds left. Immediately my mind flashed back the the 2005 Air Force game in which Bullen nailed a game winner from 47-yard out on a day in which I had the foresight to actually stick with my team. I expected Duke to try to ice him, but Ted Roof, knowing that Joey Bullen is the uniceable iceman who eats ice for breakfast (with skim milk), figured it was pointless. So as that 44 yard field goal split the uprights and Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium rocked the afternoon sky over Annapolis, I sat flabbergasted in my driveway, ecstatic over the win while incredibly disappointed of my attributes as a Navy fan. I've seen a lot of great finishes over the years, but I'd have to say this one ranks among the top, perhaps even approaching the 2005 Air Force game in drama and late game heroics. And to think that I had to hear it on the damn radio.

Once again, let me concede that I am indeed and idiot.

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What we saw today was not pretty, not by any stretch of the imagination. Navy's defense was systematically sliced, diced, and chopped during the first half, and despite scoring points and moving the football, Navy's offense once again turned the ball over at key times. Yet for all the pain of three quarters of play, what you did see (and I hope, unlike me, that you actually did see it) was a group of young men who never quit and fought to the the very end. We as fans and armchair commentators often throw around words like character and perseverance, and often times use these terms too liberally. But with a much maligned and very young defense, I think it's more than appropriate to say that this entire team showed a lot of character today, and that the efforts of the players and coaching staff proved that this team is not going to role over and play for next year.

Don't get hung up on the fact that it was Duke. This is the mistake I made when I decided to leave the stadium today. This was the mistake I made as I sat roasting in the autumn sun at halftime, somehow trying to find the good in a game that looked like it was going south quickly. If there has been one thing we all have learned from four weeks of the 2007 college football season, it's that competitive parody has reached an all time high, and that style points matter only for those with a championship in mind. Heck, Ball State should have beaten Nebraska today, and put up more yards on their defense than they did on ours. And our pain is nothing compared to the folks in Louisville, who saw their Top 20 team get buried by an 0-3 'Cuse team with a quarterback I was watching carve up my alma mater just two short years ago in Baltimore. I can't tell you whether or not this win will get us back on track, but I can say that it gives us a chance. In the Any Given Saturday environment we find ourselves in, coming out with the win becomes the most important thing, and in that respect we can say that the team did exactly what it needed to today. Strap on your seatbelts guys, because whether your a pessimist or an optimist in your outlook, it certainly looks like we're all in for a wild ride the rest of the way.

All of you who stayed are all great Americans,

Adam

CFN Likes Navy- By a Hair

2007-09-20T16:31:00.000-04:00

I'm not going to spend much time previewing Duke. Actually, I'm not going to spend any time previewing Duke, mostly on account of not having any time and the fact that there are a half a dozen previews of this game out there that will give you all the relevant information. Case in point, Collegefootballnews.com, which is predicting a 29-24 Navy victory. Read and proceed.

Lack of Run Defense Leaves Navy's Postseason in Question

2007-09-19T20:30:00.000-04:00

Let's start by making a clarification, because I've been getting the feeling that some people are incorrectly identifying what exactly is the problem with Navy's defense. Over the last couple of seasons we've heard a lot about the "lack of a pass rush" and the inability of Navy's secondary to stay with speedy, athletic receivers in the open field. I won't dispute the validity of either of these arguments, both of which have for the most part been true and continue to be true this season. However one most realize that despite the gross amount of pass yards Navy has given up over the past few seasons (100th in the country according to Phil Steele magazine last year) the defense has, for all intensive purposes, given the offense the ability to win games. Navy's defense is designed in a way that makes it inviting for teams to throw the ball against, but it also designed to force teams into third down conversation and to execute for the length of drives. Part of Navy's past success on defense is due to turnover margin, as Navy was +2 last season, +3 in 2004, and a very generous +7 in Paul Johnson's first winning season here in 2003. One thing I have harped on over the past few weeks is the importance of playing opportunistically, something that Navy's often mismatched defense did last season, and has been unable do this season.

But even without forcing a ton of turnovers, Navy's defense could be playing better than it currently is. Case in point, take a look at the 2005 season, in which an inexperienced Navy team went -6 in the turnover department and still went 8-4 with a bowl victory over Colorado State. So, if forcing turnovers aren't the issue, what's so different about this year's defense that has caused all the panic?

Obviously, the answer at this point is Navy's run defense, which let's face it, sucks. But it's not like this has been a reoccurring problem, at leats not in the recent past. Let's go back again to last season and explore this facet of the game. Last year the Mids ranked 32nd in the country against the run, due largely to two separate dynamics. The first, or the cynics view as I like to say, has to do with the relative ranking of the pass defense (the aforementioned 100th in the country, leading other team's to throw more.) The other reason, however, has to do with how Navy's personnel understood the scheme and executed their proper assignments. This is the part where I throw out terms that make me look like I know what I'm talking about, namely gap responsibility and containment, something that the Midshipmen excelled at last year and struggle with this year.

So, what exactly is the problem this year which has caused Navy's defense to give up large amounts of rushing yards and fail to do the things last year's defense did? Obviously, we have to start with personnel, even though I'm usually not huge on emphasising the role of individual players. The reality is that this year to date, we have seen a considerable drop-off in ability at the linebacker position, specifically the outside backer position that was vacated by David Mahoney and Tyler Tidwell after the Care Car Bowl. I don't know if this is so much a referendum on how good the Matt's are (Humiston, Wimsatt, Nechak) so much as it demonstrates just how special David Mahoney and Tyler Tidwell were. Dave was seriously one of the most dynamic defensive players to ever play at the Academy, and just had the raw athletic ability and omnipresent football sense to come off blocks and fly to the ballcarrier. Tyler had similar ability, although not to the level Mahoney had, but most importantly these guys were smart and understood their roles. When I see the defense missing tackles in the backfield and failing to bring down the quarterback in blitz situations, I can't help but think that Mahoney or Tidwell would have made at least some of those plays. This was especially a problem against Ball State and Temple, as we saw Nate Davis and Adam DiMichele extend drives by using their feet to either buy time or rush for the first down in third down situations.

The other main problem has to do with defensive alignment. I could try to explain what exactly is going wrong, but because I'm no expert on the subject and because Phelix already has it covered, I'm going to refer you to the Bird Dog for a more thorough explanation. Below, Phelix takes over for Bill Wagner when discussing defense alignment:

PJ is referring to how the defensive line and down linebackers are supposed to line up across from the offensive line. These assignments are the fundamentals of pass rushing and gap control in the running game. For example, in the five technique that PJ is talking about, the lineman/LB is lined up on the outside eye of the tackle . His responsibility would be the C gap, between the tackle and tight end. In the nine technique, the lineman/LB is lined up on the outside eye of the tight end and is responsible for outside containment. Now, multiply missed assignments like this by each down lineman or LB and it’s obvious how there can be such wide running lanes for opposing RBs, and why opposing offensive lines have no problem handling our pass rush.

So there you have it. In a nutshell Navy's defensive lineman and linebackers are not keeping gap responsibility, and because of this are getting blown up on running plays and basically taking themselves out of plays because of where they are lined up pre-snap. This is largely due, I presume, to the loss of Clint Sovie at the middle linebacker position, a point which has forced Coach Green and Coach Johnson to try to simplify the defensive shceme. What I don't understand is why exactly Irv Spencer couldn't make the calls, and despite the question being brought up in a previous presser, I don't remember hearing a straight answer (anyone?) In any case, this may be slow and trying process, but at some point this year either Pospisil or Haberer are going to have to step up and take responsibility for lining up the defense. This concept also goes hand in hand with the personnel argument, and if we explore the issue we can see how last year's defensive linemen understood their gap responsibilities and for the most part were where they needed to be. John Chan was especially disciplined in this regard, as well as being an underrated player against the run. While the Midshipmen defense last year may not have been as fast as this year's, they were more often in position to make plays because they had been groomed in the scheme and understood their responsibilities, something Navy's young defense this year has struggled to do without the likes of Clint Sovie and Jeff Deliz. This is why it drives me crazy to hear the talking heads on ESPN and the like go on all day talking about size, speed, etc, because at the basic core of defensive football, you're not going to succeed if you don't play smart and know your assignments.

I genuinely believe that our offense is good enough this year to score on everyone we play, but obviously that's the least of the team's concerns right now. Still, if the defense can find something of an identity and perhaps correct some of these problems with alignment and scheme, Navy will still have a good shot at the postseason, and could be well on the way to achieving the ultimate goal of the CINC trophy.

Uh, help?

2007-09-19T11:14:00.000-04:00

I made mention of this earlier in the week, and I'm hoping it just slipped by some of the readers out there. I have some important business to attend to the weekend of the 29th which will leave me unable to access any form of technology and take me away from the area. Hence I will not be able to go to, or to view, the Air Force game. If you are interested in helping me obtain a taped copy of this game, please email me. I would really appreciate any help in this matter.

Johnson Blows Up on Wagner: My Thoughts

2007-09-19T09:25:00.000-04:00

Via NavySports.com...

Wagner: Can I ask you something without making you mad?

Johnson: Maybe. I don't know.

Wagner: I was talking to a Navy fan and he said he follows the coverage and that he noticed something and I'm just going to put it to you. He says that it seems like when Navy loses you blame the players, ie we can't execute fundamental plays, but that the success of the team the last four years has been attributed to brilliant coaching. How do you respond to that?

Johnson: Whatever he thinks. I don't go down to McDonald's and start second-guessing his job so he ought to leave me alone.

Wagner: But do you feel like it can't be both ways?

Johnson: You know what? I could care less. I'm old enough where I could give a crap what the fans think or what you think to put it in a nutshell.

Wagner: Wins and losses are evenly distributed as far as credit and blame, right?

Johnson: If you could ever find one time that I said we won the game because of brilliant strategy I will kiss your butt at city dock and give you two days to draw a crowd. Find it and bring it to me. Tell that guy that if he wants to talk to me I live at (address given but deleted for the transcript) I will be right there. Come ring my doorbell and I will be glad to talk to him.

For those of you thinking I'm going to laud Coach Johnson for another fine and witty response, well, I'm not going to. Johnson has made quotes like this in the past but this is one of the few times I can remember that he seemed to get really defensive about the whole notion of how he does his job. It's not without reason, but in a way it seems to speak to where the team, and the program, are after last week's loss.

As for the question itself, I think the fan probably misinterpreted Paul Johnson's response after games. I think what he/she meant to say was that it seems like Johnson is not overly positive after a win in regards to praising individual players, and seems to come down on the whole lot after a loss. This is a much more accurate depiction of the post game scenario than the idea that Coach Johnson sits around and says that everyone sucks and he's the only thing going for the team. In fact, I would argue that's what a number of Navy fans do (myself NOT included.) The question at this point is irrelevant, and for the moment I'd like to address the reaciton to "the question" by Navy fans.

I think this blaming Bill Wagner stuff is nonsense. I've seen a number of Navy fans question why a veteran like Wagner would incur the wraith of Coach Johnson, to which I only say, "why not?" News flash, the guy is a reporter, he's not the Sports Information Director. I know we have a very supportive local media contingent, but what do you expect him to do, just go with the flow and be Paul Johnson's yes man? It doesn't matter if you think it was a stupid question, the point was that it elicited a response, and had it not been asked we wouldn't be sitting here talking about it. As Mr. Wagner said in a followup blog post, if the team is underperforming it's his job as a reporter to try to understand why that is. In hindsight, yes, he probably should not have asked that particular question, but that doesn't mean he should never ask a question not dissimilar to the one he asked. After all, it is his job.

Paul Johnson is who he is. He's an excellent coach and has a personality some people like and others don't. I guess the point I'm trying to get at here is that you can be someone who is uncomfortable with his personality without claiming that he's not doing a good job with the program. You should, as a fan, be able to say "I don't like the way Coach handled that question" without people accusing you of not understanding Navy football or Coach Johnson. Just so long as you recognize how successful Navy has been under Johnson and how he is the foundation for that success, you should be able to think whatever you want about his personality. And now, back to our regularly scheduled "what the hell is wrong with our defense" coverage.

BlogPoll Roundtable 3.0: Forget Me Not Edition

2007-09-17T22:00:00.000-04:00

Handicap your team's chances to win your conference championship. If your team is not the favorite, who is?
(Notre Dame bloggers, please use the following variation on the above: the over/under on wins in your next five games is being set at 1.5. Can you make a good case for the over? (Next five: vs Michigan State, at Purdue, at UCLA, vs Boston College, vs USC)

I love how this question is applicable for every blogger except me. It basically screams Navy football doesn’t matter. Nevertheless, I’ll take this opportunity at assessing Navy’s two main team goals, namely getting to bowl eligibility and winning the Commander in Chief’s trophy. As far as the former is concerned, I still believe that it’s a good possibility. Navy’s defense may be among the worst in the country, but the offense has proven that it can move the ball almost at will and with the likes of Duke, Delaware, Northern Illinois, Army, and North Texas on the schedule, six wins should be in range. As far as winning the CINC trophy, I really think Navy will have trouble with Air Force this year, if for no other reason then the aforementioned fact that we can’t stop anyone on defense. I’d love to say we should beat Air Force this year, but with the way we’re playing right now I just don’t know.

Outline the (realistic) best case and worst case scenarios for your team.

The defense finds some semblance of an identity and while not playing lights out, plays well enough to let the offense win games. Navy has a decent shot at winning the aforementioned games against the likes of Duke, Delaware, Northern Illinois, North Texas, and Army, and if the Midshipmen can avoid shooting themselves in the foot they should win all five of those games. In addition to these five wins, Navy does still have a shot against the likes of Air Force, Pittsburgh, and Notre Dame, and even Wake Forest. While pessimistically inclined Navy fans have written off beating the latter two, I think that it is plausible that Navy takes at least one of those games (most likely Air Force) and that it isn’t impossible for Navy to take two of those games, perhaps against a banged up Pitt team or an offensively inept Notre Dame team. Believe it or not, 7-5 or 8-4 are still within reach, although don’t mention it to most Navy fans, who’ll tell you you’re making unrealistic expectations for the team.

By the same token though, a worst case scenario is also possible, and maybe at this point more likely. Navy could very well drop the decision to Duke this Saturday if the defense can’t get itself in order, and go on to lose to an Air Force team that suddenly looks like one of the best in the conference. With the moral of both the Brigade and the team low, the team struggles to get back on track the rest of the season, and drops games against Notre Dame, Pitt, and Wake by large margins. While the Mids finish fairly strong against a weak schedule, it’s not unforeseeable that a team like North Texas could “upset” Navy, especially considering the way they are playing offensively. Like it or not, 4-8 and 5-7 are just a few bad games away.

We're only three games in to the season, but teams and storylines are starting to take shape. Compare your team to a character or theme from a fable or children's tale.

Definitely the mid 19th century children’s book Der Struwwelpeter by Heinrich Hoffman (the author, not the Nazi.) As Dwight Shrute reminds us in Season Two of the Office, this book of cautionary tales that his Grandmater used to read to him is not a complete waste of time to the modern reader. Just as the roving tailor guy cuts off the thumb of the kid who won’t stop sucking it, so do opposing offenses cut through Navy’s defense when the middle linebacker fails to line up the defense correctly, which happened on basically every play on Saturday.

Imagine you're the coach of your team. Give three specific changes you'd implement immediately which you think would have the biggest impact on improving the team.

1. Stop Blitzing Up the Middle- I’m in the minority here, but as soon as people realize that blitzing the middle linebacker isn’t going to get any more pressure on the quarterback the sooner they’ll realize that keeping that middle linebacker in the middle of the field takes away the easiest completion in the game and prevents the quarterback from scrambling for obnoxious amounts of yards.
2. Let Joey Bullen kick field goals- Harmon is usually a reliable kicker but Bullen has a “big” leg and has shown the ability to kick in the clutch, something I think we’re going to need as the season goes on. At least give Joey a shot is all.
3. Get the ball to the slots more- Ya’ll know what I’m saying.

USC, LSU/Florida, and Oklahoma have established themselves as the frontrunners in the early going. Which other team or teams are you eyeballing as potential BCS party crashers?
Boston College.

Even though I hate them, I think it’s conceivable that they go undefeated this year and dominate the conference. They’ve already beat a John Tentua defense everyone always goes all “OMG!” about, so playing at Virginia Tech shouldn’t be as big of a deal especially considering how opportunistic BC has been on defense and how not opportunistic VT has been on offense. Miami shmamy and FSU is always overrated anyway, so yes, I think BC wins the conference and could actually eyeball and undefeated season.