This is one聽of a series of in-depth previews of D.C. area Division I teams heading into the 2015 season. , and stay tuned for a Week 1 preview Friday.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The United States Naval Academy is all about tradition.
The pageantry. The knowledge that after four years of playing on the field, these young men will graduate to a different field where the stakes are of a different nature.聽Heisman winners Joe聽Bellino and Roger聽Staubach. Forty-plus years of playing the Washington Generals to Notre Dame. The Commander in Chief’s Trophy. The annual matchup with Army that might not mean much in the national rankings but ranks high in our nation’s hearts.
Navy’s tradition now includes the newest BCS conference 鈥� the American Athletic Conference (at least they didn’t pigeonhole themselves by tying it to an ocean or a number made void by expansion). Two of the Midshipmen’s league foes this fall 鈥� UConn聽and South Florida 鈥� had yet to join Division I-A when most of the players on the current Navy team were born.聽Tradition, indeed.
Shedding the program’s independent football status
For head coach Ken聽Niumatalolo, this was a necessary move forward in the 21st century where every school except Notre Dame, BYU and the United States Military Academy belongs to a league. In 1978, when Division I split into I-A and I-AA, there were 33 such schools.聽With new traditional opponents that hail from recruiting hotbeds in Florida, Texas and all over the south, the coach is pleased with Navy’s next step.
“What it adds is another goal for us,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hich makes us very excited, to have an opportunity to play for a conference championship.”
Thank goodness for the sake of tradition
Keenan Reynolds聽returns for his senior season. The quarterback is 993 yards away from breaking Napoleon McCallum’s career rushing record and stands six touchdown passes away from tying Bill Byrne’s career mark. After leading the聽Mids聽to a 23-14 career record, where does he want to improve? The senior wants to limit turnovers 鈥� as Navy lost 17 of 24 fumbles last fall.
鈥淓ighty-five percent of those turnovers were directly placed on my shoulders, my fault,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hether I was careless with ball-handling or pitches.”聽While he’s been more of a threat on the ground than in the air during his career, Reynolds is looking forward to improving as a passer this year as well.聽He has the perfect weapon in wide receiver聽Jamir聽Tillman, who led the team in catches and receiving yards as a sophomore.
鈥淗e’s very competitive,鈥� said Reynolds of his favorite target. 鈥淭hat’s one thing I really like about him. In practice, if we聽misconnect聽he comes back and we try to figure it out.聽That’s one of those intangibles that make him such a great player.”聽If the Mids are able to consistently threaten in the air, watch out AAC.
Consistency on defense
Navy coughed up 30 or more points聽seven times last fall.聽Defensive lineman Brandon聽Sarra聽knows that trading in the Texas States and Georgia聽Southerns聽for the聽SMU’s聽and ECU’s will be a challenge, as he told聽海角社区app.
“We lost five starters who played a ton of games for us. Two and聽three-year聽guys … even a聽four-year聽starter like Parish Gaines.”
The聽Mids聽also have to replace leading聽tackler聽Jordan Drake. Sarra聽and fellow senior Will Anthony are expected聽to make noise in the trenches this fall,聽while junior Brendon Clements will anchor the secondary.
A schedule upgrade, but a modest one
While the Midshipmen have upgraded from the聽VMI’s聽and Western聽Kentuckys,聽it’s not as though this is the SEC. The AAC ranks seventh in BCS conferences by RealTimeRPI.com 鈥� right behind the Mountain West.聽The Midshipmen’s preseason rating by that site is fourth-best in the league, trailing only Memphis, Cincinnati and聽UCF. Niumatalolo聽isn’t intimidated by the new scenery.
鈥淵ou know, we’ve played a lot of teams in the conference and we’ve played a lot of people,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t’s not like we were a high school and decided to come up and play.”
Case in point 鈥� Navy beat聽SMU聽in 2011, topped ECU in 2012 and edged Temple last year.聽Saturday’s game with Colgate is the first of an early season Annapolis run 鈥斅爁ive of their first seven games are at home. Sarra聽likes the opportunity
“We like playing at home. It’s always good to be in front of the fans. Navy Marine Corps is always rocking.”
This year’s senior class is 12-4 in Annapolis. More importantly, they’re 3-0 against Army.聽Tradition.
