3/24/2005 - Football
Navy Spring Football Notes

Mids Set For Spring Practice Coming off its most successful season in 99 years, the Navy football coaching staff is excited about the start of spring football as it will look for players to fit into a puzzle that will be missing a lot of pieces from last year's remarkable team.

Spring practice will start on Monday, March 28 at 3:45 p.m. and will take place every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday for the first three weeks and Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday during the final week.

Two scrimmages will be held at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The first will take place on Saturday, April 9 at 9 a.m. and the second will be the annual Blue-Gold Game on Saturday, April 23 at 12 noon.

A full practice schedule is available on the back cover of the spring prospectus. Practice times and dates are subject to change.

The Mids lose 36 letterwinners off last year's squad, including 18 starters.

The biggest question on the offensive side of the ball heading into spring is who will replace quarterback Aaron Polanco and fullback Kyle Eckel. Senior Lamar Owens (Savannah, Ga.) is listed as the starter at quarterback heading into the spring, but he will be pushed by the likes of Brian Hampton (Jr./Scott Air Force Base, Ill.), Troy Goss (So./Shelby, N.C.), Damian Satete (So./Long Beach, Calif.) and Derrick Bruce (So./Sunnyvale, Texas).

The battle at fullback will be equally intense with such talented players as Matt Hall (Jr./Cape Coral, Fla.), Marvin Dingle (Sr./Coronado, Calif.), Ron Kimbrough (Jr./New Castle, Del.) and Adam Ballard (So./Lewisville, Texas) battling to be the featured back in Johnson's potent triple option offense.

The Mids' only returning starters on offense are wide reciever Mick Yokitis (Sr./Pittsburgh, Pa.) and center James Rossi (Jr./Buda, Texas).

The defense was hurt by graduation almost as bad as the offense with the loss of seven starters. The Mids are fortunate in that the four returning starters, defensive end Jeremy Chase (Sr./Norfolk, Va.), outside linebacker David Mahoney (Jr./Fort Myers, Fla.), safety turned cornerback Jeremy McGown (Jr./Houston, Texas) and corner Hunter Reddick (Jr./San Diego, Calif.), were four of the top players on defense.

Many Navy followers will be looking at inside linebacker this spring as the Mids lost two team leaders in Bobby McClarin and Lane Jackson to graduation. Look for Rob Caldwell (Jr./St. John, Ind.), Jacob Biles (Sr./Lorena, Texas) and Keith Lisante (So./Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) as possible successors at linebacker.

Navy is also faced with replacing its starting kicker with the graduation of Geoff Blumenfeld.

Mids Cap Off Remarkable 2004 Season With Emerald Bowl Win
Aaron Polanco accounted for four touchdowns and 237 yards of total offense as Navy defeated New Mexico, 34-19, in the 2004 Emerald Bowl. The victory gave the Midshipmen a school-record tying 10 wins for the season and marked just the fifth bowl victory in school history.

On the first possession of the game, the Lobos marched 66 yards in 13 plays to take a 7-0 lead. Quarterback Kole McKamey capped off the drive with a 17-yard touchdown pass to tight end Logan Hall.

The Mids answered with a touchdown drive of their own, as Navy moved 80 yards on just seven plays and Polanco scored from 14 yards out to tie the game at seven.

The game turned on the ensuing possession when senior safety Vaughn Kelley hit New Mexico's DonTrell Moore just as he was catching a pitch. The hit caused a fumble that was recovered by Lane Jackson and knocked Moore out of the game.

Navy quickly took advantage of the turnover, as Polanco scored from one yard out five plays later to give Navy a 14-7 lead. The touchdown was set up by a third-and-eight pass from slot back Frank Divis to Polanco for 17 yards

Josh Smith stopped New Mexico's next drive with an interception and the Mids made the Lobos pay dearly, as Polanco hit wide receiver Corey Dryden on the second play from scrimmage with a 61-yard touchdown pass to make the score 21-7.

New Mexico, a team that earlier in the year defeated Texas Tech, refused to die as it came back to cut the deficit to 24-19 at the half on a four-yard touchdown run by Roche Ferguson and a three-yard run by McKamey.

After the two teams punted on their initial possessions of the third quarter, Polanco ran for his third touchdown of the day, this one from 27 yards out, to make the score 31-19. Polanco was sprung by slot back Marco Nelson and Eric Roberts.

New Mexico, however, marched right back down the field. The Lobos had the ball first-and-goal at the Navy six, but could manage just five yards on the next four plays.

On fourth-and-goal from the one, Lobo running back D.D. Cox was stopped at the one-yard line as outside linebacker Jason Monts forced Cox to run wide where he was met by Kelley and Bobby McClarin.

The Navy offense would take over the game from there, mounting an epic 26-play, 94-yard, 14:26 drive that was capped off by a Geoff Blumenfeld 22-yard field goal to make the score 34-19. The 26 plays and 14:26 time of possession were both NCAA records for a single drive.

On the drive, the Mids converted five third downs and one fourth down and completed just one pass, a six-yard completion from Divis to Polanco on fourth-and-three.

Polanco, who was named the Emerald Bowl Offensive Most Valuable Player, rushed for 136 yards and three touchdowns, while Kyle Eckel ran for 85 yards on 24 tough carries.

Polanco completed three of his six passes for 101 yards and a touchdown, while Divis completed both of his passes for 23 yards.

Polanco was the leading receiver with two catches for 23 yards.

McClarin led the defense with 17 tackles, two tackles for a loss and a sack. Jackson had 10 tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception, while Kelley, who was named the Defensive MVP of the Emerald Bowl, recorded nine tackles, forced a fumble and came up with the goal line stop late in the third quarter.

Navy Ranked 24th In Both Finals Polls
The Navy football team capped off a remarkable season by being ranked in the top 25 in both final polls. The Mids, who won 10 games this year for the first time in 99 years, won a bowl game for the first time since 1996 and won the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy for the second-consecutive year, finished the year ranked 24th in both the Associated Press and USA Today/Coaches Poll.

"I'm excited for our players, coaching staff and fans," said Navy head football coach Paul Johnson. "This is a validation for all the hard work that everybody has put into this program."

The top-25 ranking marks the first time Navy has cracked the polls at any point in the season since Oct. 22, 1979, when Navy was ranked 17th in the Associated Press poll. It's also the first time since 1963, when Navy finished second, that the Midshipmen have finished the season ranked in the Associated Press poll and the first time Navy has been ranked at any time in the USA Today/Coaches poll. The last time Navy ended its season ranked was 1978 when the Mids finished 17th in the UPI poll.

The Mids were one of just five non-BCS schools in the final 25, joining Utah, Louisville, Boise State and Fresno State.

Paul Johnson Named Bobby Dodd Coach Of The Year
Officials of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation announced during halftime of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl that United States Naval Academy Head Football Coach Paul Johnson was unanimously selected as the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year for 2004.

"All of us associated with the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation are thrilled at the selection of Coach Johnson for this prestigious honor," said George Morris, the President of the Foundation. "Coach Johnson has an outstanding reputation, and we respect his leadership on the field, as well as the many accomplishments of his team in the classroom and in life. He definitely fulfills the stringent requirements which we require for the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award. "

The annual Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year winner is determined by a vote from all previous winners of the award, plus a vote from a blue-ribbon panel made up from the "who's who" in college football.

Coach Johnson is a veteran of a quarter century of coaching football. He began his career as an assistant coach at Avery County (N.C.) High School. He had offensive coordinator assignments at Lees-McRae Junior College (1981-82), Georgia Southern (1983-86), Hawaii (1987-94) and Navy (1995-96). As head football coach at Georgia Southern (1997-2001), he posted a 62-10 (.861) record, won two straight Division 1-AA National Championships (1999 and 2000), five straight Southern Conference Championships and was named Division 1-AA National Coach of the Year four consecutive times (1997-2000).

Johnson took over a Navy program that was coming off the worst two-year span in its 123-year history (1-20) and one that had recorded just two winning seasons the previous 20 years. Navy's 18 wins over the last two years (8-5 in 2003, 10-2 in 2004) are equal to the most wins ever at Navy over a two-year span, while Navy's 10 wins in 2004 are the most in 99 years.

Johnson, a native of Newland, North Carolina, earned his Bachelor of Science degree in physical education from Western Carolina University in 1979 and a Master's of Science degree in health and physical education from Appalachian State University in 1982. He and his wife, Susan, are the parents of a daughter, Kaitlyn.

The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation Award was established in 1976 to honor the NCAA Division I football coach whose program represents the highest ideals on and off the field. The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award honors the coach of a team which enjoys a successful football season, while also stressing the importance of academic excellence and character, as did Coach Dodd's teams during his 22 years as head football coach of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Coach Dodd remains one of college football's legendary figures, both as a coach and a player. Coach Dodd was a native of Kingsport, Tennessee, and he played his college ball at the University of Tennessee where his team had 27 wins, one loss and two ties during the three years he played. Coach Dodd was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame both as a coach and as a player.

Mids Tie School Record For Wins
Navy's win over New Mexico in the Emerald Bowl gave the Midshipmen 10 wins for just the second time in school history and for the first time in 99 years.

The 1905 Navy squad, coached by Paul Dashiell, posted a 10-1-1 record with victories over North Carolina (38-0), Maryland (17-0), Penn State (11-5), Virginia (22-0) and Virginia Tech (12-6). Swarthmore handed the Mids their only defeat, 6-5, while Navy tied Army, 6-6.

Navy On Historic Run
Navy's 18 wins over the last two years (8-5 in 2003, 10-2 in 2004) ties the school record for most wins over a two-year span. The Mids also won 18 games over a two-year span in 1907-08 (9-2-1 in 1907 and 9-2-1 in 1908), 1905-06 (10-1-1 in 1905 and 8-2-2 in 1906) and 1906-07 (8-2-2 in 1906 and 9-2-1 in 1907.

The record for most wins over a three-year period is 27 set in 1905-07 (10-1-1 in 1905, 8-2-2 in 1906 and 9-2-1 in 1907).

Winning Season
Navy has posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1996-97 when it finished 9-3 and 7-4. It is also just the fourth winning season in 20 years for the Midshipmen and 10th in the last 40 years.

Navy last had a winning season in three-consecutive years during the George Welsh era when the Mids strung together five-consecutive winning seasons from 1978-82.

Navy's Epic Drive In Emerald Bowl An NCAA Record
Navy's epic 26-play, 94-yard, 14:26 drive in the Emerald Bowl victory over New Mexico set an NCAA record for number of plays in a drive and for time of possession in a drive.
In the past, the NCAA has not kept a record on either statistic, but due to extensive research by the Navy sports information office and surveys of the other 116 Division I-A football programs, it was determined that both marks were records. The NCAA is strongly considering adding both records to the official NCAA record book next year due to the research.

Navy Voted Second-Best Team In The East
The Navy football team finished second behind Boston College in the final ECAC Lambert Football balloting.

Established in 1936 as the "Lambert Trophy" to recognize supremacy in eastern college football, the award has since grown to recognize the best teams in the East in Divisions I-A, I-AA, II and III. Before asking the ECAC to assume the administration, the Meadowlands Sports Complex managed the weekly poll and the award beginning in 1983 through the 2001 season.

To be eligible for the Lambert Meadowlands Awards, a school must be located in the East or play half of its schedule against eligible Lambert teams.

Four separate panels of media, one in each division, participate in a weekly poll and the final poll determines the winners. Bowl games are included in the polling.

Navy Football Team Ranks Second In NCAA's Academic Progress Rate Among Division IA Schools
The Naval Academy athletic program is ranked the best in the country among the 117 schools with Division IA football programs in the Academic Performance Rate (APR), which was released yesterday by the NCAA. Navy is No. 7 overall out of 328 Division I institutions and first among the three service academies.

The APR is the fulcrum upon which the entire academic-reform structure rests. Developed as a more real-time assessment of teams' academic performance than the six-year graduation-rate calculation provides, the APR awards two points each term to student-athletes who meet academic-eligibility standards and who remain with the institution. A team's APR is the total points earned by the team at a given time divided by the total points possible.

"Our student-athletes continually strive to set the standard on the Yard for our Brigade in military performance, academics and conduct," said Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk. "The support and encouragement they receive through the Commandant and his staff and the academic dean's office is extraordinary and provides tremendous motivation to be successful across the board. We are all proud to be leaders on the field of competition, but even more so when we can prove to be leaders in the classroom as well, clearly defining the meaning of a midshipman who is truly a scholar-athlete."

The Naval Academy had 10 sports programs ranked first with an APR rank of 1,000, meaning every student-athlete on their respective roster remained at the Naval Academy and was also eligible to compete or graduate. Those programs are: men's cross country, golf, men's gymnastics, men's soccer, men's tennis, men's indoor track, men's outdoor track, women's crew, women's swimming and rifle.

The Navy football team had the second-highest APR score in the country with a 992, just two points behind first-place Stanford, and had the highest score among teams ranked in the final Top-25 poll.

Each of Navy's 23 varsity sports that are sponsored by the NCAA is above the national average.

APR COMPARISON

Top 10 APR Scores Among Division IA Schools
Rank Institution Academic Progress Report
1 Navy 990
2 Miami (Ohio) 986
3 Duke 984
4 Ball State 983
5 Rice 981
6 Northwestern 980
7 Boston College 979
7 Notre Dame 979
7 Stanford 979
7 Wake Forest 979

Top 10 APR Scores Among Divison I Schools
Rank Institution Academic Progress Report
1 Yale 999
2 Princeton 994
3 Pennsylvania 993
4 William & Mary 992
5 Loyola Marymount 991
5 Villanova 991
7 Navy 990
7 Bradley 990
7 Harvard 990
7 Samford 990

Disciplined Football
Navy finished second in the country for the fewest penalties
per game last year, averaging 4.17 penalties per contest. The Mids finished
fifth in fewest yards penalized per game, averaging 35.83.

Least Penalized Teams
In The Country
(Penalties Per Game)
1. Illinois 3.82
2. Navy 4.17
3. Missouri 4.27
4. Colorado State 4.36
5. Oklahoma State 4.42
6. Wisconsin 4.75
7. Vanderbilt 4.82
8. Arizona 5.09
Army 5.09
East Carolina 5.09

Least Penalized Teams
In The Country
(Penalty Yards Per Game)
1. Illinois 32.82
2. Colorado State 35.00
3. Missouri 35.36
4. Oklahoma State 35.42
5. Navy 35.83
6. Wisconsin 36.92
7. Duke 38.18
8. Minnesota 38.92
9. East Carolina 39.73
10. Vanderbilt 40.36

Careful With The Throws
Navy quarterbacks threw just four interceptions all year, which tied for
the fewest amount in the country and tied a school record for fewest
interceptions thrown. Navy also threw just four interceptions in 1989.

Least Amount Of Interceptions
In The Country
1. Navy 4
Ball State 4
Bowling Green 4
North Texas 4
Texas A&M 4
6. Georgia 5
Vanderbilt 5
Virginia 5
Utah 5
Oklahoma State 5
Louisville 5

Efficient With The Throws
Though Navy was predominately a running team in 2004, the Mids
proved time after time that they could throw the ball when necessary. Navy
finished ninth in the nation in passing efficiency with a rating of 150.45.

NCAA Leaders In Passing Efficiency
1. Louisville 174.36
2. Auburn 173.61
3. Utah 173.41
4. Bowling Green 165.47
5. California 160.05
6. Oklahoma 159.06
7. USC 157.43
8. Toledo 157.29
9. Navy 150.45
10. Purdue 150.22

Navy Finishes Third In The Country In Rushing
The Mids finished third in the nation in rushing last fall, averaging 289.5 yards per game. Two Navy opponents also finished in the top 10-Rice (306.55) finished first and Air Force (277.36) finished fourth. The Navy defense held both of those teams significantly under their average, holding the Owls to 223 yards and the Falcons to 182 yards.

2004 Top Rushing Teams
In The Country
1. Rice 306.55
2. Texas 299.17
3. Navy 289.50
4. Air Force 277.36
5. Minnesota 256.83
6. California 256.75
7. West Virginia 252.83
8. Louisville 250.42
9. Virginia 242.83
10. Michigan State 238.50

Johnson Tough With Time
Paul Johnson has posted a 10-4 record (.714) as Navy's head coach when having more than one week to prepare.

In 2002, the Mids posted a 2-2 record with more than one week to prepare, defeating SMU and Army and losing to Northwestern and Notre Dame.

In 2003, Navy was 4-1 in games in which they had more than one week to prepare, defeating VMI, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan and Army and losing to Texas Tech in the Houston Bowl.

In 2004, the Mids were 4-1 (defeating Duke, Rutgers, Army and New Mexico and losing to Notre Dame) when having more than one week to prepare.

In 2005, the Mids will have four games in which Johnson will have more than one week to prepare (Maryland, Rice, Rutgers and Army).

Johnson Dominant Against Service Academy Teams
Navy head football coach Paul Johnson is 5-1 as a head coach against
Service Academy teams, which is the best start for a Navy head coach
against the other two Service Academy teams since George Welsh started
his Hall-of-Fame career 5-1 (1973-75). Welsh finished his career 13-4-1
against the other two Service Academies.

No Overtime
Since the NCAA adopted the overtime rule in 1996, Navy is one of just two schools (North Texas is the other) who have yet to play an overtime game.

Home Sweet Home
Navy has won eight-straight home games dating back to 2003, the longest home winning streak since the Mids won eight in a row over three seasons (1995-97). Navy is 10-1 (.909) at home over the last two years after losing 14 straight from 2001-03. The Mids were undefeated at home in 2004, marking the first time they have gone unbeaten at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium since 1996.

Rebuilding The Program
Navy head coach Paul Johnson took over a program that had won just one game in the previous two years (1-20), the worst two-year record in the 122-year history of Navy football. As Johnson says, ?the program didn't get this way overnight and it's not going to change overnight.?

For instance, Navy's all-time winningest coach, George Welsh, who was 55-46-1 (41-44-1 against Division I-A teams, 14-2 against I-AA opponents) from 1973-81 at Navy, took over a program that had won seven games the previous two seasons and didn't have a winning season until his third year (7-4 in 1975) and only had one winning season in his first five years (24-31 in his first five years). It wasn't until year six that Welsh got the program turned around and the Mids posted a 31-15-1 record over his final four years in Annapolis and played in three bowl games, including a win over BYU in the Holiday Bowl.

Since Welsh, Gary Tranquill posted a 17-26-1 (.398) record, Elliott Uzelac was 8-25 (.242), George Chaump won 14 of his 55 games (.255) and Charlie Weatherbie was 30-48 (.385).
Since Roger Staubach won the Heisman Trophy in 1963 (40 years ago), Navy has had 10 winning seasons (1967, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1996, 1997, 2003 and 2004) and nine seasons with two wins or less (1968, 1969, 1970, 1987, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2001, 2002).

In the last 20 years, Navy has had four winning seasons (1996, 1997, 2003 and 2004) and six seasons with two wins or less (1987, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2001 and 2002).

Mids Set Attendance Mark In 2004
Last year marked the 46th season the Midshipmen have called Jack Stephens Field at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium their home and the second in the newly-renovated stadium.
The stadium was dedicated Sept. 26, 1959, when Navy defeated William & Mary, 29-2.
Navy set a total attendance record in 2004, attracting 186,099 fans to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium for six games. The avearge attendance of 31,017 is the second-best season avearge in school history.

Navy drew 34,416 fans on Homecoming against Delaware, the 10th largest crowd in stadium history.

The Mids drew a total of 186,099 fans to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, the fourth most in school history for total attendance.

The Mids have an all-time record of 109-81-1 (.573) in games played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

Navy-Marine Corps Stadium Attendance Records
Single Game
Opponent (Year) Attendance
1. Air Force (1997) 36,172
2. West Virginia (1998) 36,009
3. Air Force (1993) 35,830
4. Air Force (1991) 35,640
5. Air Force (1989) 35,632
6. Air Force (1987) 35,416
7. Air Force (1995) 35,340
8. Air Force (1985) 35,106
9. Delaware (2003) 34,982
10. Delaware (2004) 34,416

Season Average
Season Attendance
1. 1999 31,996
2. 2004 31,017
3. 2001 30,307
4. 2003 29,936
5. 1998 29,393
6. 2000 29,329
7. 1989 29,286
8. 1996 29,256
9. 1985 29,158
10. 1995 28,091

Season Total Attendance
Season Attendance
1. 2004 (six games) 186,099
2. 1995 (six games) 168,774
3. 1997 (six games) 164,174
4. 1987 (six games) 160,200
5. 2003 (five games) 149,682
6. 2000 (five games) 146,645
7. 1985 (five games) 145,790
8. 1990 (six games) 143,592
9. 1989 (five games) 141,340
10. 1986 (five games) 136,435

CSTV AND NAVY SIGN LONG-TERM MULTI-MEDIA DEAL FOR HOME FOOTBALL GAMES AND ADDITIONAL NAVY ATHLETIC EVENTS
CSTV Networks, Inc. (www.cstv.com), the first 24-hour college sports network, has secured the exclusive television rights to all home and select neutral site Navy football games (excluding Notre Dame and Army), as well as other Navy men's and women's athletic events, original programming and documentaries centered around the storied Navy athletic program starting next fall. The long-term multi-media agreement includes internet streaming, broadband and video-on-demand rights and high definition rights starting in 2006. A major part of the agreement was that all home football games would be played on Saturday.

CSTV's first Navy football telecast will be Saturday, Sept. 3 against Maryland at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. It will be the first meeting between the two schools in 40 years.

?The United States Naval Academy has established something special on fall Saturdays in Annapolis, and CSTV is proud to partner with Navy to deliver the pageantry, electricity and tradition to a national audience,? said Tim Pernetti, senior vice president for programming and talent at CSTV. ?This partnership is about more than football. It is about commitment to all the student-athletes in every sport. CSTV's relationship with Navy will provide programming, through all forms of media, surrounding every Navy athletic team, in addition to original programming rich with exclusive access, unparalleled storytelling and history.?

?Tim Pernetti did a terrific job of listening very carefully to how a television package of this magnitude had to be comprised to accommodate the special considerations of Navy,? said Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk. ?He created a comprehensive distribution opportunity for us that delivers on every front. Traditional Navy football is a Saturday game, features all the pageantry our alumni expect and is a product that should be available to viewers both nationally and internationally for the fleet. The CSTV partnership does it all. We are very excited and grateful the long-term commitment has been finalized.?

?This is exciting news for the Navy football program,? said Navy head football coach Paul Johnson. ?It's great for our fans and it will help recruiting, as well. I like the fact that we didn't sell our soul to be on television. All of our home games will be played when they should be played, on Saturday.?

CSTV Networks is a multi-media company that consists of the first-ever 24-hour college sports television network, College Sports TV; the leading college sports online network, CSTV.com; and the first ever 24-hour college sports radio network, SIRIUS College Sports Radio. Through its numerous platforms, CSTV provides more live college sports games, events, news, information, analysis and broadband content, and reaches more college sports fans, than any other company.

College Sports TV, voted the No. 1 emerging cable network among operators in a 2003 Beta research study, televises regular season and championship event coverage from over 35 men's and women's sports across every major collegiate athletic conference, as well as many NCAA and NAIA Championships.

College Sports TV has agreements with distributors that represent more than 65 million homes nationwide, including the top six national distributors: Comcast, DirecTV, Time Warner, Charter, Cox and Adelphia.