Paul Johnson and the 'Signature Win'

I got to thinking about this the other day when, as is typical on a Sunday afternoon, I had very little to do. Knowing that it had been some time since I had written anything meaningful on the subject of Navy football, I began to try to brainstorm topics on which to post. One of the topics I came up with was in regards to a "signature win" during these last five seasons. The question I posed to myself was simple; Has Paul Johnson had a "signature win" while at the Naval Academy, and if so, what was it?

It's a relatively straightforward question, although I can certainly see some ambiguity with regards to what exactly constitutes a 'signature win.' A signature win, in my estimation anyway, should be one that defines both the coach and his program, and with some degree shows that the program has reached a level greater than it had previously obtained. But is that really all that defines a signature win, or do factors such as rivalries, TV exposure, and/or underdog status also affect whether a win constitutes a "signature win?"

For the purpose of this conversation, I've left this as a fairly open ended question, one in which I hope can be addressed by some of the readers. I've installed a new polling function on the side of this blog, so I encourage all our readers out there to take part in this poll, whether they be lifelong Navy fans or just casual observers. I've gone through all the games Navy has won during Paul Johnson's tenure, and narrowed it down to eight wins which I think a reasonable argument could be made for. I'm also open to the idea that there has not been a "signature win" during Johnson's tenure, or that I've missed the mark altogether and not even given mention to the win in my analysis. The nominees I've selected are as follows:

Navy breaks ten game losing streak with 58-12 drudging of Army (2002)

2002 was a tough year for Navy, which lost ten straight games after winning the opener against SMU. The 2002 Army-Navy game though was arguably the first time fans across the country got to see Johnson's triple option offense work to perfection, as the Midshipmen blew out the Black Knights in a game which was suppose to be much, much closer. This game set the tone for the 2003 season and arguably for the Navy teams to follow, and can't be discounted when talking about signature wins during the Paul Johnson era. It also raised a considerable amount of interest in the program, which had been doing so poorly over the past several years that many fans lost interest.

Navy Upsets 25th ranked Air Force at FedEx Field (2003)

Well, this is my pick, but don't let that deter you from voting for another game. I just think that when you consider the intensity of the rivalry and Air Force's dominance up to that point, the win at FedEx Field probably meant the most to the team, the program, and its fans during Johnson's tenure. This was a very good Falcon football team which actually finished the year at 7-5 but lost three games in overtime and could have been much better. The Mids may not have dominated this game, but this is still Navy's only win over a ranked opponent during Johnson's tenure here and stands as the turning point in the long and heated rivalry between the Academies.

Navy Destroys Central Michigan 63-34 on Senior Day (2003)

Craig Candeto led the offense on touchdown scoring drives on all of Navy's eight possessions, as the Midshipmen scored their largest point total during the Paul Johnson era. This game, more than any other, demonstrated the high scoring capacity of the flexbone offense and demonstrated Johnson's ability to put up "mad points" on the opposition. However, this game was not broadcast on TV (at least to my knowledge) and came against a Chippewas team which had only won one game all year against a I-A opponent.

Navy Beats Air Force on ESPN in Falcon Stadium (2004)

This was a greta exposure game, even though the Falcons weren't all that great. Sure it was played on a weeknight, but going into Falcon stadium the year after upsetting Air Force wasn't going to be easy, but the Mids managed to show Air Force and the country that Navy football was back and it was ready to stay.

Navy Annihilates Rutgers 54-21 on Senior Day (2004)

Once again, this was one of the most significant beatings a Paul Johnson coached team put on an opponent since he's been at the Academy. The Rutgers team in 2004 was actually not the bad, and Navy wowed Bowl committees by running all over the Scarlet Knights. Shorty after this game the Mids agreed to play in the Emerald Bowl and the rest, as they say, was history. Subsequent PhatPhelix highlight films made this game the stuff of legend, as Kyle Eckle literally ran through the entire Rutgers defense untouched as "Super Bon Bon" blared in the background.

Navy takes down New Mexico with "The Drive" (2004)

Paul Johnson and the Midshipmen had managed to earn a spot in the Houston Bowl the year before but came up short against Mike Leach's Red Raiders. With limited national TV exposure that year (the Notre Dame and Army games were the only games on national TV) most of the country was still unsure about the Midshipmen, and there was a prevailing idea (as there still is) that Navy could only beat really bad teams. Navy's offense showed the nation it could put up points, while the defense made a stirring goal line stand late in the game to prevent a comeback. The big story here was the famed 14+ minute drive which effectively killed the game, and has subsequently been refereed to as "pulling a New Mexico." This was also Navy's first Bowl win since 1996, and capped of a 10-2 season which saw the Mids rise to #24 in the final polls and saw Head Coach Paul Johnson win the Bobby Dodd coach of the year award.

Joey Bullen Makes it Three in a Row, lifting Navy over Air Force (2005)

I've argued the importance of this game in the past, and have stated that this was in many ways the "nail in the coffin" of Fischer DeBerry's run at Air Force. More than any other Navy win against Air Force over the past four years, this one was clearly the most demoralizing to the Falcons, and arguably turned Navy's season around after a 1-2 start in 2005. Paul Johnson's cool demeanour and confidence in his offense played out in the end, as Joey Bullen nailed a 47-yard field goal with under a second left to make it three straight against the Falcons. This win was not only a testament to both the will of Navy's players and the confidence of the Navy coaching staff, but also to the tremendous choke-job of Air Force's offense and to a certain extent, Shaun Carney.

Mids put up 51 against Colorado St. to win the Poinsettia Bowl (2005)

This was a prime time game on ESPN2 that seemed to really validate Paul Johnson's offense and the job which he had done at Navy over his tenure. Colorado State wasn't a superpower at 6-5 coming into this game, but they were the favorites and most people expected the Rams to easily dispatch of the Midshipmen. Of course that was total nonsense, and the Midshipmen, led by quarterback Lamar Owens, soon showed the nation just how good a well coached option offense could be. This game also made Reggie Campbell something of a household name to college football fans across the country, and brought an unprecedented amount of ESPN exposure to the Midshipmen that would resonate through 2006 and is expected to continue through 2007.

These are the games that most come to mind, although if you think there are others of merit, please let us know. Don't forget to vote in the poll to your right!

Non-BCS Question Edition: New Mexico State

I'm not a very popular person in Las Cruces. You see, earlier this year I rolled out my Top Ten Most Obscure Programs list, with New Mexico State and its woeful program coming in as the third most obscure program in the country. To this day I stand by this pick, and despite the clarification that Las Cruces is actually inside the United States and happens to be a burgeoning retirement community, the program remains mirrored in a cycle of losing. But things are looking up, as Hal Mumme's Air Raid offense returns with one of the best quarterback to wide receiver connections you've never actually heard of.

Past Question Editions: [Buffalo][Wyoming]



Is this Team Going to Play Defense or What?


That's really the million dollar question, as Head Coach Hal Mumme's offense should be good to go with quarterback Chase Holbrook back under center and All-WAC wide receiver Chris Williams (92 catches, 1425 yards) lining up as the Z receiver. The problem is that the defense couldn't stop much of anyone last season, giving up just over 30 points per game and generating almost no pass rush. Last year's 15 sack total was absolutely pathetic, and for the Aggie's to have any kind of success this year they are going to need ends Brandon McKinney and Maurice Murray to "get the man," as they say. The defense also to find a way to force more turnovers, which coincidentally, usually comes as a by-product of aggressive play and getting pressure in the backfield. Talent wise this unit is at the bottom of the pack for the entire country, so coordinator Woody Widenhofer certainly has his work cut out for him. With the returning experience you'd expect this unit to be better next season, but in a conference where offense is everything, it remains to be seen just how much better it can get.


Can New Mexico State's Offense Carry the Team?


So we've established that the defense returns nine people and should be better next season, but let's be honest, this team is still going to need to score a boatload of points to win games. Fortunately they only lose two players from the offense during the offseason, and return a plethora of wide receivers who've shown the propensity to put up some big numbers in the past. The aforementioned Chris Williams is a legitimate All-American candidate after leading the nation in catches and receiving yards last season, while both A.J. Harris and Derek Duboise recorded more than 50 catches and 750 yards last season. Tight End Nick Cleaver is a dangerous target as well, hauling in 50 balls for over 600 yards last season. Basically, this team is as "loaded" as any other high-octane offense in the conference. But don't be that surprised; This was, after all, the fourth best offense in terms of total yards (475/game) last season, and the second best in terms of pass yards (399/game.) One thing that the offense will need to improve on is turnovers, or rather the need to stop them. After all, it means relatively little to put up 534 total yards on Boise St. if you're going to lose by 12 points (which happened last season.)


Is Chase Holbrook just a "System Guy?"


I've followed enough college football in my day to realize that quarterbacks from Lubbock who throw for a billion yards in their careers usually aren't as talented as you would think. And while NMSU quarterback Chase Holbrook may not play for the Mad Man and his Red Raiders, the guy is originally from Lubbock. Mumme's Air Raid passing attack has always been tagged as being overly "system friendly," and aside from Tim Couch, none of his quarterbacks have ever really made it big. But then again, who am I to say Holbrook doesn't have ability, and as long as people are going to continue to say how amazingly great Colt Brennan is, I don't know if you can discount Holbrook.


Just for Fun: For a school with such little exposure and a history of playing at a rather low level, the Sports Information department here does a great job. The website is one of the better ones I've seen, while their are even highlight videos of last year's games to watch. Also, have you ever noticed the plethora of good quarterbacks with the name Chase? Also again, has anyone else noticed that the state of New Mexico is actually loaded with High School talent when you consider the relative small size of the population?


Adam's Take: This team has just as good a shot as any in the bottom of the WAC to make the move into the middle part of the conference, and when you consider the (relative) stability of the coaching staff and Mumme's ability to get the offense to score a million points, New Mexico St. could actually compete for a Bowl bid in 2007. I personally believe the team will come up short, and the win total will once again be padded by two games against FCS (I-AA) opponents. Yes the offense is explosive, but dammit this is the WAC we're talking about, teams are suppose to have an explosive offense. I look for the Aggies to win five or six games in 2007, but no more than 4 games against I-A competition.

Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day. There is little I can say that has not been said before, but let us never forget the service and sacrifice that all members of our nation's armed forces have given, both past and present. The photo above is of USMC 1st Lt. Ron Winchester, a former Navy football player from the Class of 2001 who was killed in action during combat operations in Iraq three years ago. Take some time today to think of Lt. Winchester, or of former Navy football players J.P. Blecksmith and Scott Zellem, and remember their lives and honor their sacrifice. My thoughts and prayers go out to their families, as well the families of all our service men and women who serve around the world in areas of danger. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and we will always remember the sacrifices of your fallen brothers and sisters.

And Now Back to Navy

I really apologize for the lack of content in regards to Navy football as of late. I know its been some time since I posted something of particular relevance, but there really hasn't been much to post recently. I will be making the yearly expedition down to the Magazine store on US 40 sometime this week to scout out some of the preseason publications, although the recently much-maligned Phil Steele guide probably won't be in stores until the first full week of June (It's been my experience that they come out a few days early.) Whatever the case may be, I'll buy whatever looks good, and have a full report of all the major publications. Until then we're all just going to have to sit tight, but keep in mind we're now under 100 days until the season opener at Temple.

On another note, congratulations and Godspeed to the United States Naval Academy Class of 2007. Not only has the class of 2007 returned the Naval Academy's football program to the forefront of Service Academy football, but the entire class of 2007 has distinguished itself and made citizens like myself incredibly grateful for their commitment to serving our great country.

Non-BCS Question Edition: Buffalo

Today we continue to take a look at the biggest questions facing non-BCS conference teams in 2007. Today we take a look at the University at Buffalo, which looks finally poised to overcome its title as one of the worst teams in I-A football.

Is Drew Willy Ready to Take the Next Step?

Junior Drew Willy may be the most experienced quarterback in the MAC, but he has had neither the stats nor wins to show for all his starts. He's also been bothered by several nagging injuries, including a hand injury which prevented him from playing the final four games of the 2006 season. Willy isn't anything special, and he's not likely to recall the great tradition of NFL-bound MAC quarterbacks, but he is the rock which Buffalo's offense is founded on. He's a competent passer and a good leader on the field, and with two years under his belt should be able to lead a more experienced offense to its best year in Buffalo's young I-A life. He flourished early in Turner Gill's new system, and I see the continued relationship between that quarterback minded Coach Gill and Willy as being nothing but beneficial to the entire team. He looks poised for a breakout year, at least, you know, as much as a University at Buffalo quarterback can have a breakout year.

Does Returning Experience = Will Be better?

As is the case in most circumstances, the returning experience on both sides of the ball should equate to more wins in 2007 for the Bulls, although perhaps not as dramatic as an effect as other, more established programs. The Bulls return 17 starters on both sides of the ball, including eight on the offense and nine on the defense. Four returning starters are back on the O-Line, as is last year's leading rusher, James Starks (2nd Team All-MAC), as well as the team's two top receivers. All this experience should help the Bulls match up favorably against some of the lesser teams in the MAC, but the overall talent here, while better than in past seasons, is still not to the point where the Bulls could make a run at the MAC title. I look for the Bulls to capitalize on the amount of experience returning, but with a challenging non-conference schedule I don't see the Bulls having a dramatic, turn-around season.

Can the Team Get the Ball to the Playmakers?

UB isn't exactly armed to the teeth with explosive playmakers on offense, but there are some players who, if utilized correctly, could make a big impact in 2007. One of the bigger keys to success will be how the offense utilizes wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt, who has good speed (4.56/40) and should be one of the focal points of the offense after spending time at quarterback last season. Sophomore James Sparks, a second team All-MAC running back last season, returns, as do wide receivers Terrance Breaux and Brett Hamlin, who both have started in the past. But for Drew Willy to get the ball to these players he's going to need ample protection, which could be easier said than done when you consider just how poor this offensive line played last season.

Just for Fun: While my first football game was actually at the Vet a few days before I was born (Army-Navy, of course) one of my earliest memories of actually being at a college football game came in what was then the brand-new UB Stadium. That was back when Buffalo was a I-A team, and I really can't remember anything but the game being played in a blinding snow storm. Go Figure.

Adam's Take: Don't let last year's one win total fool you, this program is making strides. Head Coach Turner Gill did a great job interjecting some life inside this program last season, and despite only winning one more game than in 2005, this was arguably the most competitive Buffalo team in its brief I-A history (scored the most points of any I-A Buffalo team.) Considering how young that team was was, it's not unreasonable to speculate that the wins will come this year, especially since a more veteran squad should win some of the close games they lost last season. While the team is still at the bottom of the barrel in terms of talent, the regression of many MAC teams over the past few seasons and the addition of Temple as a rival in the MAC East should also equate to more wins for the Bulls next season. I look for the offense to carry this team and the defense to struggle, but for the team to be much more competitive in conference play and win at least four games in 2007.

Non-BCS Question Edition: Wyoming

Today begins a new series at Pitch Right, one which I hope will continue with greater regularity than some of my past endeavours here. As many of you know, I am a ardent fan of "small-school" college football ranging from the Division III level on up, including Division I-A's non-BCS conference schools. Starting today and continuing through the summer, we'll take a semi-regular look at the questions facing various non-BCS conference schools heading into the 2007 season. Today we'll take a look at the darkhorse of the Mountain West Conference, the Wyoming Cowboys.

How Good is QB Karstan Sween?

Good enough to be a Honorable Mention Freshmen All-American last year. Sween took over midway though the fifth game against Syracuse last season and led the Pokes to a 5-2 record as a starter, with his only loses coming against TCU and BYU. Karstan was a very highly touted player coming out of High School (Rivals.com had him as their 23rd best Pro-Style QB his senior season) and with last year's experience under his belt should be even better in 2007. He's going to have to get the most out of an underachieving offense though, and cut down on the interceptions in order to lead this team to a Bowl game.

How will the Defense fare without John Wendling?

One of top defenders in the MWC, Safety John Wendling departs after leading the team in tackles the past few seasons. Wendling was an aggressive and smart player in the defensive backfield, but even without him Wyoming's defense, ranked 9th nationally last season, should still be in decent shape. That being said, the defense only returns five starters, including ILB Ward Dobbs, who was second on the team in tackles last year with 69 stops. He will be joined by seniors and last year's starters Luke Chase and Sean Claffey to form an experienced and talented linebacker corps that should be one of the best in the conference. Both starting cornerbacks are back, although both starting safeties depart. The biggest problem is that there is almost no experience on the defensive line, which will be the major area of concern heading into the 2007 season. I expect some drop off, but the unit is well coached and Wendling was mis-utilized as it was last season, so don't expect the defense to suddenly start giving up 400 yards a game.

Will Wyoming Upset Virginia in Week One?

Yes, they will. Playing at War Memorial Stadium is never an easy task for the opponents, especially for teams not used to the altitude. Depending on the source, War Memorial is usually touted as the highest I-A football stadium in the country in terms of elevation, although for some reason the USAFA's Falcon Stadium is sometimes given that honer. Whatever the case may be (I've never actually been to War memoral Stadium) you get the point, the place is high up there, and isn't easy to play in. Virginia is an average ACC team that barely held off a very young Wyoming team last season in overtime, and despite Al Groh's ability to make his team look better than it actually is, I smell upset here, if you can even call it that.


Just for Fun: Wyoming's away uniforms are some of the best looking in college football in you ask me, but the home combination of a brown shirt with yellow pants looks more like something you'd see in the stadium bathrooms than out on the field. I don't know whether these are "special" uniforms or what, but let me just say it's a good thing only 71 people in the country can pick up games from the Mtn, otherwise there would be a massive public outcry that would undercut the on-the-field potential of this program

Adam's Take: Wyoming was a solid team in 2006 that was on the losing end of some bad breaks early in the year which probably kept the Pokes out of a Bowl game. They lost by one point in overtime to Virginia and fell to Syracuse in two overtimes, and were narrowly edged by Boise St. and Air Force by a mere touchdown in each contest. While there are valid concerns on both the offensive and defensive lines, I look for last year's young skill position players, including rSo. Karstan Sween, to give the offense a boost after an anemic year. If the offense can work the ball into the hands of playmakers like Hoost Marsh, then the Cowboys should score more points in 2007, and despite the valuable loses on the defense, it's coached well enough not to regress too much after a stellar 2006. This team doesn't have enough talent to take down MWC heavyweights like TCU or BYU, but I see them winning seven or eight games in 2007 and playing in a Bowl game.

Some Random Points for May

ESPN.com is running through its post-spring previews, and featured the Independents the other day. The preview is dead on about the Midshipmen, and writer Mark Schlabach (who usually I don't care for) does a good job all around in running through the different teams. It should be interesting to see how Western Kentucky adjusts to I-A ball this year, especially with an opener at Florida.

Moving right along, it looks as though I forgot to link the latest depth chart, which can be found at NavySports.com. A number of players have either moved up or down on the defensive side of the ball, and some "ORs" have been added to indicate the closeness of two players in terms of ability. I for one don't invest a ton in these pre-fall camp depth charts, but it's something interesting to look at during a slow off-season.

As you can see from the depth chart, senior cornerback Greg Thrasher has moved back into a starting position, while sophomores Blake Carter and Jesse Iwuji seem to be in position to battle for the start at rover come fall. Ketric Buffin has been moved over to Left Corner for the time being, and will presumably compete for that starting job with incumbent Rashawn King. Michel Walsh is also listed ahead of Casey Hebert at the Right Defensive End position. Of course none of these positions can be presumed safe, and these players will continue to compete during fall camp for the starting spot come opening day at Temple.

Delaware

It has been an incredibly slow week as far as college football is concerned, and we've yet to get any official word on who the Navy team captains will be for the 2007 season (although there are plenty of rumors out there.)

There is an interesting tidbit I found in a recent article on The Sports Network, where FCS (they tell me that's the new name for I-AA) writer Matt Dougherty ranks the top potential upsets of I-AA teams over I-A teams for next season. He ranks Delaware's visit to Annapolis as his 7th Most Likely "Upset" over a non-BCS I-A foe, citing the Blue Hens' victory over Navy in 2003 as well some key transfers Delaware has received this year. The Blue Hens get some much needed talent and experience from the I-A ranks, including defensive lineman Ronald Talley from Notre Dame and running back Jerry Butler from Wisconsin.

There is no question the Blue Hens will be gunning for the Midshipmen, and after Navy's close-call last year against UMass, it's should not be hard to find motivation for this game. Delaware is a perennial contender in what was the Atlantic 10 (now CAA for football) and after a down year should be back to their power status.

Just something to mull over on a slow day.

Navy Offers Dublin ATH Trey Fairchild

...via GoMids.com

The Naval Academy has offered Dublin Coffman (Oh) WR/ATH Trey Fairchild a football scholarship. Fairchild is currently a junior at the renowned Ohio high school, which some of you may remember was Brady Quinn's Alma mater. Fairchild is a 6'0, 180-lb wide receiver/ATH who boasts a reported 4.36/40 and a 3.7 GPA is the classroom. Navy is the fourth I-A school which has offered Fairchild, who also holds offers from Duke, Syracuse, and Ball State.

Scouts Inc. had the following to say about Trey (with several typos that I had to correct for them...):

He possesses excellent quickness and good overall play speed. He shows a burst and 2nd gear to go get the ball vertically. He is quick off the snap and can get on top of the corner quickly. There are more players at the WR spot who are more sudden and explosive, but this guy just makes plays and he lulls defenders to sleep because it is tough for them to judge what type of speed he has. He can be a little rigid in his movements sometimes, but you love his instincts and ability to come up with the big play. This is the type of player coaches want on their team because he is so reliable and he will make the clutch play. Good overall prospect with upside to surprise down the road.

And now, to the highlight film...



Best of luck with your senior year Trey!

"Dude, that is sick"

As promised last week, Navy linebacker David Mahoney sent me a message earlier today letting us know that the highlight film of his career was ready. I'll refrain from any needless commentary, but as the kids say, "Dude, that is sick." Enjoy.

Matt Hall Highlight Reel

One of the best plays of the 2006 season came as Navy was struggling against I-AA UMass in week two. After failing to do much of anything on offense early in the game, the Midshipmen got a huge contribution by way of senior fullback Matt Hall, who had been relegated to a backup role after the emergence of Adam Ballard the previous season. Hall however took advantage of his opportunity in the second quarter, and sparked the Midshipmen with a 53-yard touchdown run in which he broke numerous tackles to tie the game at 14 and put Navy back into the game.

So why the trip down memory lane? Well, because I've recently learned Matt has produced a highlight video of his career, with the touchdown run against UMass taking center stage. While I may not be the biggest fan of the highlight film's choice of music, it's really an excellent production that showcases one of Navy's biggest playmakers over the past two seasons. Thanks for the memories Matt!



On a related note, former Navy linebacker and all around backfield havoc-maker David Mahoney has let me know that he too is working on a highlight video, and will have it up shortly on You Tube. I'll be sure to post it when it becomes available online, but needless to say I can't wait to see it!

CFN Previews Navy's 2007 Campaign

Well, it's that time of year again. Collegefootballnews.com, the only 365(ish) day-a-year college football website not run by the World Wide Leader, has released its 2007 preview of the Navy Midshipmen. The preview is really not that bad, as the folks at CFN seem to have finally come around to the idea that Navy is a legitimate Bowl team, and that as long as Paul Johnson is at the helm, the Mids are "here to stay" so to speak in the world of college football. There are, however, some interesting comments made by writer Pete Fiutak, who doesn't seem to lack a solid grasp on the backup personnel on this team. That's not really surprising, and I don't hold Mr. Fiutak particularly responsible for several of these misconceptions, since, let's face it, the guy is doing previews for 119 teams. Still, let me address these issues, and try to establish some clarity.


The attention given to Navy's slotbacks is admirable and warranted, but I think sometimes the "big media" loses sight of just how important the offensive line and receivers are in order to produce those huge lanes for the slotbacks to take advantage of. I'm not questioning the speed or athleticism of a Reggie Campbell or a Shun White, and I'll be the first to attest that both of those individuals, along with Zerb Singleton, have the ability to make guys miss in the open field and to outrun opposing defenses. Yet without good execution beginning with the QB-FB mesh, and moving to the outside, these gains would be impossible.


This leads to perhaps my biggest disagreement with the article, which gives the Midshipmen receivers a grade of 3.5. O.J. Washington and Tyree Barnes may not be Jeff Samardzija and Rhema McKnight, but they both do a solid job in stalk blocking and are athletic enough to make plays when Navy does decide to throw the ball. As mentioned before, Greg Sudderth also has a chance to be a real productive receiver in both the blocking and receiving facets of the game, and I liked how the article made mention of his athletic ability. The receivers do, generally, a good job in what they are suppose to do, and can only be as effective in the passing game as the quarterback allows them to be. After all, how many times did we see O.J. or Jason Tomlinson streak wide open down the field last year, only to be overthrown? To be perfectly honest, I think our wideouts are better than people think, although I do agree that depth is something of an issue. For what it's worth, I give this unit a grade of a 6.


Mr. Fiutak makes another questionable point with FB Eric Kettani, who he says isn't "near the talent Ballard is." While everyone knows I'm a huge Adam Ballard fan, Mr. Fiutak obviously misses the mark with Kettani, who coach Johnson believes will continue to give Ballard a run for his money during the fall practice sessions. Kettani is an explosive runner with great hips and tremendous vision, and plays with good pad level which allows him to bounce off tacklex at will. While Mr. Fiutak calls backup fullback the weakness of this team, I have to think its actually a major strength, and would venture to say that even the third string fullback, Kevin Campbell, has a real upside as well. Furthermore, Mr. Fiutak overestimates the role of Matt Hall, who was really being phased out as a backup for Kettnai midway trough the year due to fumbling problems. And while Ballard should have a monster year, I think Kettani has more NFL potential, if only because he fits the mold of a a pro set "running back" better than Ballard.


Other than those points, like I said I think Mr. Fituak did a very good job. He seems right to draw the success/fail mark at around eight wins, and points out (as he's done in the past) that the most important game of the season really comes in the October matchup against Air Force. Unfortunately this will most likely be the only Navy preview out for some time, until the summer guides come out sometime in June (including the all important Phil Steele magazine.)

Spring Game Report

The sun was shining on Saturday afternoon in Annapolis, Maryland, as Navy’s Blue team bested the Gold team in the intrasquad matchup at Navy-Marine Crops Memorial Stadium in front of, well, I’d say a few hundred folks, give or take. And while the game was more of a reward for the hard work of the past month or so, for what it’s worth I took some notes, and have recorded my impressions below.

I guess I’ll begin with the quarterbacks, since that’s where these reports usually start out. Both Kaipo-Noa and Troy Goss sat out, which made for an interesting matchup between Jarod Bryant on the Blue team and Greg Zingler on the Gold team. Both however, were marked with a degree of inconsistency, although one would think Zingler was much more inconsistent than Bryant. Jarod made some good throws, including the game’s only touchdown, going 9-15 for 135 yards on the day. As noted before, Bryant has really improved in the running the option, although he did make a few mistakes in the scrimmage, including a fumbled exchange and a couple of poor pitches. With all the talk about his arm strength, I think we as fans underestimate his athletic ability, and a performance like the one he had today reminds us that when it comes to eluding tacklers, Jarod is second to none on this team. He shows good quickness at hitting the hole, and really impressed me with his ball fakes and head fakes. His reads were shaky at times, and I thought he could have gone to the fullback more when the defense walked people up from the ends. While he’ll get another chance to challenge Kaipo during fall practice, he’s a solid number two quarterback for the time being. Zingler was, well, up and down. I thought when he threw the ball well his receivers failed to make plays, and when he threw the ball poorly bad things happened (five picks, although one was clearly not his fault.) He did not get a ton of help from the Gold team offensive line, but than again he held onto the football way too long at times and was unable to avoid sacks.

The fullbacks, as you can expect, played well as usual, although Adam Ballard left the game in the second quarter with a limp. Eric Kettani continued to impress, bouncing off tackles and picking his way through the Blue defense for. Kevin Campbell also did well, rushing for. 35 yards on 1 carries.

At the risk of making a statement much too broad, Reggie Campbell really seems like he’s on another planet in terms of pure, unadulterated athletic ability. Maybe it’s the fact that he out-jumped Jeff Deliz (who happens to be five inches taller than Reggie) on a pass downfield, or maybe it’s the fact that he simply eludes tackles at will, but the guy is special. He did not see a ton of time in the game, but, as always, he was electric whenever he touched the ball. Zerb Singleton played well in limited time as well, and Jon Forbes showed some good moves.

I was very much impressed with Greg Sudderth, who looks much more comfortable as a receiver than he did at defensive back. Sudderth showed us all why he was so highly touted out of High School during the Blue-Gold game, getting separation downfield and picking up tough yards after the catch. I think he’s going to solidify his spot as the team’s third receiver, and could even push an often injured Tyree Barnes for playing time in the fall. He certainly has the big-play potential in the receiving department, and is showing himself to be a decent downfield blocker.

Speaking of wide receivers, how about O.J. Washington? He nearly makes a great catch on the first play of the day, and avoided the obvious drops that plagued many of the backup wideouts. We all know he’s excellent blocker, but the strides he’s made in the receiving facet of his game have really come alive. He is clearly the number one guy at receiver, and is probably one of the only “sure things” on the offensive depth chart.

As mentioned before, the other wideouts played somewhat inconsistently. Nick Henderson did show the ability to create separation, but also fell down on a route which led to a pick. The blocking by the receivers could also improve as well/

Both teams showed a couple of different looks in the defensive backfield, and despite having a fairly quiet day, FS Jeff Deliz has probably earned the starting job with a solid overall spring. 5-7 Darius Terry showed some ability at corner with an interception, as did rising senior Jordan Reagan. I’m really high on Reagan, who is also one of the fastest players on the team. He’s a smart player with good athleticism who also shows the ability to come off the edge on blitzes. He recorded one interception in the game, and has put himself in a position to further challenge for playing time this fall.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of watching the game was the battle that was going on between NT Nate Frazier and C Antron Harper. And when I say battle, I’m not exaggerating. These guys have gone after it all spring, with the 5-11 Harper really taking it to the highly touted 6-3 Frazier. Frazier made some good plays in the backfield as the game progressed, but you could really see him having problems with Harper early, even when the converted center was isolated on him. This is great news for both players, who will instrumental on their respected parts of the line next year.

The play between the “O” and “D” lines was, in my estimation anyway, very back and forth. I guess that’s what you can expect in a game like this, which Johnson has continually said was “just for fun.” Still, the offensive lines on both teams committed several penalties, including some silly false starts that must be corrected.

At linebacker, Clint Sovie continued to distinguish himself, as did Jon Alvarado, who shows a real ability to read plays and come off of blocks. He finished the day with 13 tackles and two sacks. Matt Humiston was also impressive, and has the athletic ability necessary to anchor the outside linebacker position. Jesse Iwuji, Scott Reider, and Arti Pauls all made some eye-opening hits, as did Ross Pospisil, who had eight tackles and two sacks.

Overall, it was a good day to get out and watch a little football, and considering the team avoided any major injuries, a good day in the development of this particular team.

I’ll be back later to share more thoughts on both the Spring Game and Spring Practices in general. Until then you can read the official release of the game from Navysports.com or head over for continued coverage at GoMids.com.

Navy Spring Practice Update: 4/16

Paul Johnson Quote of the Week:
"My job is to try and win games. I will let the marketing department sell the tickets. "

Disturbing Fan House Post of the Week:
Navy's Bowl Invite Another Example of Broken Bowl System

I admire Bill as a blogger and have worked with him in the past before, but I'm really not sure where he's going with this. First off, I can't figure out what he's actually trying to say. It sounds like he's saying Navy's recent agreement with the P-Bowl is just another example of how money has come to dominate college football, and how teams that travel well get priority in Bowl games. Ok, fair enough, what else is new? The thing is he also seems to say Navy doesn't deserve to play in a Bowl game, which is nonsense. Sure, the Mids may take away a "spot" from a lesser BCS conference team, but so do many other non-BCS teams. How many 6-6, Bowl eligible teams missed out on a Bowl last year? One, two? All I can think of is Wyoming, and they can complain to the folks at the New Mexico Bowl, since 6-6 UNM had no business in a Bowl game after getting defeated soundly by Portland St. Furthermore, Bill attempts to make the connection between Navy playing in the P-Bowl and the inability of the NCAA to ever form a playoff. I don't even know how to respond to this, because the subjects seem completely apart.

The Skinny:

Navy held its first spring scrimmage on April 8th, although I was unfortunately not present. To risk maybe making a few mistakes or omissions based on my absence, I'll nevertheless try my best to run through some of the highlights. The actual report can be found at Navysports.com.

As you can expect, the offense (in particular the first string) continues to have an advantage over the defense, which makes sense when you consider the disparity in experience that exists between the units. The offense scored seven times out of seventeen possessions in total, including two touchdowns by the first team offense in six attempts. Both incumbent Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada and challenger Jarod Bryant led the first team offense to a score, while third string quarterback and former North Carolina "Mr. Football" Troy Goss was unable to direct a scoring drive on two attempts. As the official transcript reports, the second team offense scored three out of five times on the second team defense, while the third team "O," led by Severna Park native Greg Zingler, scored on two of its three possessions against the third team defense.

The second scrimmage of the year, held yesterday morning, was much more balanced, and saw a strong performance by the much-maligned defense. The first team offense scored only twice in eleven tries, as the first team defense forced two turnovers, including two interceptions by rising junior Clint Sovie. Sovie is a player I and many other fans are very high on, as he combines great athletic ability with the hard nosed playing style we've come to expect from Naval Academy linebackers. Nate Frazier is also showing some ability, and while he's struggled against Antron Harper during the scrimmages, he's proven that when he can get his 6-3, 285-lb frame in the backfield he can cause some serious havoc. Jeff Deliz has continued to post solid performances in the secondary, and probably will go into the fall as the starting free safety. Linebacker Jon Alvarado has also played well, and has shown a great nose for the ball thus far.

While the defense played better in Saturday's performance, the offense struggled with a host of turnovers. Quarterback Kaipo-Noa still has a solid hold on the starting job, but shows he still has a lot of room for improvement after throwing two horrible interceptions to Clint Sovie. Jarod Bryant has gotten better on making his option reads and also thrown some good balls, but still displays the inconstancy to make smart plays all the time. While the interception wasn't necessarily his fault, he needs to do a better job of holding onto the ball, something he struggled with last year and continues to struggle with. I think by this point Troy Goss has probably taken himself out of the race for the starting job, and may very well end up being moved back to wideout to try to get him more time on the field. Severna Park native and fourth string quarterback Greg Zingler has looked impressive in his handling of the third team defense, and has many Navy fans intrigued at his ability to lead this team a couple of years down the road.

As expected, Navy's group of slotbacks and fullbacks looks very good early, even though a number of the slotbacks have been sitting out due to injury. Eric Kettani continues to impress with his explosive, aggressive style of running, while a not quite fully healthy Adam Ballard has still shown off his rumbling, hard-nosed style. Rising sophomore Kevin Campbell has looked good as well. As far as the slotbacks are concerned, both Bobby Doyle and Jon Forbes has looked good during their reps, although Reggie Campbell, Shun White, and Zerb Singleton are all but "penciled in" as the starters.

You can read the official transcript of the second scrimmage right here, and don't forget to stop by Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium next Saturday for the annual Blue and Gold game.

Happy Easter and Other Stuff

First off, Happy Easter. As you know by now, the Navy Midshipmen conducted their first spring scrimmage this morning. Unfortunately I am in Denver at the moment, so i was unable to get the inside scoop on what went down during a surprisingly cold morning. I will be away until Thursday, so no weekly report until then. Here are some links of interest that popped up in the 15 minutes or so i was online today...

Mids are Focused up Front (Annapolis Capital)
Scrimmage Report (Navysports.com)
GoMids.com Report

I'll be back later this week to give some commentary, which i realize this site has been sorely lacking in recent weeks. Please remember the Reason for the season and have a blessed Easter.

-Adam

Navy Football Spring Practice: The Week that Was 3/31

Quote of the Week:
"They are freaking awful" - Navy HC Paul Johnson, on his entire team, but specifically his defense.

The Skinny:
It's been about what you would expect from the first week of spring practices at the Naval Academy. Paul Johnson has been critical of his entire team as usual (which he should be) while the local papers have been setting the scene for a 2007 season which figures to see an explosive offense but a rather "green" defense. Much of the talk in the papers seems to be about incoming defensive back Corey Johnson, who traded in three years on the hardwood with the Mids for a final chance to play football. Johnson, a 6'2 192-lb defender from Indiana, received several partial scholarships to play football out of High School, and according to Coach Johnson "has a chance" to see playing time in 2007. You can read more about Corey here and here.

Speaking of Coach Johnson, it seems as though he is really high on Antron Harper at center. Careful observers of his media transcripts will note he seems to indicate Antron is the only bright spot on his roster on daily basis. Just take a look at the latest presser, where Johnson indicates the only player he saw doing well was Antron. This could mean one of three things in my estimation. 1) Someone might just as well hand Antron the Remington trophy right now, 2) The defense must really suck, or 3) Coach Johnson spends 98% of practices watching Antron. Take your pick based on your own preference, but I'll take the optimistic route and say we are set at center for 2007.

Overall, Johnson seems to be content with where the first team offense stands. That makes sense considering the Mids are returning basically all their skill players from the Nation's top-ranked rushing team, and are fairly solid up front on the O-Line. However, he does seem very displeased with the defense, which he described as playing "with their pads too high" and playing with "not much intensity." Considering the Mids have to replace their entire defensive line from last year and half their linebacker corps, this is not exactly unexpected. I'll have more on this next week, after I speak with a High school coach I know who went to observe practice this past week.

Hey, is anyone else as excited as I am to watch the fullback position this spring? Incumbent Adam Ballard (792 rush yards last year) returns after a season ending injury late last year, while challenger Eric Kettani seems poised to push for even more playing time. Johnson was very high on Kettani, who he declared a "physical specimen" in his presser last weekend. Kettani, who at 231-lbs runs a sub 4.6/40 and benches 400-lbs, came on strong in limited time last year due to Ballard's injury, showcasing good cutting ability and great hips. Coach Johnson has indicated both of these fullbacks could see playing time in 2007, although I'll go on record of saying I think Ballard is going to have a HUGE year next season, and not just because he enjoyed all the publicity I threw his way last season on the Fan House.

Oh yea, speaking of 40 times. I think we are all learning a valuable lesson in that football players are never as fast as they say they are. Coach Johnson indicated he has three guys who ran sub 4.6/40's, although pointed often to the discrepancy of times based on running conditions and human subjectivity. Apparently, in the "magic gym" we have a plethora of people who runs in the 4.5 range. Those of you who have been following the combine know that even some of the best college football stars run in the 4.6's, including former USC receiver Dwayne Jarrett, who ran a 4.67/40 and still is considering a late first round/low second round pick. I'm not losing any sleep over these kinds of things though. This is a fast team at what it does, and as long as the offense is executing efficiently I could care less if they ran 4.8's.

Kaipo-Noa is still ahead of Jarod Bryant as far as QB is concerned. He did some good things this week according to Johnson, but when you consider the cats of players around him compared to what the first string defense is looking like, this shouldn't come as a huge shock.

Lastly, this blog is still alive, despite being relatively inactive for periods of up to a week. I'm really very sorry, but I happen to be in the middle of an athletic season and its tough for me to update happenings on a nightly basis. So for the remainder of the spring I'll shoot for a mid-week update and a big Saturday recap like I did today. (Photo from NavySports.com)

Newspaper Coverage:
Last Year's Starters Not Safe At Navy (Washington Times)
At Navy, Johnson Issues Call to Action To Young Defense (Baltimore Sun)
Offense Starting Quickley for Mids (Washington Times)
Navy Like to Take Fresh Spring Tack (Annapolis Capital)

Three Defensive Players to Watch This Spring

DL Nate Frazier : For as valiant of a job that John Chan, Tye Adams, and David Wright did last year in Navy's 3-4 scheme, the reality was that they just didn't fit the mold of the the kind of linemen you need in that kind of defense. While their grit and determination helped give Navy a respectable rush defense, it was apparent against teams like Notre Dame that stopping the run and getting pressure on the quarterback were increasingly difficult. At 6'3, 285 Frazier is, physically at least, a grown man. But he's more then just a really big dude down on the line, as he combines great speed for his side with excellent strength. Consider for a second that while at prep school at Wyoming Seminary Frazier actually played lacrosse. No, that's not a typo, the guy played LAX! If that's not athleticism for his size, I don't know what is. Frazier goes into the spring as the starter at nose guard, and if he can show two-gap potential in practices, this could end up being much better Navy defensive line then people expect.

CB Blake Carter- We've been hearing a lot about Blake Carter ever since the freshmen from Stillwater, Oklahoma impressed the coaching staff last year during fall practices. As a freshmen he cracked the three deep, which is very difficult to do at a Service Academy. This year he'll be asked to step in and compete for a starting job at cornerback after the departure of two year starter Keenan Little, and if the buzz around fan circles in accurate, he should be able to do so. Yet even for all the hype building around the 5-11, 184-lb corner, he's still relatively untested on the field, seeing only mop-up duty and special teams work. He doesn't need to be a lights out, shut-down corner, but he does need to prove he can be a regular player with the potential to improve. He should be pushed by senior Greg Thrasher, who himself needs to prove he's fully returned to form after a year off from football.

OLB Matt Humiston- I was actually going to include OLB Matt Wimsatt here, but since Wimsatt will be sitting out this spring due to injury, I thought it apt to go with the other main contender at OLB. Humistan's a good athlete who played defensive back in High School, and has the versatility you like to see from a Navy outside linebacker. While he isn't likely to make anyone forget about Dave Mahoney (and who can, really?) he should be able to step into the defense and come out of spring as the starter. He will however be challenged by several young and very talented players, including Ian Meredith, Ross Pospisil, and perhaps Bayard Roberts.

Other to Watch: CB Greg Thrasher, OLB Matt Humistan, LB Ross Pospisil, LB Ian Meredith, DL Bayard Roberts, OLB Dell Robinson.

Position Changes

Not sure if anyone else noticed this, but the official roster seems to indicate some interesting position changes that have taken place within the past month or two. Here's a few that stood out to me:

Michael Walsh from LB to DE
Luke Lagera from SB to S
Dell Robsinson from DB to OLB

I've probably misses several others, but like I said, these are just the ones that stood out to me for whatever reason. I would guess Lagera's switch is partially due to his size. He's now listed at 5'9, which is larger then the 5'7 he came in at. Navy's depth at slotback was probably also a contributing factor, although I'm not sure if Lagera played any safety in High School. Dell Robinson's switch is interesting too because he's a guy who spent a couple of years in the defensive backfield. My guess is Coach Johnson is trying to put him in a situation where he'll be more apt to compete for playing time. Remember Johnson was thinking about using Miles as an OLB until the New Jersey native transferred to UMass, so we could be seeing that kind of experimentation with Robinson. These kinds of position changes come and go, so I wouldn't get to worked up over any change. The real fun comes during spring practice, where I'm sure these guys and many more will be moving around back and forth all over the place.

Three Offensive Players to Watch this Spring

Let's look beyond the obvious starters for 2007 and take a look at some players who could come out of left field to give significant contributions to the offense. Here are three players in particular I would keep my eye on going into Spring practices.

QB Jarod Bryant- Since most eyes will be focused on the impending quarterback competition, I thought starting out with Alabama's former Mr. Football would be fitting. While as fans we obviously support whoever gives the team the best chance to win, you can't help but like the rising junior from the famed Hoover High program (on a side note, hats off to Jarod, who spearheaded the football teams efforts to bring toys to an orphanage in Liberia.) While Kaipo-Noa started the last six games of last year and had good success, Coach Johnson has made it clear that he's not just going to hand the keys to Hawaiian without first giving Bryant (or even Troy Goss for that matter) a chance. Jarod has a good arm by Navy quarterback standards, and despite his size (5'11) sees the field well and understands where his targets are. He's an athletic player who has the ability to make people miss in the open field, but needs to show better understanding of running the option if he is to overtake Kaipo. After two years in the system he's had time to catch up with Kaipo's preexisting knowledge of the offense, which gives him an excellent chance to compete for the starting job. Remember, JB was recruited as a defensive back for Auburn, so he has the ability to play a variety of positions if he can't win the job.

SB Greg Shinego - It seems like every year Navy returns a talented and veteran group of slotbacks, with this year being no exception. With Reggie Campbell, Shun White, and Zerbin Singleton all coming back the unit is primed for success, and with several highly touted younger players coming up should be set for a few years to come. One of those players is Greg Shinego, a 5-9 speedster out of Port St. Lucie, Florida who saw limited action in mop-up duty last year. As it stands right now Shingeo is in position to win the job as the fourth slotback, which means the difference between contributing on a regular basis and watching from the sideline. If Shingeo can show he's a solid blocker there is no reason why he shouldn't be able to show off his athleticism on the field in '07.

WR Greg Sudderth- Despite the sudden departure of freshmen safety Jeromey Miles in January, Coach Johnson doesn't appear intent on switching Sudderth back to safety from wide receiver. You may recall Sudderth saw action at Safety in 2005 and early in 2006, but was moved to wide receiver last October after his job was overtaken by several talented newcomers. Sudderth is that rare kind of athlete who chooses USNA over several BCS conference schools, but to date he has not lived up to the hype he generated as an incoming recruit. Still, he has excellent size (6'2, 203) and good speed, and now that he's finally clear of some nagging injuries and focused on getting better at wide receiver, there is no reason he shouldn't at least compete for playing time. The biggest obstacle for Sudderth will be Navy's growing depth at wide receiver, where returning starter OJ Washington and veteran Tyree Barnes have all but locked up next year's starting spots. Add in Curtis Sharp and possibly Troy Goss, and you've got a very interesting position battle to watch this spring.

Others to Watch: John Forbes, Ben Gabbard, Eric Kettani, Bobby Doyle, Scott Oswald, Ryan Burke.

Spring Prospectus Up...

...At the Official Site. Good read, especially if your not a huge college basketball fan.