Navy Finishes Historic Season With AutoZone Liberty Bowl Win
•    Navy's thrilling 20-17 AutoZone Liberty Bowl win over Kansas State on Dec. 31 gave the Mids a school-record tying 11 wins against just two losses. Only the 2015 team matched the 11-win total in the program's 139-year history.
•     The Mids finished the 2019 campaign as American Athletic Conference West Division Co-Champions, Commander-In-Chief's Trophy Champions and Liberty Bowl Champions.
•     Navy was ranked 20th in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Polls. It was just the second time in the last 56 years that Navy finished in the AP Top 20 (Mids were 18th in 2015). Navy did finish 17th in the now defunct UPI Poll in 1978, but was unranked in the Associated Press Poll (only top 20 at the time). Navy also finished 24th in 2004.
•     The 2019 season marked the fourth time in the last five years Navy cracked the top 25 at least once (2015, 2016, 2017, 2019), which also coincides with the Mids joining the American Athletic Conference. Navy has been ranked for a total of 17 weeks over the last five years. Prior to that, Navy was ranked for ONE week (at the end of the 2004 season) the previous 35 years.
•     The AutoZone Liberty Bowl marked Navy's 24th bowl appearance and the 15th in the last 17 years.  
•     Navy has won five of its last six bowl games and head coach Ken Niumatalolo's six bowl wins are the most in school history.
•     The 2019 season marked just the fifth time in school history, and the third time under Niumatalolo, Navy has won 10 or more games in a season. The Mids also won 10 in 1905, 2004 and 2009, while earning 11 wins in 2015 and 2019.
•    Navy improved by 8.0 games in 2019 compared to 2018. The Mids were 3-10 in 2018 and finished 11-2 in 2019. The 8.0-game improvement was the biggest improvement in the country and tied for the second-biggest turnaround in FBS history.
•    Senior quarterback Malcolm Perry rushed for 2,017 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2019, breaking the FBS record for single-season rushing yards by a quarterback, while becoming the only quarterback in FBS history to rush for more than 2,000 yards and the 24th-leading single-season rusher among all positions in FBS history. Perry's 155.2 rushing yards per game also set an FBS record for a quarterback.
•    Navy led the nation in rushing in 2019, averaging a school-record 360.5 yards per game.
•    Navy set school records in total rushing yards (4,687), rushing yards per attempt (6.1), rushing yards per game (360.5), total offense yards per game (455.8) and tied the record for total offensive yards per attempt (6.8) in the 2019 season.
•    Niumatalolo is entering his 13th year as the head coach at Navy, making him the longest-tenured head coach in school history. With 98-career wins, he is the winningest coach in program history.

Fagot Earns Preseason Attention
•    Junior linebacker Diego Fagot has been named a 2020 Preseason Third-Team All-American by Phil Steele and is also on the "Watch List" for both the Nagurski and Bednarik Awards.
•    Fagot is coming off a dominant sophomore campaign that saw him lead the team in tackles with 100 (52s-48a) and was second on the team in tackles for a loss (12) and sacks (5.5). Over the course of the season, he forced 2 fumbles, broke up 2 passes and had an interception that he returned for a touchdown. Fagot earned First-Team All-AAC recognition last fall and was named the Liberty Bowl Defensive Player of the Game for Navy.

President Kinley On The Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
•    Senior cornerback Cameron Kinley, who is also the Naval Academy Class of 2021 Class President, has been named to the 2020 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List.
•    The Wuerffel Trophy, named after former Florida quarterback and 1996 Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel, exists to honor college football players who serve others, celebrate their positive impact on society and inspire greater service in the world.
•     Kinley, who started all 13 games at corner last year, contributed 38 tackles, 5 pass breakups, 2.5 tackles for a loss and a sack for a Navy team that went 11-2, won the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy, shared the American Athletic Conference West Division title and won the Liberty Bowl.
•     Off the field, Kinley carries a 3.32 grade-point average while majoring in political science.
•     Both Kinley and teammate Myles Fells have political aspirations and plan on running for President and Vice President, respectively, in 2040 and currently use the hashtag #KinleyFells2040.

The Incredible Story Of Jamale Carothers
•    Jamale Carothers was a revelation for the Mids at fullback in 2019 after moving there from slot back.
•     The 2016 Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year and Kentucky's Mr. Football his senior year started the year on the JV team and played against Jireh Prep in the junior varsity opener.
•     He saw his first real varsity action on Oct. 12 against Tulsa (played a few plays at the end of the Holy Cross game, but did not get a carry) and all he did over the last nine games was rush for 734 yards and 14 touchdowns on 111 carries (6.6 yds/carry) and catch four passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns (26.3 yds/catch).
•    Carothers averaged a touchdown every 7.2 touches and finished the year tied for 16th in the country in rushing touchdowns despite getting real playing time in just nine games.
•    Carothers averaged 6.6 yards per carry, which was the seventh-best rushing average in the FBS in 2019.

No Returning Starts At Quarterback
•    With the graduation of starting quarterback Malcolm Perry, Navy is one of just 18 schools in the country that enters the 2020 season with no career starts at quarterback.
•    In addition to Navy, the other schools entering the 2020 campaign without a quarterback who has started a game are Air Force, Bowling Green, Colorado, Duke, Fresno State, Georgia State, Iowa, Louisiana Monroe, LSU, Marshall, Michigan, New Mexico State, North Texas, Oklahoma, Troy, UTEP and Washington State.
•    Perry Olsen, who enters the fall listed first on the depth chart, has the most experience having played in eight games last year as a sophomore.

Mids Among Nation's Top Rushing Teams
•    Over the last 18 years, Navy has consistently been one of the top rushing teams in the country, never finishing lower than sixth.  
•    The Mids kicked off the trend in 2002 when they finished third in the country in rushing, averaging 270.8 yds/gm.
•    In 2003, Navy led the nation averaging a then school-record 323.2 yds/gm.
•    In 2005, Navy led the country in rushing for the second time in three years, averaging 318.7 yds/gm.
•    Navy finished the 2006 campaign averaging a nation's-best and then school-record 327.0 yds/gm.  
•    The Mids rushed for a then school-record 348.8 yds/gm in 2007, becoming the first team in NCAA history to lead the nation in rushing three-consecutive years.     
•    In 2008, Navy led the country in rushing for a fourth-straight year, averaging 292.4 yds/gm.
•    The Mids finished No. 2 in the country in 2013, averaging 325.4 yds/gm.
•    Navy finished No. 2 in the country in 2014, rushing for 338.1 yds/gm. It was the Mids' best rushing effort since 2007 when they set the school record.
•    In 2015, Navy finished No. 2 in the country, averaging 326.7 yds/gm. Coached by current Tulane head coach Willie Fritz, Georgia Southern led the country with its whopping 363.0 yds/gm.
•    The Mids finished 2016 ranked No. 4, rushing for 310.9 yds/gm.
•    Navy averaged a then school-record 351.4 yds/gm in 2017, which was the second most in the country.
•    In 2018, the Mids averaged just 276.1 rushing yds/gm, the fifth-best rushing average in the country and Navy's lowest output since 2002 when it averaged 270.8 yds/gm.
•    In 2019, Navy once again led the nation in rushing with its school-record 360.5 yds/gm. The Mids outrushed second-place Air Force by 62 yds/gm.
•    Navy also averaged 6.06 yards per carry, which was the nation's fourth-best mark.

Explosive On The Ground
•    In 2019, Navy led the country with 140 rushing plays that were 10 or more yards (Louisiana was No. 2 with 117).
•    51 of those runs went for 20 or more yards, which were also the most in the country.
•    Navy had 24 runs of 30 yards or more, which tied for the most in the country.
•    Navy had 15 runs of 40 yards or more, which were the second most in the country.
•    Navy had 10 runs of 50 yards or more, which were the most in the country.

Massive Turnaround By Navy Defense
•    Navy defensive coordinator Brian Newberry and his staff authored a stunning turnaround of the Navy defense in just one season, as the Mids finished better in almost every major statistical category by a significant margin.
•    Newberry was one of 15 semifinalists for the 2019 Broyles Award, which is given to the nation's top assistant coach.

Navy Defensive Rankings Comparison
Category / 2019 / 2018    
3rd Down Defense / 20 / 121    
Rushing Defense / 10 / 90
Passing Defense / 39 / 75
Total Defense / 16 / 86
Scoring Defense / 34 / 103
Pass Efficiency Defense / 68 / 117
Sacks / 55 / 129
Tackles for a Loss / 53 / 129

Niumatalolo Spells Success
•    Head coach Ken Niumatalolo has been on the Mids' sideline as either an assistant or head coach for 23 of the last 26 years (1995-98 and 2002-2007 as an assistant, head coach since 2008).
•    Over those 23 years, Navy has compiled a 167-110 record (.603), won 11 Commander-In-Chief's Trophies, gone to 16 bowl games, won nine bowl games and either shared or won outright the American Athletic Conference West Division in three of its five years in the league.
•    Navy is 29-15 (.659) in Service Academy games with Niumatalolo on the coaching staff and has won 27 of the last 35 Service Academy games (.771).
•    In the 117 seasons without Niumatalolo, Navy has posted a 555-460-57 (.549) record, won five Commander-In-Chief's Trophies (in 26 yrs), gone to eight bowl games and won three of them. Navy is 54-64-7 (.460) in Service Academy games without Niumatalolo.

Newberry Named 2019 Broyles Award Semifinalist
•    Navy defensive coordinator and safeties coach Brian Newberry was one of 15 semifinalists for the 2019 Broyles Award.
•    The Broyles Award is an annual award given to honor the best assistant coach in college football. First awarded in 1996, it was named after former University of Arkansas men's athletic director Frank Broyles.
 •    Newberry was selected from approximately 1,500 assistant coaches representing 130 FBS programs across the country.
•    Under the direction of Newberry, the Navy defense made a stunning transformation in a short period of time, improving in every major statistical category by a significant margin.
•    Joining Newberry as semifinalists were Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, Baylor defensive coordinator Phil Snow, Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott, Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning, Indiana offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer, LSU passing game coordinator Joe Brady, Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown, Minnesota offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, Oklahoma defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, Oregon defensive coordinator Andy Avalos, SMU offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard and Utah defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley.

The Jasper Era
•    Ivin Jasper is entering his 21st year at the Naval Academy, including his 19th as the quarterbacks coach and his 13th as the offensive coordinator.
•    Jasper is the second-longest tenured active coordinator (offense or defense // same school) in the country. He has been an integral part of a staff that has brought the Midshipmen back into the national spotlight with a 141-79 (.641) record over the last 17 years and includes 15 bowl game appearances, 11 Commander-In-Chief's Trophies and a 14-3 mark against Army.
• Navy has won at least nine games eight times in the last 17 years. Before the current streak, Navy had won nine or more games just five times in the previous 77 seasons.
• In 2019, Navy had one of the greatest seasons in school history, winning a school-record tying 11 games against just two losses, winning the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy, sharing the American Athletic Conference West Division title with Memphis and winning the prestigious Liberty Bowl.  The Mids' turnaround of eight games from 2018 was the second-biggest improvement in FBS history.

Niumatalolo Named to American Athletic Conference Racial Equality Action Group
•    Over the summer, American Athletic Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco announced the creation of a Racial Equality Action Group consisting of administrators, head coaches and student-athletes from The American's member institutions along with select ex officio members of the conference staff.
• The group is chaired by Dr. Derrick Gragg, Vice President and Director of Athletics at Tulsa, and its goal is to translate words into conference-wide actions regarding the effort to eliminate racial inequality and injustice. Supporting this goal, the conference will launch a campaign to address racial inequality and injustice in all their manifestations, and to foster education and understanding among the various constituencies of its member institutions that will translate into outreach to their respective communities.
•     "We are at a pivotal moment in our nation's history in terms of racial justice and equality, underscored by the tragic and heartbreaking events of recent weeks, and we have an obligation to our universities and students to enact real change," said American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco. "Words are important, but words are not enough. Action is required.
• "The Racial Equality Action Group's work and the accompanying campaign will be catalysts for debate and education that can lead to understanding and healing and will enable our students and all those connected to our universities to engage their communities. We will devote significant resources to this effort. There is no better person than Derrick Gragg to lead this initiative, which is as important as anything that we will be doing. These problems are deeply rooted, but we can make an impact and effect change."
•     Among other things, the campaign will develop messaging through public service announcements, hashtags enabling relevant experiences, stories and uplifting relationships to be shared and through utilization of other platforms. The campaign will sponsor town halls and workshops, and will seek to create a dialogue with campus police and police departments in the communities of The American's member institutions. The conference will also support the national efforts of coaches and other constituencies in combating racism and racial inequality.
•     The American's Academic Consortium will play a central role in the campaign by commissioning and supporting research into the root causes of racism and ways in which race relations can be improved.
•     The conference's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will also have a leadership role in identifying and implementing various educational initiatives that will be a critical component of the overall campaign.

Assistant Coach Robert Green To Lead Navy Football's Diversity Council
•    Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo has tabbed assistant coach Robert Green as Navy Football's Director of Racial Equality. Green is believed to be the only active coach in the FBS to hold such a title.
•    Some of the program goals include 100 percent registered voters in the program and build relationships with the local community.  
•    Nine players make up the council, three each from the sophomore, junior and senior classes. Members of the council include seniors Myles Fells, Jackson Perkins and Ian Blake; juniors Chance Warren, Diego Fagot and Ben Fee and sophomores Jacobi Rice, Perry Olsen and Tama Tuitele.
•    Green is in his eighth season at the Naval Academy and his sixth as a coach on the field. Green assists defensive coordinator Brian Newberry and James Adams with the defensive backs.
•    Green spent his first two years as the Director of Player Development assisting Coach Niumatalolo and the officer representatives with professional development and molding of Navy football players to assume future positions of leadership in the Navy and Marine Corps.
•    Green is a 1998 graduate of the Naval Academy where he was a four-year letter winner and three-year starter on the football team as a defensive back. During the 1996 campaign Navy fashioned its best record since 1978 at 9-3 and registered a 42-38 victory over California in the Aloha Bowl. Consequently, Green was named to the Blue-Gray All-Star Football Classic and was an All-Independent selection.
•    Green was born and raised in Atlanta, Ga., where he attended Booker T. Washington High School. After graduation, Green attended the Naval Academy Prep School in Newport, R.I. before arriving at the Naval Academy a year later. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps in May of 1998 after completing his undergraduate education at the Naval Academy.
•    As a Marine, the former Lieutenant Colonel's personal decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2nd award), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2nd award), Meritorious Service Medal (2nd Award), Defense Meritorious Service Medal and Legion of Merit.