April 15, 2006
ANNAPOLIS, Md.-Navy head football coach Paul Johnson put his team through an intense 135-play scrimmage Saturday morning at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium and saw some things he liked. Unfortunately, he saw just as many things he didn't like.
"It was like always, there was some good and some bad today," said Johnson. "Our guys go in spurts. We started out today and I thought the defense did a really good job and then at the end the offense would go right down the field at will. There is no consistency on either side."
The first and second team defense forced a three-and-out the first four times the offense had the ball. Clint Sovie (nine tackles, two tackles for a loss and a sack) and Rob Caldwell (eight tackles, tackle for a loss and a sack) played well inside for the defense, while the defensive line did a nice job of causing havoc up front. Tye Adams snuffed out two reverses, tackling both O.J. Washington and Jason Tomlinson in the backfield for a loss.
The third team offense finally got the offense on the board on their second possession as Jarrod Bryant drove them 70-yards on 10 plays. Bryant accounted for 60 of those yards, rushing for 34 yards and a touchdown and passing for 26 yards.
The first team offense was kept off the scoreboard on their first five possessions (the offense gets the ball on their own 30 on each possession and has to drive 70 yards for a touchdown), before scoring a touchdown and field goal on their final two possessions. Brian Hampton scored on a two-yard touchdown run and Joey Bullen kicked a 35-yard field goal for the first team offense.
The second team offense had six possessions, scoring one touchdown and one field goal, while the third team offense scored two touchdowns and a field goal on seven possessions.
Adam Ballard was the leading rusher on the day, rumbling for 74 yards on 11 carries. Jarrod Bryant rushed for 48 yards on 12 carries, Troy Goss had 45 yards on eight carries, Hampton rushed for 44 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries and Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada rushed for 39 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.
Hampton completed six of his eight pass attempts for 66 yards. Goss hit on six of his 10 pass attempts for 44 yards and a touchdown, while Bryant completed five of his 11 pass attempts for 50 yards. Bryant also threw an interception.
"I thought Troy Goss did some good things today," said Johnson. "Hampton was a little rusty today, but got better towards the end of practice."
Joeseph Proffitt caught three passes for 28 yards and a touchdown, while Jason Tomlinson had two catches for 38 yards.
Matt Wimsatt led the defense with 11 tackles. Luke Caden and Sovie added nine, while Keith Lisante, Jon Alvarado and Caldwell had eight tackles apiece. Lisante, Tye Adams, Ryan Griffith and Sovie all had two tackles for a loss, while Dorian Smith had an interception.
"I thought we did some decent things early and then later on in the scrimmage we got our butts kicked all over the field," said defensive coordinator Buddy Green. "We had guys have a chance to make plays and they didn't make them. We were very sloppy towards the end."
NOTES The Mids were limited in personnel as 19 players sat out the scrimmage due to injuries. Slot back John Forbes is the only one not expected to be ready to play in the fall. He injured his right knee at practice on Monday and his return for next year is doubtful. "Not having some of those guys out there today was a factor, but we got some good work in," said Johnson. "There are some positions, on both sides of the ball, that when you try to play everybody you hesitate to do some things."
Sophomore Joe Taylor, who was competing for playing time at quarterback, has switched to safety. "We are going to see what he can do there," said Johnson. "He asked to move over there so we will see what happens."
