10/22/2001 - Football
Navy Football Release
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Mids Look For First Win
The Navy Midshipmen (0-6) travel to Toledo, Ohio, to take on the Toledo Rockets (5-1) Saturday night at the Glass Bowl. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
Navy is coming off a 23-17 loss at Rutgers, while Toledo was upset at Ball State last Saturday, 24-20. The loss knocked Toledo out of the top 25.
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on the 10-station Navy Radio Network, including 1360 WWLG in Baltimore, 630 WMAL in Washington and 1430 WNAV in Annapolis. You can also hear the broadcast live on the internet at events.yahoo.com/Sports_Events/College/, www.wnav.com or on www.wmal.com(.) Bob Socci will call the play-by-play and former Green Bay Packer General Manager Ron Wolf will handle the color commentary.
Injuries
Starting defensive tackle Matt Berger (Sr./Roanoke, Va.) is out with an MCL tear in his left knee. Starting linebacker Jake Bowen (Sr./Asheville, N.C.) is out with a sprained left foot. Starting fullback Bryce McDonald (Jr./Springfield, Mo.) is out with a broken right hand and a sprained left ankle. Backup fullback Raheem Lambert (Sr./Riverside, Calif.) is out with a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee.
Series History
Navy and Toledo have split their first-two meetings, with both teams winning on the road. Navy won in its only trip to the Glass Bowl, 14-10, in 1990, while the Rockets won last year in Annapolis, 35-14.
Game-By-Game Scores
1990 Navy 14-10 Toledo, Ohio
2000 Toledo 14-35 Annapolis, Md.
Scouting Toledo
The Rockets were ranked in the top 25 until their stunning loss at Ball State last Saturday, 24-20. Toledo was impressive early in the year, blowing out Minnesota (38-7), Temple (33-7), Central Michigan (52-38) and Northern Illinois (41-20).
The Toledo offense is led by tailback Chester Taylor and quarterback Tavares Bolden. Taylor has rushed for 656 yards and 13 touchdowns on the year (No. 1 in the country in scoring, averaging 15.0 points per game), while Bolden has completed 124 of his 164 passes for 1,427 yards. He has thrown nine touchdown passes and five interceptions. Bolden's favorite targets are Donta Greene (25 catches for 277 yards) and Carl Ford (25 catches for 356 yards and one touchdown). Toledo is averaging 211.2 yards per game on the ground and 241.8 yards through the air. The Rockets are ninth in the country in scoring offense (38.67).
The Toledo defense is led by linebacker Tom Ward, who has recorded a team-high 68 tackles. David Bockmore has a team-high 11 tackles for a loss and six sacks, while Corey Morris has intercepted three passes. Toledo is giving up 76 yards per game on the ground, which is the ninth-best rush defense in the country, and 194.2 yards per game through the air. The Rockets are giving up 270.17 yards of total offense per game, which ranks eighth in the country.
Toledo-Navy Connection
Toledo head coach Tom Amstutz was the outside linebackers coach at Navy from 1987-89 under then head coach Elliot Uzelac. Navy is the only other school Amstutz has coached at outside of Toledo, as he was an assistant coach for the Rockets from 1977-86 and again from 1990-2000 before taking over the head coaching reigns.
Second-Half Rally Comes Up Short
Rutgers jumped out to a 20-0 halftime lead and then hung on to defeat Navy, 23-17, in front of a Homecoming crowd of 29,101.
The Scarlet Knights drove right down the field on their opening drive, marching 69 yards on just four plays. Freshman quarterback Ryan Cubit hit L.J. Smith with a 24-yard touchdown pass to give Rutgers a 7-0 lead. Rutgers made it 14-0 with 4:09 left in the first quarter when Cubit hit Aaron Martin with a 91-yard touchdown pass. Rutgers looked like it was going to put the game away in the first half when Cubit hit Martin with an 80-yard touchdown pass.
The Navy offense moved the ball in the first half, but found ways not to score. On the Mids' first drive of the game, Brian Madden (Sr./Lawton, Okla.) hit Chandler Sims (Jr./Oklahoma City, Okla.) with a nine-yard pass that would have been good enough for a first down, but Sims fumbled the ball and Rutgers recovered it.
Late in the first quarter, Navy had the ball first and goal at the five, but a bad pitch by Madden went off the hands of Gene Reese (Jr./Jacksonville, Fla) and was recovered by the Scarlet Knights.
On Navy's next possession, the Mids had the ball first-and-goal at the Rutgers seven-yard line, but came away with no points when David Hills (Sr./Latham, N.Y.) missed a 22-yard field goal, his first miss of the year.
Rutgers looked like it was going to put the finishing touches on an easy win on the first drive of the second half, driving from its own 23 down to the Navy 23. But on third down, Dan Person (Jr./Havertown, Pa.) made a great play, leaping in the air and picking off Cubit's pass.
The interception seemed to inspire the Mids, as four plays later Navy put the ball in the end zone as Madden threw a perfect pass to Jeff Gaddy (Sr./Charlotte, N.C.) from 13 yards out. Gaddy made the catch despite being interfered with.
The Mids had a golden opportunity to put seven on the board at the end of the third quarter, but could only score three as the red zone offense faltered once again. On third-and-two from the Rutgers six, the Scarlet Knight defense swarmed all over the option play, as the Mids lost four yards and had to settle for a Hills 27-yard field goal.
The defense got the ball right back for the offense, as Eric Severson (Sr./Anaheim, Calif.) recovere a Cubit fumble at the Navy three-yard line.
It took the Mids three plays to score from the three, but Marlon Terrell (Sr./Dallas, Texas) scored his first rushing touchdown of the year from one-yard out to cut the score to 20-17.
The Navy defense continued to shut down the Scarlet Knight offense, but Navy never threatened the rest of the way as the offense did not record a first down in its last-three possessions.
Madden led Navy with 128 yards rushing, while Terrell rushed for a career-high 79 yards. Madden completed nine of his 22 passes for 125 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Gaddy had two catches for 40 yards and one touchdown.
Lenter Thomas (Jr./Eagle Lake, Texas), Dustin Elliott (Fr./New Castle, Pa.), Eddie Carthan (So./Donalsville, Ga.) and Eli Sanders (So./Hartsville, Tenn.) led Navy with six tackles apiece.
Navy-Rutgers Notes
Navy has lost 16 of its last 17 contests ... the Mids' 254 yards rushing was a season high ... Navy's 52 rushing attempts was a season high ... Navy ran a season-high 74 plays ... Navy's 20 first downs tied a single-game high ... Marlon Terrell's (Sr./Dallas, Texas) 43-yard run in the third quarter was a career long ... Terrell rushed for a career-high 79 yards ... Lionel Wesley (Fr./Duncanville, Texas) recorded his first-career catch ... Dan Person's (Jr./Havertown, Pa.) third quarter interception was the first of his career ... Eric Severson's (Sr./Anaheim, Calif.) fumble recovery on the Rutgers three-yard line was his first-career fumble recovery.
Close Calls
Navy has had little luck in close games, losing 11 of the last 13 games decided by seven points or less. The Mids are 0-2 in close games this year, losing to Air Force, 24-18 and Rutgers, 23-17.
The Madden File
Brian Madden (Sr./Lawton, Okla.) rushed for a season-high 128 yards against Rutgers, running his 100-yard rushing games total to eight in nine career starts. The only game Madden started and did not rush for 100 yards was Oct. 13 of this year when Rice held him to 94 yards on 34 carries, snapping a school-record streak of seven-consecutive 100-yard rushing days.
Madden's eight 100-yard rushing games are the second most in school history. Only Chris McCoy (1995-97) with 15 has more.
Madden was held out of the end zone against Rutgers, snapping his streak of eight-consecutive games scoring a rushing touchdown. The school record is 10-straight games by McCoy in the 1996-97 season.
Madden has thrown for more than 100 yards in all four of his starts this year, after not throwing for 100 yards in any of his five starts in 1999.
Gaddy Coming Up With Big Plays
Jeff Gaddy (Sr./Davidson, N.C.) had a big day against Boston College, catching two passes for 87 yards and his first-career touchdown. The touchdown catch came on Navy's first drive, a 49-yard strike from quarterback Brian Madden (Sr./Lawton, Okla.). He came back against Air Force and caught four passes for 52 yards in Navy's loss to the Falcons. Against Rutgers, Gaddy caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Madden.
Gaddy is Navy's leading receiver in catches (13), yards (234) and touchdowns (2).
A Dangerous Lane
Tony Lane (So./Wrens, Ga.) set a school record for kickoff return yardage against Temple, returning five kicks for 205 yards. The previous record was 170 yards on seven returns set by Michael Jefferson in 1994. Lane proved to be a threat the first time he ever touched the ball in a college game, returning Temple's second kickoff of the game 67 yards, setting up a Navy field goal. Lane's 41.0 average was also a school record. The previous record was 38.5 yards, set by Pat McGrew in 1997. Navy also set a school record for team kickoff return yardage against the Owls, returning eight kicks for 247 yards. The previous record was 198 yards on nine returns against Penn State in 1971.
Lane returned six kicks for 147 yards, including a long of 51 yards, against Georgia Tech and returned three kicks for 73 yards against Boston College. Against Air Force, he returned one kickoff for 25 yards and against Rice he returned two kickoffs for 47 yards. Against Rutgers, Lane returned four kickoffs for 102 yards.
Averaging 28.5 yards per kickoff return, Lane is ranked 16th in the nation in kickoff returns.
He is also averaging 135.8 yards per game of all-purpose yards, which ranks 26th in the country.
Lane is showing that he is more than a kickoff returner, scoring a rushing touchdown against Boston College and then catching a 54-yard touchdown pass from Brian Madden (Sr./Lawton, Okla.) against Air Force. Lane is Navy's third-leading receiver, catching nine passes for 166 yards and one touchdown.
Skaggs Impressive
Sophomore punter John Skaggs (Cantonment, Fla.) averaged a career-best 49.3 yards per punt on four punts in Navy's 24-18 loss to Air Force. Skaggs has been impressive all year, averaging 46 yards per punt on five attempts in his collegiate debut against Temple, 40.8 yards on six kicks against Georgia Tech, 48.8 yards per punt on four punts against Boston College, 45.5 yards on four punts against Rice (including a career-long 62 yarder) and 46 yards on five punts against Rutgers.
The All-America candidate is averaging 45.7 yards per punt, the fourth-best average in the country. He is on pace to break the school record of 43.8 yards, set by Bill Busik in 1941.
Hills Nearly Perfect On Field Goals
David Hills (Sr./Latham, N.Y.) has been almost perfect on field goals this year, making both of his attempts against Temple, Air Force and Rice and making one out of two against Rutgers. Against Temple, Hills made field goals from 24 and 36 yards, against Air Force he was good from 23 and 37 yards and against Rice, Hills was on the money from 40 and 43 yards. Hills missed from 22 yards out and was good from 27 yards against Rutgers.
Hills has made 16 of his 20-career attempts (.800). He is 0-1 from inside the 20, 5-6 from 20-29 yards out, 6-7 from 30-39 yards and 7-8 from 40-49 yards. His career long is 45 yards, which he made in last year's game at Air Force.
Terrell Stepping Up
Marlon Terrell (Sr./Dallas, Texas) is finally getting a chance to show what he can do after battling a hamstring injury the last two years.
Terrell rushed for a career-high 79 yards in his first-career start against Rutgers. He recorded career-long runs of 28 yards in the second quarter and then 43 yards in the third quarter. He also scored on a one-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, his first rushing touchdown of the season and the second of his career.
Against Rice, Terrell caught his first-career pass, a Navy season-long 65 yarder from Madden.
Red Zone Troubles
Navy was hurt in the Rutgers game by its inability to put the ball in the end zone after getting the ball in the Red Zone. Navy made five trips inside the Rutgers 20 and scored just 17 points (2 touchdowns and one field goal).
The real problems came inside the 10-yard line, where the Mids ran eight plays for a total of minus seven yards. Only three of Navy's eight plays inside the 10 gained positive yardage.
On the year, Navy has scored on .714 percent of its trips inside the 20 (15-21), with nine of the 21 (.428) resulting in touchdowns.
The defense has also had trouble stopping teams in the Red Zone, giving up points 20-of-24 times (.833). Sixteen of the 24 trips by the opposition into Navy's Red Zone have resulted in touchdowns (.667).
Problems Out Of The Gate
Navy has been outscored, 146-35 (24-6), in the first half of games. The Mids have given up 70 points in the first quarter and 76 points in the second quarter. Navy has scored just 19 first-quarter points and 16 second-quarter points. Navy has regrouped and played much better in the second half, outscored by just a 75-67 count (12.5-11.1). The Mids have outscored the opposition, 50-34, in the fourth quarter.
