6/25/2003 - Football
Navy Football Players Receive Accolades

ANNAPOLIS, Md.-Four Navy football players have been named to the Preseason All-Independent team by Street & Smith's 2003 College Football Preview magazine.

Senior offensive tackle Josh Goodin (Shawnee, Kan.), senior linebacker Eddie Carthan (Donalsonville, Ga.), junior safety Josh Smith (Attica, Ind.) and senior punter John Skaggs (Cantonment, Fla.) were all named to the preseason first-team. Notre Dame had 11 players selected, while Connecticut had five and Troy State had four.

Smith was also named the best hitter among all the Independent players, while Candeto was named the best option quarterback and the best player under pressure. Incoming recruit Keenan Little, a defensive back, was named the top impact freshman. Street & Smith's also predicted that Navy would make a run at a .500 season this year.

Among Navy opponents, Notre Dame was ranked 22nd in the country with linebacker Courtney Watson and defensive back Vontez Duff being named First-Team All-Americans. TCU was predicted to win Conference USA, while Air Force was picked second in the Mountain West. Other predictions for Navy opponents included Tulane to finish sixth and Army 11th in Conference USA, Vanderbilt to finish sixth in the SEC East, Rice to finish eighth in the WAC, Rutgers to finish eighth in the Big East, Central Michigan to finish fifth and Eastern Michigan to finish seventh in the MAC West, Delaware to finish third in the Atlantic-10 and VMI to finish second in the Big South.