10/20/2003 - Football
Navy-Delaware Game Notes

Game Data

Navy takes on the Delaware Blue Hens Saturday afternoon on Homecoming at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (34,000). Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. and tickets are available by calling 1-800-US4-NAVY.

Navy enters the game winners of three straight and coming off a 38-6 whipping of Rice, while Delaware enters Saturday's contest 7-0 and ranked fourth in the country in I-AA. The Blue Hens are coming off a 55-10 shellacking of Rhode Island.

Saturday's game will be televised live by High Definition Television. Pete Medhurst and former Navy wide receiver Astor Heaven ('97) will call the action from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. HDTV is available on DIRECTV, Dish Network, Charter Communications, Insight Communications, and other cable companies affiliated with the National Cable Television Cooperative.

You must have a high definition television and receiver to view the channel. HDNet programming is also available at participating restaurants and bars and other public viewing locations throughout the United States. For locations showing HDTV, go to: http://www.hd.net/sportsbars.html(.)

Saturday's game can be heard on Navy's 10-station radio network, including 1430 WNAV in Annapolis, 980 WTEM in Washington and 1300 WJFK in Baltimore, and worldwide on the internet at www.navysports.com(.) Bob Socci and Omar Nelson will call the action starting at 12:30 p.m. (Eastern) on the Navy Pregame Show.

Pete Medhurst and Joe Miller will host the Navy Tailgate Show starting at 11:30 a.m. on 1430 WNAV (www.wnav.com).

This weekend will also mark the formal dedication of Jack Stephens Field at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The dedication ceremony will take place Friday afternoon at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium and he will also be recognized at Saturday's game. Mr. Stephens' gift of $10 million to the Academy's Leaders to Serve the Nation Campaign will support the ongoing renovations of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, the Class of 1947 Legacy Project to benefit the Academy's museum, and other strategic campaign prioritites.

At halftime, members of the 1958 Cotton Bowl team will be honored. The Mids went 9-1-1 in 1957 with the only loss coming at the hands of North Carolina in the third game of the season (13-7). The Mids owned victories over Boston College (46-6), William & Mary (33-6), California (21-6), Georgia (27-14), Penn (35-7), Notre Dame (20-6), George Washington (52-0) and Army (14-0). The Mids tied Duke, 6-6. In the Cotton Bowl, the team that head coach Eddie Erdelatz called the best ball club he ever had the privilege of coaching, dominated Rice, 20-7, as Tony Stremic and Bob Reifsnyder helped lead the Navy defense. The Mids scored on touchdowns runs by Joe Tranchini, Harry Hurst and Ned Oldham.

Mids Run Over Rice, 38-6

Craig Candeto (Sr./Orange City, Fla.) rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns, while the Navy defense held an opponent out of the end zone for the first time since 1996 as Navy ran over Rice, 38-6, in front of 27,832 at Rice Stadium.

The defense played its best game of the season, holding the Owls to 223 yards of total offense, including just 17 through the air.

Freshman DuJuan Price (Austin, Texas), making his first-career start, led the Mids with 12 tackles and intercepted a pass. It was the second-straight game that a freshman making his first-career start has led the team in tackles (Kevin Newsome against Vandy).

Lane Jackson (Jr./Miami, Fla.) chipped in with 10 tackles, a tackle for a loss and a fumble recovery, while Shalimar Brazier (Sr./Detroit, Mich.), David Mahoney (Fr./Fort Myers, Fla.) and Vaughn Kelley (Jr./Coconut Creek, Fla.) contributed six tackles apiece. Brazier also had a career-high tying three passes broken up.

Eric Roberts (Jr./Miami, Fla.) had another standout game at slot back, rushing for 93 yards and a touchdown on five carries and catching three passes for 36 yards and a touchdown. Roberts had a spectacular 69- yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

Lionel Wesley (Jr./Duncanville, Texas) had two catches for 32 yards, with both catches coming on third down and 12 that kept an eventual scoring drive alive.

Eric Rolfs (Sr./Bartlesville, Okla.) booted a career-long 45-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

Injuries

Starting center August Roitsch (Jr./Houston, Texas) is out with a left foot injury, second-team cornerback Marcus Sanders (Sr./Antioch, Calif.) is out with a left arm injury, third-team guard Brett Nungesser (So./San Marino, Calif.) is out with a left knee injury and linebacker/nose guard Evan Beard (Boardman, Ohio) is out with a right knee injury.

Series History

Navy leads the all-time series, 7-4, including a 30-14 victory in 1996. Delaware last beat Navy, 29-25, in 1991. The two teams played every year from 1985-91 with Delaware winning four of the seven games.

Scouting Delaware

The Blue Hens are 7-0 and ranked fourth in the latest I-AA poll (new poll released 10/20).

Quarterback Andy Hall, who was one of the highest -ated quarterbacks in the country coming out of high school and who played two years at Georgia Tech before transferring to Delaware, is having a spectacular senior season. Hall has completed 103 of his 161 pass attempts for 1,361 yards with 15 touchdowns and two interceptions. He is fifth in I-AA in pass efficiency (163.24)

Hall's favorite target is Brian Ingram, who has 30 catches for 418 yards and three touchdowns. G.J. Crescione has had four of his 11 receptions go for touchdowns.

Running back Germaine Bennett has rushed for 678 yards and eight touchdowns, while Hall has ran for 483 yards and four touchdowns.

John Mulhern leads the defense with 50 tackles and 5.5 tackles for a loss, while Mondoe Davis has 44 tackles.

The Delaware defense has forced 20 turnovers, while the offense has turned the ball over just eight times.

Delaware is averaging 230.9 yards per game on the ground and 216.6 through the air, while the Blue Hen defense is averaging 99 yards per game on the ground and 203.1 yards through the air. They are ninth in I-AA in total offense (447.43), fifth in scoring offense (39.43), 10th in scoring defense (14.29), fourth in turnover margin (1.71) and fifth in passing efficiency (160.40).

The Blue Hens have seven transfers from major college schools: wide receiver Joe Blaymaier (Arizona State), wide receiver David Boler (Southern Cal), offensive lineman Sal Freund (Pitt), quarterback Andy Hall (Georgia Tech), defensive lineman Shawn Johnson (Duke), linebacker Ryan McDermond (Louisville) and kicker/punter Brad Shushman (Louiville).

Great Start

Navy is off to its best start since 1996 when the Mids started 5-2 en route to a 9-3 record and a victory over California (42-38) in the Aloha Bowl.

The 5-2 start is tied for the best start in the last 23 years (the 1980, 1981 and 1996 teams also started 5-2) and is tied for the third-best start in the last 40 years.

Navy's five wins are two more than the Mids won the previous three years combined (3-30).

Navy's win over Air Force was the Mids' first since 1996 and puts Navy in line to win the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy for the first time since 1981.

The Mids' victory over Vanderbilt marked their first win versus a BCS team since the Mids upset West Virginia, 31-28, on Oct. 2, 1999.

Navy's win over Vanderbilt was also the first time the Mids have defeated a team from the current SEC since Nov. 17, 1984, when Navy upset South Carolina, 38-21 (South Carolina was not in the SEC at the time). If you take out the South Carolina win, it was the first victory over an SEC opponent since 1966 when Navy defeated Vanderbilt.

Since Roger Staubach won the Heisman Trophy in 1963 (40 years ago), Navy has had eight winning seasons (1967, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1996, 1997) and in the last 20 years, Navy has had two winning seasons (1996 and 1997).

Navy Leads The Country In Rushing Offense

Navy increased its lead as the nation's top rushing team with a 366-yard effort against Rice. Last year, the Mids finished third in the country with an average of 270.8 rushing yards per contest. Navy has led the country in rushing just once in school history, that coming in 1999 when the Mids averaged 292.2 yards per contest.

NCAA Leaders In Rushing Yards Per Game

1. Navy 321.29

2. Air Force 294.75

3. Minnesota 279.25

4. Nebraska 255.86

5. Virginia Tech 249.33

6. Oklahoma State 235.57

7. Rice 234.33

8. Arkansas 225.00

9. Syracuse 223.50

10. New Mexico State 219.29

Run To Win

Teams that are successful running the ball are usually successful on the scoreboard. The combined record of the top-10 rushing teams in the country is 45-23 (.662).

The bottom-10 rushing teams-Wyoming, North Carolina State, Central Florida, Utah State, Southern Miss, Eastern Michigan, UCLA, La-Lafayette, Western Michigan and Army-are a combined 24-48 (.333).

In A Rush

Navy's 373 yards rushing against Rutgers are the most by Navy this year and the 31st most in school history. It also ranks as the ninth most in the NCAA this year. Navy has two of the top-10 rushing performances in the country this year.

NCAA Leaders For Yards Rushing In A Game By A Team

1. Texas A&M 437 yards vs. Baylor

1. Arkansas State 437 yards vs Tennessee-Martin

3. Air Force 431 yards vs Wyoming

4. Minnesota 424 yards vs Michigan

5. Toledo 422 yards vs Central Michigan

6. Auburn 405 yards vs Mississippi State

7. Michigan 392 yards vs Houston

8. Air Force 380 yards vs Wofford

9. Navy 373 yards vs Rutgers

10. Navy 372 yards vs Eastern Michigan

Pounding The Ball

The Mids have shown a penchant for pounding the ball over and over again as the Mids have four of the top eight rush attempts in the counry this year, including 69 rush attempts against Rice, which is the fourth most in the country this year.

NCAA Leaders For Rushing Attempts In A Game By A Team

1. Air Force 75 vs Wyoming

2. Air Force 74 vs Wofford

3. Nebraska 72 vs Penn State

4. Navy 69 vs Rice

5. Nebraska 68 vs Texas A&M

6. Purdue 67 vs Illinois

7. Houston 66 vs Tulane

7. Ohio 66 vs Northern Illinois

9. Navy 65 vs Eastern Michigan

9. Navy 65 vs Air Force

9. Navy 65 vs Vanderbilt

9. Kent State 65 vs Youngstown State

9. Nebraska 65 vs Oklahoma State

Candeto Passes Bellino

Navy quarterback Craig Candeto's (Sr./Orange City, Fla.) two rushing touchdowns against Rice gives him 25 for his career, the third most in school history. Candeto passed 1960 Heisman Trophy winner Joe Bellino for third place and trails 2003 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Napoleon McCallum by just six touchdowns. Chris McCoy is the career record holder with an amazing 43 rushing touchdowns.

Career Rushing Touchdown Leaders In School History

1. Chris McCoy (1995-97) 43

2. Napoleon McCallum (1981-85) 31

3. Craig Candeto (2001-03) 25

4. Joe Bellino (1958-60) 24

5. Cleveland Cooper (1972-74) 17

5. Brian Madden (1999, 2001) 17

5. Brian Broadwater (1998-00) 17

Candeto Makes It Hurt

Navy quarterback Craig Candeto's (Sr./Orange City, Fla.) doesn't attempt a lot of passes, but when he does complete one, it usually is for big yardage. Candeto has completed 118 passes in his career for 1,822 yards. That averages out to 15.44 yards per completion, which ranks as the third-best average in school history.

It's interesting to note that two of the top-three quarterbacks in career average yards per completion played in Navy's triple-option offense as Chris McCoy ranks second with a career average of 16.36.

Career Average Yards Per Completion

1. Brian Broadwater (1998-2000) 16.95

2. Chris McCoy (1995-97) 16.36

3. Craig Candeto (2001-03) 15.44

4. Bob Leszczynski (1976-78) 14.56

5. Bob Zastrow (1949-51) 14.42

No Picks

Navy has thrown just three interceptions (two by Candeto and one by Polanco) this year which ranks sixth in the country for fewest interceptions thrown. Syracuse is the only team in the country that has not thrown a pick.

Fewest Interceptions Thrown In The NCAA

1. Syracuse 0

2. Boise State 2

2. Toledo 2

2. Purdue 2

2. Utah 2

6. Navy 3

6. Buffalo 3

6. Cincinnati 3

6. Houston 3

6. Missouri 3

6. Pittsburgh 3

6. Northern Illinois 3

Candeto Careful With His Throws

Quarterback Craig Candeto (Sr./Orange City, Fla.) has been intercepted just nine times in 243 pass attempts or an average of .037 percent of the time which is the second-best average in school history.

Lowest Interception Percentage

1. Bob Powers (1977-79) .035 (7-of-199)

2. Craig Candeto (2001-03) .037 (9-of-243)

3. Brian Broadwater (1998-00) .039 (8-of-209)

4. Roger Staubach (1962-64) .041 (19-of-463)

Candeto Responsible For A Lot Of Points

Quarterback Craig Candeto (Sr./Orange City, Fla.) has been responsible for 234 points in his career (25 rushing touchdowns, 14 touchdowns passing), the second most in school history. Only Chris McCoy, with 390 points, has been responsible for more.

Career Points Responsible For (rushing and passing)

1. Chris McCoy (1995-97) 390

2. Craig Candeto (2001-03) 234

3. Roger Staubach (1962-64) 216

4. Bill Byrne (1984-86) 214

Defense Steps Up Against Rice

The Navy defense played one of its best games in recent memory against Rice, giving up just two field goals. The Rice game marked the first time Navy has not allowed a touchdown in a game since Sept. 7, 1996 (85 games) when the Mids beat Rutgers, 10-6.

Homecoming Games

The Mids are 35-18 all-time on Homecoming, but have lost four-straight Homecoming games. Navy last won a Homecoming game in 1998 when the Mids knocked off Colgate, 42-35. Navy is 0-2 all-time in Homecoming games against Delaware, losing in 1992 (37-21) and 1991 (29-25).

Going, Going, Gone

Junior slot back Eric Roberts' (Miami, Fla.) 69-yard touchdown run in the first quarter against Rice was the longest of his careeer and the longest by a Navy player this year. It was also the longest touchdown run by a Navy player since Sept. 25, 1999, when Raheem Lambert had a 79-yard touchdown run against Rice.

Eckel, Eckel, Eckel

Junior fullback Kyle Eckel's (Havertown, Pa.) hard-nosed running style has developed a cult following among the Brigade of Midshipmen. The student body chants his name in unison every time he touches the ball, which lately has been often and for big gains.

Eckel had his string of consecutive 100-yard rushing days snapped against Rice as he carried the ball just three times for 11 yards. Eckel sat out most of the Mids' victory over the Owls.

He rushed for over 100 yards for the third-consecutive game, as he pouned the Vanderbilt defense for 115 yards on 20 carries in Navy's upset win over the Commodores.

Eckel ran over the Air Force defense for a career-high 176 yards (previous career high was 129 this year against VMI) on a career-high 33 carries (previous career high was 18) and scored one touchdown in Navy's upset of Air Force.

His 176 yards rushing are the most by a non-quarterback at Navy since Chuck Smith rushed for 182 yards against Dartmouth in 1986.

Eckel has now rushed for over 100 yards four times this year (VMI, Rutgers, Air Force and Vanderbilt) after not topping the century mark in 2002. He was the first Navy player to rush for over 100 yards in three-straight games since Brian Madden did it against Rutgers (24-128), Toledo (24-121) and Tulane (33-201) in 2001.

Eckel is the first non-quarterback to rush for over 100 yards in three-straight games since current Navy radio analyst Omar Nelson who did it against SMU (16-108), Boston College (14-118) and Duke (15-118) in 1996.

Eckel has carried the ball 121 times this year and has lost yardage on just two of those carries, both of which were one-yard losses.

Three Degrees Of Separation From Defending Champions

It's a stretch, but just for the fun of it, you could make a case for Navy to be ranked ahead of Ohio State because.....Navy defeated Air Force, who defeated UNLV, who defeated Wisconsin, who defeated Ohio State.

Third Down Conversions

After a slow start, Navy has been remarkable at converting third downs the last-three games, as the Mids have converted 32-of-51 (.627) third-down opportunities after starting the year 19-of-56 (.339). Navy was nine-of-nine on third down in the first half against Rice.

In Navy's five wins, the Mids have converted 40-of-74 third downs (.541). The Mids were 11-of-33 (.333) on third down conversions in the two losses.

Slot Backs Make Big Plays

In the triple option, the slot backs tend to touch the ball less than the fullback and the quarterback, but when they do get their hands on it the result is usually a big play. The Navy slot backs have rushed for 747 yards on 73 carries (10.2 yards per carry) and six touchdowns (one every 12.1 carries). The slots are led on the ground by Eric Roberts (Jr./Miami, Fla.) who has rushed for 394 yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries (10.6 yards per carry).

The slots have also proven dangerous through the air, catching 20 passes for 379 yards (18.95 yards per catch) and three touchdowns. Roberts leads the way with 13 catches for 276 yards (21.2 yards per catch) and three touchdowns.

All told, the slots have touched the ball 93 times (rushing and receiving) and have gained 1015 yards (10.9 yards per touch) and scored 10 touchdowns.

Lane On Pace To Smash School Record For Career Rushing Yards Per Attempt

Senior slot back Tony Lane (Sr./Wrens, Ga.) is on pace to set the school record for career yards per carry (minimum 100 attempts). The current school record is 5.7 yards per carry set by Bob Craig (1952-54) who rushed for 668 yards on 118 carries. Lane is averaging 7.7 yards per carry in his career, rushing for 941 yards on 118 carries.

The record, though, may not be Lane's for very long as teammate Eric Roberts (Jr./Miami, Fla.) is just five carries away from qualifying for the record and he is averaging a whopping 9.1 yards per carry in his career (866 yards on 95 carries).

Career Rushing Yards Per Attempt

1. Tony Lane (2001-03) 7.7

2. Bob Craig (1952-54) 5.7

3. Joe Gattuso (1952-54) 5.5

4. Ned Oldham (1955-57) 5.2

Roberts On Pace To Smash School Record For Career Receiving Yards Per Attempt

Junior slot back Eric Roberts (Jr./Miami, Fla.) is on pace to set the school record for receiving yards per reception (minimum 25 receptions). The current school record is 19.3 yards per reception set by Jim Stewart (1960-62) who caught 47 passes for 907 yards in his career. Roberts is averaging 23.5 yards per catch in his career, catching 30 passes for 705 yards.

Career Receiving Yards Per Catch

1. Eric Roberts (2002-03) 23.5

2. Jim Stewart (1960-62) 19.3

3. Matt Scornavacchi (1993-95) 19.18

4. Phil McConkey (1975-78) 19.07

Turnover Streak

The Navy defense has created at least one turnover in 14-straight games. The last time Navy did not create a turnover was Oct. 5, 2002, when Navy lost at Air Force, 48-7.

Youngest Team In School History

The Naval Academy put its youngest team in school history on the field against VMI, as the Mids dressed 14 freshmen (or plebes) for the opener and played eight (Brian Hampton (Scott Air Force Base, Ill.), Trey Hines (Douglasville, Ga.), Chase Hobby (Clearwater, Fla.), Keenan Little (Boiling Springs, N.C.), David Mahoney (Fort Myers, Fla.), Kevin Newsome (Jacksonville, Fla.), Tyler Tidwell (Edmond, Okla.) and Jason Tomlinson(Arlington, Texas)

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Against TCU the Mids dressed 12 freshmen and played six (Hampton, Little, Mahoney, Newsome, Tidwell and Tomlinson).

Against Eastern Michigan the Mids dressed 12 freshmen and played 10 (Brandon Diggs (Newport News, Va.), Little, Hines, Tidwell, Newsome, Byron McCoy (Liberty, Mo.), DuJuan Price (Austin, Texas), Hampton, Tomlinson and Mahoney).

Against Rutgers, the Mids dressed 13 freshmen and played nine (Tye Adams (Blackfoot, Idaho), Little, Hines, Tidwell, Newsome, Price, Hampton, Tomlinson and Mahoney).

In Navy's upset win over Air Force, the Mids dressed 15 freshmen and played eight (Little, Tidwell, Hines, Newsome, Hampton, Price, Tomlinson and Mahoney).

The Mids dressed 15 freshmen against Vanderbilt and played 11 (Adams, Hampton, Hines, Little, Mahoney, Jeremy McGown (Houston, Texas), Newsome, Price, Tidwell and Tomlinson.

The Mids dressed a school-record 18 freshmen at Rice.

Turnover Free

The Mids have not committed a turnover in back-to-back games for the first time since 1990 when the Mids did not turn the over in a 52-31 loss to Notre Dame and in a 14-10 win at Toledo (136 games). Navy has never gone three-straight games without committing at least one turnover.

Offensive Machine

The Navy offense scored on nine-straight possessions dating back to the second half of the Mids win at Vanderbilt through the first half of the Mids win at Rice. Navy scored six touchdowns and kicked three field goals in those nine possessions.

Plebe Alert

The Mids have now had a freshman make his first-career start and lead the team in tackles the last two games.

Free safety Kevin Newsome (Jacksonville, Fla.) started against Vanderbilt and led the Mids with eight tackles and recovered a fumble, while free safety DuJuan Price (Austin, Texas) started against Rice and had a game-high 12 tackles and intercepted his first-career pass.

Mids Fifth In The Country In Pass Defense

The Navy defense, which just one year ago finished 61st in the country in pass defense, is currently fifth in the nation, giving up just 151.86 yards per contest.

NCAA Leaders In Pass Defense

1. Penn State 121.00

2. Michigan 136.75

3. Southern Miss 140.50

4. Oklahoma 150.14

5. Navy 151.86

6. Nebraska 154.14

7. Texas 155.00

8. San Diego State 160.13

9. Miami (Fla.) 163.00

10. South Carolina 164.29