7/2/2003 - Football
Navy Football Team Looking To Build On Last Year
The 2003 Navy football team will look to build upon the momentum that was created at the end of last season when the Mids lost close encounters to bowl-bound Notre Dame and Wake Forest before demolishing Army, 58-12, in the season finale. These trio of games created excitement among Navy fans in hopes that first-year head coach Paul Johnson is in the early stages of turning the program in the right direction.
Having a full-year of learning Coach Johnson?s system, the Mids are ready to take another step towards respectability and possibly post the school?s first winning season since 1997.
?I thought we made progress last year, though we still have a long way to go,? said Johnson. ?Guys learned how to play with effort and I thought they played hard every game. We need to cut down on the mistakes on both sides of the ball if we want to continue to make progress.?
The offense was explosive at times last year, averaging 369.4 yards per game. The Mids were third in the nation in rushing, averaging 270.8 yards per contest. Navy scored 30 or more points on four different occasions and also had a 23-point effort against Notre Dame, one of the top defensive teams in the nation. Without the 30 turnovers, including 25 turnovers which were mostly unforced, the Mids very easily could have won three more games last year.
The defense wasn?t as successful as the offense, giving up 422.8 yards per contest and nearly 40 points per game. Defensive coordinator Buddy Green hopes that a switch from the 4-3 to the 3-4 will be the tonic to cure Navy?s defensive ills, as the 3-4 should allow the Mids to get more speed on the field.
Navy returns 30 letterwinners and 15 starters off last year's squad, including seven on offense, six on defense and two kickers.
Quarterback
Johnson feels good about the quarterback situation with returning starter senior Craig Candeto (5-11, 197) and backups junior Aaron Polanco (6-0, 205) and sophomore Lamar Owens (5-9, 176).
Candeto had a breakout junior campaign, starting 11-of-12 games and leading the Mids in rushing (775 yards and 16 touchdowns) and passing (843 yards, five touchdowns, four interceptions). His 16 rushing touchdowns tied for the second most in school history.
Candeto had arguably the greatest single-game performance in the 123-year history of Navy football in the season finale against Army. He rushed for 103 yards and a school-record tying six touchdowns while throwing for another score in the 58-12 rout.
Polanco played in nine games and proved he was capable of moving the team when he came in for an injured Candeto in the first quarter of the Notre Dame game and nearly led the Mids to one of the biggest upsets in school history. He had a knack of getting in the end zone, rushing for seven touchdowns on just 74 carries.
Owens saw limited duty last fall, but impressed the coaches in the spring with his guts and determination. He is the quickest of the three and should also see playing time as a kick returner.
"I thought Craig played pretty well last year,? said Johnson. ?He has a good understanding of the offense and does a good job of getting the play going in the right direction. Polanco has a world of ability and improved his grasp of the offense this spring, while Lamar is a guy to keep an eye on for the future. He may understand the offense better than the other two.?
Fullbacks
The Mids will be solid at fullback with the return of juniors Kyle Eckel (5-11, 235) and Michael Brimage (5-7, 220), and the emergence of senior Bronston Carroll (5-9, 198) and sophomore Marvin Dingle (5-11, 213).
Eckel rushed for 510 yards and four touchdowns in nine games last year before missing the final-three games with an injury and has the power and speed that Johnson looks for in a fullback. Eckel will only get better as he gains experience.
After the Mids lost Eckel, Johnson turned to Brimage who was very impressive in the final-two games against Wake Forest and Army.
Against the Demon Deacons, Brimage rushed for 171 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. The 171 yards were the most yards rushing by a non-quarterback at Navy in 16 years. To prove the Wake Forest game was no fluke, Brimage rushed for 84 yards on just 10 carries in Navy?s rout of Army.
Carroll was the surprise of spring camp as he was moved to the position halfway through spring ball due to injuries.
A senior who has seen only limited action in his career, Carroll impressed the coaches with his footwork and running ability and by the end of the spring had worked his way onto the depth chart.
Dingle, whose older brother Irv played fullback at Navy, was the Most Valuable Player on the junior varsity last season. He possesses good size and speed and has a bright future ahead of him.
?I feel very good about our situation at fullback,? said Johnson. ?We have good experience returning and we have good depth.?
Slotbacks
After spring practice, slot back was thought to be a position of strength, but with the Academy dismissing Aaron Weedo and Sam Mathews transferring, this once deep position is now relatively thin from an experience standpoint.
The Mids do return the two starters from last year, senior Tony Lane (5-9, 199) and junior Eric Roberts (5-10, 193).
Lane was Navy?s third-leading rusher last year, gaining 480 yards on just 57 carries (8.4 yards per carry), while Roberts was fourth on the team with 469 yards on 58 carries (8.1 yards per carry). Lane had one rushing touchdown, while Roberts found paydirt on four different occasions.
The duo also proved dangerous in the passing game as Roberts led the team with 17 catches for 429 yards (25.2 yards per catch) and two touchdowns, while Lane grabbed 11 balls for 174 yards (15.8 yards per catch) and one touchdown.
Junior Frank Divis (6-0, 224) and sophomores Marco Nelson (5-8, 172) and Luke Penrose (5-10, 187) will vie for playing time in the backfield, with Divis having the best chance to make an impact. Divis has good size and speed and should be able to spell Lane and Roberts when needed.
"I am really proud of Eric Roberts and how hard he worked in the spring,? said Johnson. ?He was a guy who finally got it and I expect big things from him this year. Tony is a very consistent player who runs hard. Depth will be a concern for us.?
Wide Receivers
The Mids return junior starter Lionel Wesley (5-11, 185) at one wide receiver spot, while sophomore Mike Yokitis (6-2, 215) emerged from the spring as the starter at the other spot.
Wesley is similar to Roberts in that he is a player that has improved his work habits and that was never more evident in the spring when he was far-and-away Navy?s best receiver. Wesley caught eight passes for 115 yards and a touchdown last fall, but look for those numbers to improve this year.
Yokitis was one of the surprise players in the spring and showed a knack for making the tough catch. With his size, he should also be an adequate blocker.
The sleeper of the wide receiver corps may be junior Corey Dryden (6-3, 238). Dryden was not allowed to play last fall due to disciplinary reasons, though he was allowed to practice. He was injured for part of the spring so he is an unknown factor heading into the fall. He impressed the coaches last fall while playing on the scout team and possesses great size and speed.
Junior Amir Jenkins (6-1, 203) saw time last year and is expected to be a key contributor once again. He is a solid blocker and a possession receiver.
Senior Andy Michalowicz (6-0, 223) and sophomore Dan Gibbon (6-1, 204) round out the receiving corps. Michalowicz switched from quarterback in the spring in hope of seeing some action in his senior year.
?I put Wesley in the same category as Roberts as a guy who has come to understand how to play hard,? said Johnson. ?He did some nice things in the spring and emerged as our best receiver. I feel like if we can get Dryden back and keep him healthy that he might be a surprise player for us. ?
Offensive Line
Navy returns three different players who started along the offensive line last year and a fourth that saw valuable time.
The Mids should be very good at tackle with the return of senior starter Josh Goodin (6-0, 284) and the emergence of junior Nick Wilson (6-5, 264). Goodin, who started 10 games last year at right tackle, is Navy?s best lineman, while Wilson, who saw action in several games a year ago, has the potential to be even better than Goodin.
Behind Goodin and Wilson, the Mids are very young with nobody else having seen any varsity action. Look for senior Tucker Bennett (6-3, 268) and juniors Tyson Stahl (6-4, 256), Casey Hughes (6-4, 250) and Sam Brown (6-3, 241) to vie for playing time.
Senior Shane Todd (6-4, 297), who started nine games last year at center before being moved to guard, and senior Sean Magee (6-5, 291) are the starters at guard. Both possess good size and mobility.
Sophomore Brett Nungesser (6-4, 243), juniors Matt McLaughlin (6-6, 284) and Dennis Ray Phillips (6-4, 273) and senior Nate Chase (6-0, 281) will serve as backups.
Junior August Roitsch (6-1, 274), who was inserted into the starting lineup the last-three games and acquitted himself well, returns as the starting center. Roitsch will be backed up by senior Dan Peters (6-0, 260) and sophomore Marshall Green (6-1, 233).
"I think the first unit has a chance to be pretty good," said Johnson. "Goodin had a real good spring and I think Wilson has a chance to be a really good player. Depth will be a concern as a lot of the backups don?t have much experience.?
Defensive Line
The Mids switched to a 3-4 defense in the spring in hopes of getting their better athletes on the field. The biggest concern is up front where the Mids don?t return a ton of experience. Junior Pierre Moss (6-0, 249), who started three games at left end last year, returns as a starter at one defensive end and senior Ralph Henry (6-1, 270), who started twice at defensive tackle last year, will be the starter at the other defensive end. Moss is one of two returning defensive linemen that recorded a sack last year, while Henry?s 18 tackles are the most by any returning defensive linemen.
Senior Steve Adair (6-2, 266) and juniors Adam Horne (5-11, 233), Jeff Vanak (6-1, 241) and Sean McElhannon (6-1, 252) will provide depth.
At nose guard, senior Kevin Schwind (6-1, 286), who was injured in the second game of the year last fall and ended up withdrawing from school, will give the Mids an experienced lineman in the middle. He will be backed up by junior Babatunde Akingbemi (6-0, 273) and sophomore Dan Wendolowski (6-2, 254).
"We need to get more out of our defensive line this year,? said Johnson. ?They have to be able to get to the quarterback if we are going to improve on defense.?
Linebackers
The Mids return six linebackers with experience and it will be easier to get them all on the field with the new 3-4 alignment.
Senior outside linebacker Eddie Carthan (6-0, 218) will be a key to the defense as he has big play potential. Carthan played and started in 11 games a year ago and finished second on the team with 74 tackles. He led the Mids in tackles for a loss with eight and recorded three sacks and recovered three fumbles a year ago. It is hoped that moving Carthan to outside linebacker will allow him to make more plays.
The other starter at outside linebacker, junior Lane Jackson (5-11, 213), was a pleasant surprise last year and should be even better this fall. Jackson started the final-seven games last year and ended the season with 53 tackles and 5.5 tackles for a loss. Jackson had a career game against Notre Dame, recording a career-high 11 tackles and forcing a fumble.
Juniors Reggie Sealey (6-0, 225), Ryan McCabe (6-2, 204), Ken Barkovich (5-11, 204) and Jason Monts (6-1, 213) will backup Carthan and Jackson. Sealey, who was hurt most of last year, and Monts, who was moved from quarterback, could be surprise players.
Inside, look for sophomore Jeremy Chase (6-2, 234) and senior Ben Mathews (6-1, 218) to be the starters, but juniors Dustin Elliott (6-0, 232), T.J. Costello (5-10, 222) and Bobby McClarin (5-11, 225), along with sophomore Evan Beard (6-0, 227), should all see time.
Chase played in 10 games as a freshman and started four of the final five. He finished the year with 33 tackles, three tackles for a loss, a sack and a pass deflection. He made his first-career start at Tulane and tied for the team lead with 10 tackles.
Mathews played in all-12 games a year ago, starting eight. He recorded 53 tackles, four tackles for a loss and a sack. Mathews is one of Navy?s more experienced players, as he has been a starter since he was a freshman.
Elliott and McClarin both saw extensive time last fall at linebacker, while Costello was a key contributor on special teams. McClarin was named the winner of the Adm. Mack Award at the conclusion of spring ball, which is given to the player who has improved the most during spring practice.
"The linebackers should be a strength for us if they play up to their abilities," said Johnson. "Carthan is a key for us. We need him to make plays. "
Secondary
Senior Shalimar Brazier (5-10, 185) and junior Vaughn Kelley (6-1, 176) return as starters at corner, though Kelley enters the fall in a fight for his starting job with senior Marcus Sanders (5-9, 176).
Johnson is hopeful that the corners can make more plays this year, as the Mids did not get an interception from a cornerback last year. Kelley was third on the team in tackles a year ago with 68, while Brazier was fourth with 59.
Senior Sina Ekundayo (5-11, 180), juniors Jontavius Singleton (5-10, 170) and Lord Cole (5-10, 191) and sophomore T.J. Irwin (5-9, 185) will provide depth.
Junior safety Josh Smith (6-2, 205) was one of the surprise players for Navy last year. Smith entered last fall as a virtual unknown and ended up being named First-Team All-East. Smith recorded a remarkable 127 tackles a year ago, while picking off a team-high two passes and recovering two fumbles.
Senior Eli Sanders (5-11, 192), who started five games last year, is expected to start at the other safety spot, while sophomore Roman Rodriguez (6-0, 203), juniors Lane Montgomery (5-11, 196) and Wayne Irons (5-9, 186) and senior Paul Clarkson (6-2, 203) will vie for playing time.
"We need to make improvements in the secondary, but they also need help from the guys up front,? said Johnson. ?If we can get pressure on the quarterback, then you will see the secondary improve at the same time. It needs to be a total team effort.?
Specialists
The Mids return senior punter John Skaggs (6-2, 209) along with senior kicker Eric Rolfs (6-1, 169) and junior kicker Geoff Blumenfeld (6-0, 170).
Skaggs, who averaged 41.2 yards per punt last year, ranks as Navy?s all-time best punter with a career average of 43.1 yards per punt. Rolfs is expected to backup Skaggs.
Rolfs and Blumenfeld split time as Navy?s placekicker, with Rolfs nailing four out of his six field goal attemps and Blumenfeld making two of his three attempts last season. Rolfs nailed a 44-yarder against Tulane.
Lionel Wesley is expected to be Navy?s main punt returner, while Tony Lane is slated to be the Mids? main threat on kickoff returns.
"We should be solid in special teams," said Johnson. "Skaggs does a nice job at punter and Rolfs and Blumenfeld were pretty consistent for us last year. It is an area that we need to continue to improve in."
