ANNAPOLIS, Md.—Navy (10-2) and James Madison (12-1) dominated the All-East major awards it was announced today by the East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) with Navy quarterback Blake Horvath named the Offensive Player of the Year, nose guard Landon Robinson named the Defensive Player of the Year and offensive tackle Malcolm Johnson named the Offensive Rookie of the Year. James Madison's Sahir White was named Defensive Rookie of the Year and Bob Chesney was named Coach of the Year.
Senior running back Alex Tecza, senior guard Ben Purvis and senior kicker Nathan Kirkwood were also named First-Team All-East.
Horvath has rushed for 1,147 yards and 15 touchdowns on 208 carries, while throwing for 1,472 yards and 10 touchdowns. He is the first Navy quarterback in school history to have 1,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing in back-to-back seasons and is the first player in the FBS to do it since both Lamar Jackson (Louisville) and Quinton Flowers (USF) in 2016 and 2017.
Horvath's 15 rushing touchdowns this fall are tied for the 10th most in the FBS and tied for the fourth most for a quarterback.
He is averaging 104.3 rushing yards per game this year, which ranks ninth nationally and first among quarterbacks.
Horvath is averaging 16.7 yards per completion in 2025, the fourth-best average in school history. It would lead the FBS if he had enough attempts to qualify.
Horvath's 1,472 passing yards this year are the sixth most in school history. He needs just 66 yards against Cincinnati to move into fourth.
Horvath's 2,619 yards of total offense in 2025 is the second most in school history.
Robinson has been named a First-Team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America, the Associated Press, Sports Illustrated and USA Today. He was named a Second-Team All-American by Walter Camp and The Sporting News.
Robinson, who was also named the American Conference Defensive Player of the Year, has recorded 58 tackles, a team-high 8.5 tackles for a loss, a team-high 6.5 sacks and a team-high seven hurries for the Mids this season. He is second in the American in sacks per game.
Johnson is a remarkable story, having not played football until his senior year in high school and when he did play, he played wide receiver. Navy recruited the Second-Team All-State basketball player as a tight end and he grew into an offensive tackle. Johnson has played in 12 games and started the last six for the Mids at tackle. He is the first freshman to start on the offensive line at Navy since Duncan Cave started at center against SMU in 1997.
Tecza is second on the team in rushing, running for 822 yards and nine touchdowns on 142 carries, while catching 12 passes for 123 yards and one touchdown. It was his hustle play in the Army-Navy game that kept a fumble alive that senior snipe Eli Heidenreich would eventually recover and would lead to Navy's game-winning touchdown pass from Horvath to Heidenreich.
Purvis teamed with Johnson to help pave the way for the nation's best rushing attack. Navy enters the bowl game leading the country in rushing, averaging 289.3 yards per game.
The Navy offensive line has given up just 3.17 tackles for loss per game, which is second only to Texas A&M (2.83) for the fewest allowed in the country.
The Mids are tied for third in the country for fewest sacks allowed (0.64). Navy's offensive line was on the Midseason Watch List for the Joe Moore Award, which is given to the nation's best offensive line.
Kirkwood has been nothing short of sensational this year. He has made 10-11 field goals (his only miss was from 50 yards against Rice) and is 48-48 on extra points.
Kirkwood's 48 extra-points this season puts him just three behind Nick Sloan for fifth in single-season PATs.
Football Bowl Subdivision All-East Selections
All-East Offense
Blake Horvath – Navy, Sr., QB
Kaytron Allen – Penn State University, Sr., RB
Wayne Knight – James Madison University, Rs-Jr, RB
Antwan Raymond – Rutgers University, So, RB
Alex Tecza– Navy, Sr., FB
KJ Duff – Rutgers University, So., WR
Skyler Bell – University of Connecticut, Rs-Sr., WR
Lewis Bond – Boston College, Rs-Sr., WR
Peter Clarke – Temple University, Jr., TE
Steven Demboski – University of Delaware, Sr., OL
Brady Small – Army, Jr., OL
Ben Purvis – Navy, Sr., OL
Nick Dawkins – Penn State University, Sr., OL
Pat McMurtrie – James Madison University, Rs-Sr., OL
All-ECAC Defense
Sahir West – James Madison University, Rs-Fr., DL
Marques White – University of Massachusetts, Gr., DL
Dani Dennis-Sutton – Penn State University, Sr., DL
Landon Robinson – Navy, Sr., DL
Amare Campbell – Penn State University, Jr., LB
Bryun Parham – University of Connecticut, Rs-Sr., LB
Trent Hendrick – James Madison University, Sr., LB
Cam'Ron Stewart – Temple University, Sr., LB
KP Price – Boston College, Jr., DB
Justin Eaglin – James Madison University, Rs-Jr., DB
Zakee Wheatley – Penn State, Sr., DB
KT Seay – University of Delaware, Jr., DB
All-ECAC Special Teams
Nathan Kirkwood – Navy, Sr., K
Keegan Andrews – University of Massachusetts, Sr., P
Nicholas Singleton – Penn State University, Sr., RS
