Nov. 1, 2006
Game Information
Navy Midshipmen (4-1, 2-1 CSFL) vs. Army Black Knights (3-2, 2-1 CSFL)
Date: Friday, Nov. 3, 2006
Time: 7:05 p.m.
Stadium: Rip Miller Field (3,500)
Surface: AstroPlay Turf
City: Annapolis, Md.
Television: CSTV, tape-delay broadcast airing on Tuesday, Nov. 7, at 9p.m. (Talent: Pete Medhurst - PxP, Scott Zolak - Color)
All-Time Series: Navy leads, 32-30-1
Streak: Navy, 5
Last Meeting: Navy 31, Army 21 (Sept. 24, 2006; Union, N.J. - Pride Bowl XXVIII)
Navy Looks to Claim N-Star Against Army on Friday Night
The Navy sprint football team (4-1, 2-1 CSFL) will host Army (3-2, 2-1 CSFL) in the annual Star Game on Friday night at Rip Miller Field in Annapolis. The game will be televised nationally by CSTV on a tape-delayed basis, airing on Tuesday, Nov. 7, at 9 p.m., with Pete Medhurst and Scott Zolak calling the action.
Navy Rushes its Way to a 21-2 Win Over Penn
Navy running backs Richard Engel (Medford, N.J.) and Enrique Harris (Crawfordville, Fla.) each ran for more than 100 yards as the Midshipmen defeated Penn, 21-2, in sprint football action on Friday night at Rip Miller Field. The Mids improved to 4-1 on the year and 2-1 in the CSFL, while the Quakers fell to 1-4 overall and 0-3 in the league.
With heavy rain and strong wind guests throughout the game, both teams were forced to rely on their running games to account for much of the offense on Friday night.
Engel gained a career-best 169 yards on 26 carries with a pair of touchdowns, while Harris churned out 102 yards on 13 rushing attempts and a touchdown. The Midshipmen finished the night with a season-best 340 yards on the ground, their highest total since their 580-yard rushing performance against Princeton last season.
"The weather really made throwing the ball difficult tonight," stated Navy head coach Maj. Joseph R. Clearfield, USMC. "We had to turn the game over to our tailback, fullback and offensive line. Those guys really came through for us tonight."
Navy's defense also stepped up for the second-consecutive week, holding Penn's offense to 104 yards, only 33 of which came during the first-three quarters, and no first downs in the first half.
The Midshipmen wasted little time getting on the board, as Engel scampered 36 yards up the right sideline for a touchdown on Navy's first offensive play from scrimmage with 12:30 left in the opening quarter.
The score would remain at 7-0 until the 9:10 mark in the second quarter, when Harris crossed the goal line from three yards out to cap a five-play, 48-yard drive and put Navy up 14-0.
Penn scored its only points of the night on a safety with 3:13 left in the half. On fourth down deep in Navy's territory, the snap slipped through the hands of punter Nash Bagby (Waco, Texas) in the endzone, who then picked up the ball and tried to pass but could not get the ball near the line of scrimmage and was flagged for intentional grounding in the endzone for a safety.
Following a Penn punt on its opening drive of the second half, Navy engineered a 15-play, 55-yard drive that used nearly seven minutes and resulted in Engel's second rushing touchdown of the night to make the score 21-2.
In addition to Engel and Harris' 100-yard performances, senior Steve Scarver (Pataskala, Ohio) chipped in with 45 yards on seven carries.
Navy's defense was led by sophomore defensive end Justin Nabozna (New Fairfield, Conn.), who made six tackles, three for a loss of 12 yards and a sack. Senior defensive captain Ryan Engle (Reed City, Mich.) also chipped in with six tackles, while classmate Adam Birchenough (Homer, N.Y.) provided three tackles, two of which were sacks and forced a fumble.
Scouting the Black Knights
- The Army Black Knights travel down to Annapolis with a 3-2 overall record and a 2-1 mark in CSFL play. Army is coming off a 26-7 loss at the hands of league-champion Cornell in West Point last Friday.
- The Black Knights have averaged 28.0 points per game this season, while yielding 18.6 points per outing. Army ranks second in the league with 363.6 yards per game on offense, while its defense has held opponents to 279.2 yards per contest.
- On the offensive end, the Black Knights rely heavily on their running game, as they leads the league with 317.8 yards per game on the ground. Much of that production comes from running back Nate Navarro, who has gained 360 yards on only 43 carries (8.4 ypc) and three touchdowns this year.
- Quarterback Robert Miner ranks second on the team with 349 yards rushing on 81 carries, including four touchdowns. Through the air, Miner is 12-of-45 (26.7%) passing for 200 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
- Defensively, Army employs a 4-3 defense that has opposing rushing games to a mere 42.7 yards per game in league play. Barrett Rife leads the team with 29 tackles, while Steven Wax has registered 28 tackles and Tim Ashcraft is tied for the league lead with his four interceptions.
Series History
Navy holds a 32-30-1 advantage in the all-time series with Army, including a 15-10-1 mark in Annapolis. The Midshipmen have won each of the last-five contests and nine of the past-10 meetings. Navy has also won back-to-back Star Games and has claimed the N-Star in four of the past-five years.
Last Meeting ... Navy 31, Army 21 (Sept. 24, 2006)
Navy and Army met earlier this season at the Pride Bowl in Union, N.J., on Sept. 24, with the Midshipmen coming away with a 31-21 victory. Junior running back Richard Engel (Medford, N.J.) earned game MVP honors for his 134 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Senior quarterback Chris Marsh (New Alexandria, Pa.) completed 12-of-18 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown, while sophomore wide receiver Tommy Tellson (Bedford, Texas) hauled in five passes for 77 yards and caught a scoring strike from Marsh.
Navy Sprint Football in the Spotlight
Friday night's Star Game against Army will be televised by CSTV on a tape-delayed basis on Tuesday, Nov. 7, at 9 p.m. Pete Medhurst and Scott Zolak will call the action for the game. The televised contest marks the fourth-consecutive year that Navy sprint football has received national television coverage. In 2003, the Midshipmen defeated Army, 14-0, in the Pride Bowl at Newark, N.J., on CSTV. One year later, NFL Films Presents was on hand to watch Navy hand Army a 31-15 setback at the Pride Bowl. Last season, the Mids rallied from a 16-0 halftime deficit to claim a 19-16, double-overtime victory over the Black Knights in West Point on ESPNU.
Trying to Double Up
Navy will look to claim its second victory over Army this season on Friday night, as the Midshipmen defeated the Black Knights, 31-21, at the Pride Bowl in Union, N.J., on Sept. 24. Navy has recorded two victories over Army in one season on five occasions, three of which have taken place over the last-four years. The Midshipmen swept the season series against the Black Knights in 1992, '97, '02, '04 and '05.
Home Sweet Home
Navy enters Friday night on a 15-game winning streak at home in Annapolis. Navy's last loss on its home field came against Army on Nov. 10, 2000, with a 31-24 setback on Rip Miller Field. Since then, the Midshipmen have won the next 15 games by an average of 32.4 points per game, including four shutouts. Navy sports an all-time record of 146-23-6 (.851) in Annapolis.
Navy's 15-Game Home Winning Streak
Delaware Valley Sept. 23, 2001 W, 38-0Frostburg Sept. 30, 2001 W, 37-22Princeton Oct. 26, 2001 W, 34-6Penn Nov. 1, 2002 W, 48-0Army Nov. 8, 2002 W, 35-10Johns Hopkins Sept. 14, 2003 W, 48-13Penn Sept. 20, 2003 W, 10-6 (Navy Marine-Corps Memorial Stadium)Princeton Oct. 24, 2003 W, 62-24Princeton Sept. 24, 2004 W, 77-16Cornell Oct. 9, 2004 W, 31-6 (Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium)Penn Oct. 29, 2004 W, 45-7Army Nov. 5, 2004 W, 27-10Cornell Oct. 7, 2005 W, 7-0Princeton Oct. 21, 2005 W, 98-0Penn Oct. 27, 2006 W, 21-2
Not on Our Turf
Navy's defense has not allowed an opponent to score at Rip Miller Field since Nov. 5, 2004, a consecutive-scoreless streak of 212 minutes and 33 seconds. The last points surrendered by Navy's defense at home came on a 30-yard field goal from Army's Kurt Cheeseman with 2:33 left in the first half of the 2004 Star Game. The Midshipmen have not allowed a touchdown at home since a two-yard touchdown run from Army's Patrick Hall in the same game, spanning 222 minutes and 54 seconds. In Navy's three home games since the 2004 Star Game, the defense has allowed a combined 263 yards of total offense (1.5 yards per play). Navy's pass coverage has shut down opposing aerial attacks, as they have completed just 12-of-62 passes (19.4%) for 62 yards and two interceptions.
Navy's Defense at Home Since 2005
Rushing PassingOpponent Date Att. Yds. TD Avg. Att. Com. % Yds. TD INTCornell Oct. 7, 2005 42 86 0 2.0 18 4 22.2 33 0 1Princeton Oct. 21, 2005 34 39 0 1.1 29 5 17.2 1 0 1Penn Oct. 27, 2006 35 76 0 2.2 15 3 20.0 28 0 0Totals 3 Games 111 201 0 1.8 62 12 19.4 62 0 2
Not Beating Navy by Land
Navy's defense has held the opposition rushing game to a total of 123 yards on 81 carries (1.5 ypc) in its three CSFL contests this season. The Midshipmen limited Cornell to just 57 yards on 31 rushing attempts, while containing Princeton to minus-10 yards on 15 carries two weeks ago and Penn to 76 yards on 35 attempts. Its effort at Princeton marked the first time Navy's defense has limited the opposition to negative rushing yards since a minus-26-yard performance at Cornell on Oct. 13, 2000.
Navy's Run Defense in CSFL Play
Opponent Date Att. Yds. TD Long Avg.at Cornell Oct. 6 31 57 1 11 1.8at Princeton Oct. 20 15 -10 0 4 -0.7vs. Penn Oct. 27 35 76 0 17 2.2Season Total 3 Games 81 123 1 17 1.5
Navy's Ground Game Marching Over the CSFL
While Navy's defense has not allowed much in the rushing department, its own ground game has accounted 270.3 yards per game in league play this season. The Midshipmen have rushed for over 300 yards in back-to-back games (324 at Princeton, 340 vs. Penn) for the first time since the 2003 season (380 vs. Princeton, 333 at Penn).
Navy's Run Production in CSFL Play
Opponent Date Att. Yds. TD Long Avg.at Cornell Oct. 6 48 147 1 22 3.1at Princeton Oct. 20 52 324 6 49 6.2vs. Penn Oct. 27 56 340 3 37 6.1Season Total 3 Games 156 811 10 49 5.2
Engel Leads CSFL in Rushing
Navy junior running back Richard Engel (Medford, N.J.) leads the CSFL with his 491 rushing yards, 131 yards more than the next-highest rusher, on 81 carries (6.1 ypc) and seven touchdowns, including three multi-touchdown performances on the year. If the junior were to lead the league in rushing at the end of the year, he would become the first Navy rusher since Matt Sobecki gained 984 yards in 1997 to win the CSFL rushing title.
Engel Game-by-Game in 2006
Opponent Date Att. Yds. TD Long Avg.at Johns Hopkins Sept. 10 11 70 1 39 6.4vs. Army (Pride Bowl) Sept. 24 15 134 2 32t 8.9at Cornell Oct. 6 25 86 0 22 3.4at Princeton Oct. 20 4 32 2 17 8.0vs. Penn Oct. 27 26 169 2 36t 6.5Season Total 5 Games 81 491 7 39 6.1
Rushing Over the Century Mark
Navy junior tailback Richard Engel (Medford, N.J.) has posted two 100-yard rushing performances this season. Engel first broke the century mark with a 134-yard effort on 15 carries against Army in the Pride Bowl. Last week against Penn, he gained 169 yards on 26 rushing attempts with a pir of touchdowns. His 169 rushing yards last week were the most by a Navy running back since Matt Sobecki gained 179 yards at Wesley on Sept. 23, 1997. Engel is also the first Midshipmen runner to rush for over 100 yards on multiple occasions during the same season since Sobecki cracked the 100-yard mark six times in 1997.
Engel and Harris: 100+ Yards
Navy junior tailback Richard Engel (Medford, N.J.) and sophomore fullback Enrique Harris (Crawfordville, Fla.) each ran for more than 100 yards in Navy's 21-2 win over Penn last week. Engel churned out 169 yards on 26 carries with two touchdowns, while Harris chipped in with 102 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Engel and Harris became the first tandem to each surpass 100 yards rushing since Oct. 25, 1996, at Princeton, when Brian Voss gained 156 yards and Matt Sobecki added 108 yards.
Taking it Back the Other Way
Sophomore James Campbell's (Kansas City, Mo.) 39-yard interception return during Navy's season-opening win at Johns Hopkins on Sept. 10, was the team's longest interception return since Patrick Flores' 45-yard return against Frostburg State on Sept. 29, 2002.
30 a Game Leaves Opponents at Bay
The Midshipmen have come away victorious in 39-straight games in which they score over 30 points. Navy has surpassed the 30-point mark in 39 of its last 78 games.
Team Scoring Streak
Navy has put points on the scoreboard in each of its last 111 games, scoring in double figures in 100 of those contests. The Midshipmen have not been shut out in a game since dropping a 12-0 decision at Princeton on Oct. 21, 1989. The Mids have not been shutout at home in their last-101 games in Annapolis, dating back to a 41-0 loss to Army on Nov. 3, 1972.
Stifling Defense
In their last 54 games, the Midshipmen defense has held the opposition to 20 or fewer points on 41 occasions, coming away victorious in 40 of those contests. Prior to its 16-10, overtime setback at Cornell on Oct. 6, the last time Navy lost a game in which its defense yielded less than 21 points came on Oct. 23, 1998, dropping a 17-14 decision to Penn.
Game Decided by 14+ Points, Advantage Navy
Navy has won each of the last-27 games decided by 14 or more points, dating to its 42-10 victory over Cornell on Oct. 14, 2001, in the Pride Bowl only 36 games ago.
Prior/Current Enlisted Men with Navy Sprint Football
Fourteen men associated with this year's team have prior or are currently enlisted with the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps. Two managers, Steven Sifuentes and Jeff Walker, received Purple Hearts for their service in the Marines in Iraq. During his second tour in Iraq, head coach Maj. Joseph R. Clearfield, USMC served with this year's sprint football officer representative, Maj. Ted Greeley, USMC.
Prior/Current Enlisted Men with Navy Sprint Football
U.S. Navy: 2nd Lt. Jonathan Chunn, USMC Offensive Coordinator Ens. Douglas Keel, USN Defensive Line Coach#8 Matthew Mitchelson Quarterback#20 Enrique Harris Running Back#50 Antwan Richardson Defensive LineU.S. Marine Corps: Maj. Joseph R. Clearfield, USMC Head Coach Maj. Ted Greeley, USMC Officer Representative#1 Eric Montgomery Wide Receiver#21 Nate Stewart Running Back#74 Ryan Marko Offensive Line Dan Ford Manager Mike Ford Manager Steven Sifuentes Manager Jeff Walker Manager
Assistant Coaches Loaded with Playing Experience
This year's group of assistant coaches has plenty of playing experience with the Navy varsity or sprint football teams. Five of this year's assistants earned all-league accolades with the sprint football team, while two assistants saw playing time with the varsity football squad during their career.
Assistant Coaches Navy Playing Experience
2nd Lt. Jonathan Chunn, USMC Offensive Coordinator Two-time All-CSFL WREns. James Olsen, USN Quarterbacks/Running Backs 2005 All-CSFL QBEns. Theo Williams, USN Wide Receivers 2005 CSFL MVP2nd Lt. Dan Wendolowski, USMC Offensive Line Navy varsity OLEns. Douglas Keel, USN Defensive Line 2005 All-CSFL DL2nd Lt. James Polanco, USMC Linebackers Navy varsity DB2nd Lt. Andrew Holmes, USMC Defensive Backs 2004 All-CSFL DB
Maj. Joseph R. Clearfield, USMC Takes Over the Reigns
Maj. Joseph R. Clearfield, USMC, was named the head coach of the Navy sprint football program last winter. Clearfield replaced Maj. Jerome Rizzo, USMC, who posted a 26-1 record (.963) with three CSFL championships during his four seasons as head coach.
"I am thankful for the opportunity to serve as the head coach," stated Maj. Clearfield. "I have some big shoes to fill with the achievement of Navy's program over its 60-year history. I am excited about the position and look forward to continuing that history of success."
Clearfield served as the assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for the 2005 Navy sprint football team that won its 31st CSFL Championship with a perfect 7-0 record. At the helm of the special teams unit, Clearfield had three Mids earn a combined four CSFL Special Teams Player-of-the-Week honors. Navy's special teams blocked two punts, one field goal and one extra point attempt, in addition to returning a kickoff and punt for a touchdown during the 2005 campaign.
In 1993, Clearfield graduated Cum Laude from Union College with a Bachelor of Arts in History, after attending Columbia University. He is also a graduate of Amphibious Warfare School, Infantry Officers Course, The Basic School, Airborne School (Honor Graduate), Naval Senior Officers Legal Course, and the Recruiting Management Course.
Clearfield came to the Academy with an impressive military background and decorations. Clearfield served as Platoon Commander and Executive Officer Company F in the 2nd Battalion 2nd Marines from 1994-97. He participated in Operation Uphold/Restore Democracy in Haiti 1994, Operation Strong Resolve in Norway 1995 and Operation Assured Response in Liberia with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) in 1996.
From 1997-2000, Clearfield returned to the United States to serve as Operations Officer and Executive Officer of the Recruiting Station in Baltimore. During that span, the station was named the 4th Marine Corps District's Recruiting Station of the Year three times.
Clearfield performed as a Commanding Officer in Company I, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines in 2001-03. In that time, Clearfield served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and commanded the Boat Company in the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) during Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2002, he also participated in Operation Moonlight in Jordan and Operation Eager mace in Kuwait.
During 2003-04, Clearfield served as an Operations Officer with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. He was involved with Operation Iraqi Freedom II, including Operation Vigilant Resolve in Fallujah.
For his efforts and service during his military career, Clearfield has earned several honors and decorations. His personal decorations include the two Bronze Stars with Combat "V", Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two Gold Stars, and the Combat Action Ribbon with one star. In 1996, he won the "Tarawa Award" for the outstanding Platoon Commander in 2nd Marine Division.
He is married to the former Kimberly Regan Blaisdell. They have two daughters, Mackenzie Julia (2) and Abigail (3 months).
