ANNAPOLIS, Md.—Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo has elevated Ashley Ingram to running game coordinator in addition to his duties as the center/guards coach. Navy finished sixth in the nation in rushing last year, averaging 278.5 yards per game.

“Coach Ingram is as good a football coach that I’ve ever been around and his knowledge and expertise have contributed greatly to our success the last five seasons,” said Niumatalolo.  “He is a great teacher and a great recruiter.”

“I would like to express my gratitude to Coach Niumatalolo for giving me this opportunity and I look forward to helping support Coach Jasper, who is one of the top offensive coordinators in the country, and the rest of our outstanding staff.”

Ingram is entering his sixth year at the Naval Academy and the Midshipmen have compiled a record of 40-25 (.615) in Ingram’s tenure, beating Army all five times, earning four bowl bids, winning three Commander-In-Chief’s Trophies and beating Notre Dame twice.

Ingram helped lead Navy to an 8-5 record in 2012 and a berth in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. Navy defeated Air Force, 28-21, in overtime and Army, 17-13, to win the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy.

The win over Army marked Navy’s 11th consecutive victory over its biggest rival. Other big wins for Navy in 2012 included a come-from-behind 31-30 victory over Indiana and wins over bowl-bound East Carolina (56-28) and Central Michigan (31-13). Guard Josh Cabral was named All-East.

Navy Announces 2013 Football Schedule

ANNAPOLIS, Md.—The Navy football team, coming off an 8-5 campaign that saw the Mids win the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy for the eighth time in the last 10 years and appear in a bowl game for the ninth time in the last 10 years, will face a challenging 2013 schedule that includes seven bowl teams from 2012 including a Notre Dame team that played for the BCS National Championship.

The Mids have an attractive five game home schedule in Annapolis that includes games against Service Academy rival Air Force, Pittsburgh, in its first year in the ACC, on Homecoming and Football Championship Subdivision power and local rival Delaware.  The annual Army-Navy Game Presented by USAA, which is the greatest rivalry in all of sports, will be played on Dec. 14 in Philadelphia.

“This will once again be an incredibly challenging schedule for our football team,” said Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo.  “With seven teams on our schedule that went to bowl games a year ago and with four teams from BCS conferences on the schedule, our young men will have to work extremely hard this offseason to accomplish all of our goals next year.  I think we have a great home schedule and I hope our fans and the Brigade will be excited about the quality games we are playing at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, as we will need that home field advantage.”

Navy kicks off the 2013 campaign on Sept. 7 when the Mids travel to Bloomington, Ind. to take on the Indiana Hoosiers of the Big 10.  It will be the latest Navy has started a season since 1998 when the Mids opened at Wake Forest on Sept. 10. Meanwhile, it will mark Navy’s first trip to Bloomington since 1986.   Last year, Navy rallied for a thrilling 31-30 victory over Indiana in Annapolis.

The Mids return to Annapolis the following Saturday (Sept. 14) to take on Delaware in the home opener.  This will be the sixth meeting between the two squads since 2003 with Navy holding a slim 3-2 advantage over the Blue Hens.

After an off week, Navy travels to Bowling Green, Ky. to take on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and first-year head coach Bobby Petrino.  Western Kentucky was 7-6 last year including a loss to Central Michigan in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.  Western Kentucky will be the first of six-straight opponents that participated in a bowl game a year ago.

Air Force comes to Annapolis (Oct. 5) the following week as Navy will look to defend its title as the top Service Academy football team in the first game of the round-robin competition between Navy, Air Force and Army for the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy.  Navy defeated Air Force last year, 28-21, in overtime.   The last 10 games between these two rivals have been decided by an average of 5.2 points per game with the last two games going to overtime.  Air Force finished last year 6-7 after losing to Rice, 33-14, in the Armed Forces Bowl.

The Mids will hit the road the next two weeks playing at Duke on Oct. 12 and at Toledo on Oct. 19.  Duke is coming off its most wins (six) since 1994 and played Cincinnati in the Belk Bowl, while Toledo finished 9-4 in 2012 and played in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl where it lost to Utah State.

The Mids return home to face a Pittsburgh squad on Homecoming (Oct. 26) that is coming off a six-win season and an appearance in the BBVA Compass Bowl against Ole Miss.  Pitt will be in its first season as a member of the ACC.

The Mids travel to South Bend, Ind. the following week (Nov. 2) to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.  Notre Dame is coming off a season that saw it go undefeated in the regular season and play Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game.

Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo’s alma mater, Hawai’i, will come to town on Nov. 9 to take on the Midshipmen, while South Alabama will travel to Annapolis the following week (Nov. 16) to play Navy for the first time.

The Mids will travel to San Jose State on Nov. 23. The Spartans are coming off an 11-2 season and a victory over Bowling Green in the Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman, 29-20.  San Jose State has beaten Navy in each of the last two seasons.

The Mids will cap off the 2013 season on Dec. 14 against Army at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.  The Mids won last year’s game in thrilling fashion, rallying for a 17-13 victory.  It was Navy’s 11th-straight victory over the Black Knights, which is a series record.

CBS has the rights to all of Navy’s home football games and either CBS or CBS Sports Network will televise all five home contests. Navy’s game at Notre Dame will be televised by NBC, while CBS is home for the Army-Navy Game.  Game times and television information for the rest of the road schedule will be announced at a later date.

With six wins in 2013, the Mids will appear in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl in Ft. Worth, Texas.  A date has not been set for the bowl game.

2013 Navy Football Schedule

Sept. 7                        at Indiana                                    Bloomington, Ind.

Sept. 14            Delaware                                    Annapolis, Md.

Sept. 28            at Western Kentucky                        Bowling Green, Ky.

Oct. 5                        Air Force                                    Annapolis, Md.

Oct. 12                        at Duke                                    Durham, N.C.

Oct. 19                        at Toledo                                    Toledo, Ohio

Oct. 26            Pittsburgh (Homecoming)            Annapolis, Md.

Nov. 2                        at Notre Dame                        South Bend, Ind.

Nov. 9                        Hawai’i                                    Annapolis, Md.

Nov. 16            South Alabama                        Annapolis, Md.

Nov. 23            at San Jose State                        San Jose, Calif.

Dec. 14            vs. Army                                    Philadelphia, Pa.

Navy Sets Spring Practice Schedule
Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo announced the dates for Navy’s spring football practice today.  The Mids will practice the NCAA-mandated 15 times, which includes two scrimmages and a spring game.  Navy will begin practicing on Monday, March 18.

The team will scrimmage at the stadium on Saturday, March 30 and Saturday, April 6.  The spring game will take place on Friday, April 12 at 7:00 pm.

Navy Football Spring Practice Schedule
Monday, March 18 (shorts)
Tuesday, March 19 (shorts)
Thursday, March 21
Saturday, March 23
Monday, March 25
Wednesday, March 27
Friday, March 29 (Stadium)
Saturday, March 30 (Scrimmage at the Stadium)
Tuesday, April 2
Thursday, April 4
Saturday, April 6 (Scrimmage at the Stadium)
Tuesday, April 9
Wednesday, April 10
Thursday, April 11 (shorts)
Friday, April 12 (Blue & Gold Game at the Stadium)

Setting the Stage
• Arizona State and Navy will meet on the gridiron for the first time when they square off at AT&T Park in San Francisco in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.  Kickoff is set for 4:07 pm Eastern, 1:07 pm Pacific.
• Navy is 7-9-1 all-time in bowl games and 1-1-1 all-time against current Pac-12 schools in bowl games.  Navy tied Washington, 14-14, in the 1924 Rose Bowl; defeated California, 42-38, in the 1996 Aloha Bowl; and lost to Utah, 35-32, in the 2007 Poinsettia Bowl. This will be Navy’s ninth bowl game in the last 10 years.
•    Navy has lost four of its last five bowl games. The only win was a 35-13 pounding of Missouri in the 2009 Texas Bowl.  The Mids have lost to Boston College (25-24 in the 2006 Meineke Car Care Bowl); Utah (35-32 in the 2007 Poinsettia Bowl); Wake Forest (29-19 in the 2008 EagleBank Bowl) and San Diego State (35-14 in the 2010 Poinsettia Bowl) during that time span.  Niumatalolo is 1-3 in bowl games.
• ESPN2 will televise the game nationally with Dave Pasch, Brian Griese and Jenn Brown calling the action.
•    Touchdown Radio has the national radio call with Roxy Bernstein and Gino Toretta on the call.

Navy’s Last Trip to San Francisco … 
Navy 34, New Mexico 19    Dec. 30, 2004 | San Francisco, Calif.
•     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.
• After the Lobos took a 7-0 lead on the first possesion of the game, the Mids answered with a touchdown drive of their own, moving 80 yards on just seven plays.  Polanco scored from 14 yards out to tie the game at seven.
• The game turned on the ensuing possession when 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.
• 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.
• New Mexico, however, marched right back down the field.  The Lobos had the ball first-and-goal at the Navy six, but on fourth-and-goal from the one Lobo running back D.D. Cox was stopped short of the goal line 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.

Fourth Quarter Rally Leads Navy To 11th Straight Win Over Army
•    Freshman quarterback Keenan Reynolds extended Navy’s dominance against Army, scoring the winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter in a 17-13 victory in the 113th playing of America’s Game.
• Navy captured its 11th consecutive victory over Army and in doing so won the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy which is awarded to the team with the best record in games among the three service academies. Army and Navy each beat Air Force, putting the prestigious trophy up for grabs in the regular-season finale for the first time since 2005.
• In front of 69,607 fans and Vice President Joe Biden at Lincoln Financial Field, Navy caught a break when Army missed a late field goal attempt.
• Reynolds quickly found Brandon Turner down the sideline for a 49-yard gain. Reynolds then escaped a rush and followed with the eight-yard touchdown run with 4:41 left in the game.
• Unlike previous games over the last decade, the Black Knights were in this one until the final drive. Army had driven to the Navy 14 when fullback Larry Dixon fumbled on a sloppy exchange with quarterback Trent Steelman. Junior nose guard Barry Dabney recovered the fumble and the Mids’ sideline went wild as the CIC trophy was coming back to the Naval Academy for a record 13th time after a two-year stint at Air Force. Before Navy started its 11-game winning streak, the longest winning streak in a series that started in 1890 was only five games by either team.
• Late in the third quarter, Army’s James Kelly stripped the ball from Reynolds and linebacker Alex Meier recovered to give the Black Knights the ball at Navy’s 37. Eric Osteen kicked a 21-yard field goal 10 plays later for a 13-10 lead.
• Osteen, however, was wide left on a 37-yard attempt with 6:57 left in the game.
• Navy made them pay on Reynolds’ score. The Midshipmen now lead the series 57-49-7
• After a scoreless first quarter, Army and Navy swapped rushing TDs in the second. Navy fullback Noah Copeland plowed straight up the middle for a 12-yard score. Trent Steelman matched him with an 11-yarder for his program-tying 17th TD run of the season, then saluted the cadets after the score.
• Freshman kicker Nick Sloan put Navy up 10-7 with a 31-yard field goal late in the second, but Army answered when Osteen’s 41-yarder as the first half expired hit the upright and bounced in to tie the game at 10.
•    Reynolds was named the Philadelphia Sportswriters Most Valuable Player, rushing for 43 yards and a touchdown and completing 10 of his 17 passes for 130 yards.  Sophomore fullback Noah Copeland rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, while senior slot back Gee Gee Greene caught three passes for 23 yards.
• Junior linebacker Cody Peterson led the Navy defense with a career-high 14 tackles, while senior outside linebacker Keegan Wetzel recorded 11 tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss and one sack.  Senior Matt Warrick was also in on 11 stops, while sophomore outside linebacker Josh Tate, senior linebacker John Michael Nurthen and Dabney all recovered fumbles.

Senior Salute
•    Navy’s 28 seniors have compiled a 32-19 record (.627), qualified for three bowl games, won a bowl game (2009 Texas Bowl against Missouri) and won the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy twice in their four years. The seniors were 4-0 against their biggest rival, Army, and 6-2 in Service Academy games (2-2 against Air Force).
•    The 28 seniors are:  offensive tackle Andrew Barker (High Point, N.C.), linebacker Matt Brewer (Wildwood, Mo.), safety Tra’ves Bush (Johnston, S.C.), guard Josh Cabral(Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), tackle Evan Campbell (Pasadena, Md.), fullbackPrentice Christian (Bowie, Md.), long snapper Billy Coats (Minden, Nev.), guard Matt Couch (Enola, Pa.), defensive end Josh Dowling-Fitzpatrick (Westerville, Ohio), safetyJerad Fehr (Draper, Utah), linebacker Brye French (Deatsville, Ala.), wide receiverJonathan Gazaille (Grand Prairie, Texas), slot back Gee Gee Greene (Columbia, S.C.), guard Beau Haworth (Annapolis, Md.), defensive end Wes Henderson (Wexford, Pa.), slot back John Howell (Hatfield, Pa.), wide receiver Tyler Lynch (Irving, Texas), linebacker John Michael Nurthern (Phoenixville, Pa.), wide receiver John O’Boyle (Charlotte, N.C.), tackle Ryan Paulson (Broomfield, Colo.), center Kahikolu Pescaia (Kailua, Hawai’i), tackleJoe Ryan (Tucson, Ariz.), wide receiver Matt Shibata (Honolulu, Hawai’i), slot back Bo Snelson (Pasadena, Texas), defensive end Collin Sturdivant (High Point, N.C.), wide receiver Brandon Turner (Renton, Wash.), linebacker Matt Warrick (Chesterfield, Mo.), outside linebacker Keegan Wetzel (Palos Heights, Ill.).

Scouting Arizona State
•    The Sun Devils enter the bowl game with a 7-5 record against an extremely difficult schedule.
•    ASU has defeated Northern Arizona (63-6), Illinois (45-14), Utah (37-7), California (27-17), Colorado (51-17), Washington State (46-7) and Arizona (41-34).  Meanwhile, its losses have come at the hands of Missouri (24-20), Oregon (43-21), UCLA (45-43), Oregon State (36-26) and USC (38-17).
• ASU is one of the most balanced teams in the country ranking 38th in the country in rushing offense (190.8 yds/gm), 46th in passing offense (258.5 yds/gm), 31st in total offense (449.3 yds/gm) and 21st in scoring offense (36.4 pts/gm).
• Defensively, ASU ranks 75th in rushing defense (172.0 yds/gm), 12th in pass defense (178.8 yds/gm), 26th in total defense (350.8 yds/gm) and 41st in scoring defense (24.0 pts/gm).
•    Quarterback Taylor Kelly ranks 23rd nationally in passing efficiency (153.3). He has completed 224 of his 340 pass attempts for 2,772 yards with 25 touchdowns and just nine interceptions.  Chris Coyle is Kelly’s favorite target, with 53 catches for 659 yards and five touchdowns.  Running back Marion Grice has 39 catches for 406 yards and eight touchdowns, while running back D.J. Foster has 36 catches for 522 yards and four touchdowns.
• Cameron Marshall is the Sun Devils’ leading rusher with 524 yards and seven touchdowns on 127 carries, while Grice has 520 yards and nine touchdowns on just 89 carries.
• Arizona State’s defense has been terrific this year, ranking second in the country in sacks and tackles for a loss.  All-American defensive tackle Will Sutton ranks fifth nationally in tackles for a loss (1.82) and 13th in sacks (0.95).
• Safety Keelan Johnson ranks 11th in the country in interceptions (0.11 per game), while linebacker Brandon Magee is 29th in tackles (9.5 per game).
• Punter Josh Hubner ranks third in the country (47.1 yards per punt), while ASU is sixth in the nation in net punting (40.7 yards per punt).

Navy Quick Hitters
• Since 2003, Navy has won 19 games against schools from a BCS conference.  The 19 wins against BCS schools during that time period, which have come against 10 different teams, are the most in the country by a non-BCS school.
• Navy has played six bowl eligible teams this year (counting Penn State, which is not going to a bowl due to NCAA sanctions) and compiled a 3-3 record against the six programs.  The Mids defeated Air Force (6-6), Central Michigan (6-6) and East Carolina (8-4) and lost to Notre Dame (12-0), Penn State (8-4) and San Jose State (10-2).
• Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo is just the third coach in school history to start his coaching career at Navy with a 5-0 record against Army.  Paul Johnson turned in a 6-0 mark against West Point (2002-07), while Wayne Hardin won his first five games (1959-63) before losing.
• Navy has been the dominant Service Academy over the last decade, posting a 19-2 record (.905) against Army (11-0) and Air Force (8-2) in the last 21 meetings, winning eight Commander-In-Chief’s Trophies in the last 10 years and going to nine bowl games in the last 10 years.  Navy has amassed an 83-44 (.654) overall record in the last 10 years, while Air Force is 68-55 (.553) and Army is 32-88 (.267).  The 83 wins are the 21st most in the country over the last decade.
• Navy is 4-0 this year in games decided by eight points or less after going 2-5 last year in such games.
• Ken Niumatalolo has led the Midshipmen to a 40-25 (.615) record in this his fifth season as head coach.  He is fourth all-time at Navy in career wins.  Niumatalolo holds Navy coaching records for most wins in the first two (18), three (27), four (32) and five seasons (40) of a career.
• Navy’s four losses this season (Notre Dame, Penn State, San Jose State and Troy) have come at the hands of opponents who are a combined 35-13 (.729).  Notre Dame (12-0) is ranked No. 1 in the country and will play in the BCS National Championship Game, while San Jose State (10-2) is ranked 24th and will play Bowling Green in the Northrop Grumman Military Bowl in Washington, D.C.
• Over the last 10 games (8-2), Navy has outscored the opposition in the second half, 153-83.  The Navy defense has allowed just eight touchdowns in the second half of the last 10 games.
• The Mids have turned the ball over 12 times in their four losses and six times in their eight wins.
•     Senior outside linebacker Keegan Wetzel scored a perfect 1600 on his SAT and is believed to be the only current FBS player in the country to accomplish such a feat.  He carries a 3.89 GPA in systems engineering and was named a Capital One First-Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America.  Wetzel has also been a force on the field for the Midshipmen, recording 74 tackles (tied for third on the team), a team-high 15 tackles for a loss, a team-high seven sacks, has forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.  He is just one sack away from third on Navy’s single-season sacks list.
• Keenan Reynolds is the first freshman to start at quarterback for Navy since Jim Kubiak started five games in 1991.  Meanwhile, he is just the third freshman in school history to start at quarterback (the other was Alton Grizzard in 1987). Reynolds is 6-1 as a starting quarterback with wins over Central Michigan, Indiana, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Texas State and Army and a loss to Troy.  He also came off the bench with Navy down eight points to Air Force in the fourth quarter to lead the Mids to an overtime victory.  Kubiak won just one game as a freshman starter (beat a 5-5 Army team) and Grizzard won two games (lost to Army).  Reynolds is the first Navy quarterback to win his first four career starts since senior Bob Powers, who won his first six career starts in 1979.
• Sophomore punter Pablo Beltran is averaging 43.9 yards per punt (40 punts) this season, which is the second-best single-season average in school history. John Skaggs currently holds the single-season punting record at 44.8 yards per punt in 2001.  Beltran would stand 16th nationally if he qualified (must average 3.6 punts per game).
• Navy was 4-0 during the month of October after going 0-5 last year in October. It is the first time Navy went undefeated in the month of October since 1996.  That Navy team finished 9-3 and defeated California in the Aloha Bowl.
• Navy owns a 6-3 record all-time in overtime games, winning six of its last seven.
• Navy owns an 83-44 (.654) record over the last 10 years after posting a 3-30 (.091) mark from 2000-02.  The 83 wins are the 21st most in the country over the last decade.
• Navy is trying to finish No. 1 in fewest penalties and penalty yards per game for the second consecutive year and for the third time in the last four seasons.  The Mids are currently tied for second in penalties (3.5 /gm) and in penalty yards per game (27.9).
• Navy is 4-0 this year and 31-4 (.886) under Niumatalolo when scoring first and 4-4 this year and 9-21 (.300) under Niumatalolo when the opponent scores first.
• The Mids are 3-0 ths year and 24-3 (.889) under Niumatalolo when leading after the first quarter and 5-4 this year and 16-22 (.421) under Niumatalolo when trailing or tied after the first stanza.
• Navy is 6-0 this year and 27-4 (.871) under Niumatalolo when leading at the half and 2-4 this year and 12-22 (.353) under Niumatalolo when tied or trailing at the half.
• Navy is 5-0 this year and 31-3 (.912) under Niumatalolo when leading after three quarters and 3-4 this year and 8-23 (.258) under Niumatalolo when tied or trailing after three quarters.
•    Navy owns a 19-7 (.731) record in games played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium under Niumatalolo and is 21-18 (.538) away from home.

California Dreaming
•    Navy has 10 players on its travel roster from the state of California.
•    Senior starting offensive guard Josh Cabral hails from Rancho Santa Margarita, sophomore starting long snapper Joe Cardona is from El Cajon, freshman center Brandon Greene is from Highland, freshman punter Gavin Jernigan is from Lawndale, freshman safety Mike Markovsky is from Costa Mesa, sophomore wide receiver James King is from Orinda, sophomore defensive end Paul Quessenberry is from Carlsbad, freshman starting kicker Nick Sloan is from San Diego, junior linebacker Michael Tuimavave is from Daly City and junior starting offensive tackle Graham Vickers is from Diamond Bar.

Playing Against The Home State
•    Senior guard Joe Ryan hails from Tucson, while junior wide receiver Casey Bolena is from Phoenix.

Balanced Attack
• Navy’s slot backs have rushed for 1,467 yards and six touchdowns on 200 carries (7.3 yards per carry), the fullbacks have ran for 943 yards and seven touchdowns on 202 carries (4.7 yards per carry) and the quarterbacks have rushed for 921 yards and 13 touchdowns on 230 carries (4.0 yards per carry).

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - I hope those watching the 113th Army/Navy game Saturday afternoon didn’t come away from the game thinking “if (Navy QB) Keenan Reynolds is doing this already, imagine what he could do for the next three years.”

It’s not as if it isn’t possible that the true freshman from Antioch, TN doesn’t have grand heights attainable during his next three years of eligibility in Annapolis. It’s just that when a teenager accomplishes what Reynolds did Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field, it deserves to stand alone without any future context.

The United States Naval Academy has made wins over the United States Military Academy a bit of habit in recent years, claiming 11 straight victories. Most haven’t been quite as gut-wrenching as Saturday’s 17-13 victory.

Before Saturday, Navy hadn’t trailed Army in the fourth quarter of any game since 2001-the year Army last defeated the Midshipmen. This time the contest moved past the midway point of the fourth quarter with the Black Knights not only leading Navy 13-10, but also in possession of the football inside the Navy 20 yard line.

It was a situation wholly unprecedented for any Navy player, but it would take only eight plays for the nervous energy hanging over the Brigade of Midshipmen to turn into an exuberant celebration. More importantly, it would take four particularly key plays from Reynolds that won’t soon by forgotten by military faithful. It would take an uncommon level of confidence, moxie and ability from a young man his age to make it happen.

“Before the drive started, I told the guys, ‘this is the one’” Reynolds explained after the game. “We have to go down and score. They all looked at me and were like, ‘Let’s go!’”

“Keenan comes in, uses his man voice and calls the play, and does a really good job” WR Brandon Turner added. “And the way he talks and the way his huddle prescense is, because I played quarterback in high school so I know how important that is to what extent, he makes you want to believe in him.”

Facing 4th & 5 from the Navy 19 yard line, Army chose to trot out K Eric Osteen for a 37 yard field goal attempt instead of attempting a conversion that would leave them tantalizingly close to a game sealing touchdown. The kick would sail wide left and give the Midshipmen the ball back with 6:57 to play. The Mids would immediately find trouble, but Reynolds connected with Geoffrey Whiteside for 10 yards on 3rd & 8 to reverse fortune and gain momentum. He wouldn’t look back.

Two plays later, Reynolds escaped a crowded pocket and juked a defender before tip-toeing down the right sideline to gain 11 yards and another first down. He then through a beautiful downfield ball to Turner that the 6’4″ receiver would easily haul in 49 yards downfield to set up a 1st and goal from the Army 8 yard line. The receiver would later describe the throw as the best he had received from Reynolds all season.

On the very next play, Reynolds waltzed into the endzone on a quarterback follow to punctuate an incredible game-turning drive and fully etch his name in Army-Navy lore.

The situation was unusual for Navy against Army, but it wasn’t the first time in Reynolds’ short tenure as Navy’s starting quarterback that he was faced with adversity. In fact, Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo said after the game he wasn’t surprised at all by the remarkable heroics of the game’s Most Valuable Player.

“If he can come into the Air Force game down by eight in the fourth quarter with eight minutes left at their place and have clear eyes and not miss a beat and not seem nervous, I don’t know if he can be in a tougher situation.”

Reynolds worked mop-up duty for the Mids in early season blowout losses to Notre Dame (in Dublin, Ireland) and at Penn State. He entered a hopeless situation in the 4th quarter of a shutout loss to San Jose State in the Mids’ fourth game of the season as well. But he didn’t officially become the Naval Academy’s starting quarterback until the Midshipmen were desperate.

Sitting at 1-3 on the season, the Midshipmen found themselves 9:03 away from losing grip on their most significant preseason goals in Colorado Springs, CO October 6. They trailed Air Force 21-13, with a loss assuring they could not win back the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy from the Falcons and meaning they would have to finish the season 5-2 just to get bowl eligible. Niumatalolo benched then starter Trey Miller in favor of Reynolds, who quickly navigated a six play, 75 yard drive that would tie things up after a two point conversion by FB Noah Copeland. Reynolds would put together another TD drive in overtime to finish off the Falcons and completely turn Navy’s season around.

Niumatalolo described Navy’s win Saturday as “indicative of the season” they had. Perhaps in no way more than in the resolution of their freshman quarterback. When everything mattered most, the young man was absolutely unflappable.

Keenan Reynolds isn’t even yet 19 years old.

It’s hard to fathom the type of poise it took to author a comeback. It’s hard to put into words the intensity of an Army/Navy game. It’s hard to imagine a young man roughly six months removed from prom clinging to the term “I.M.A.N-It’s Not About Me” in the waining moments to give his team salvation. (Reynolds said I.M.A.N. has been a rallying cry for the entire Navy football program this season.)

“There’s something about the kid, and just the way he led us on that last drive, it was unbelievable” Turner described. “In one of the biggest games as a freshman, he came in and beat one of the better Army teams the last few years. That’s incredible. That’s remarkable.”

I couldn’t say it any better.

-G

Setting the Stage
• Army and Navy will meet on the gridiron for the 113th time when they square off on Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.  Kickoff is set for 3:10 pm Eastern.
• The winner of the Army-Navy game will take home the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy, which is presented annually to the winner of the football competition among the three major Service Academies and is named in honor of the President of the United States.  Navy has won the trophy 12 times, while Army has claimed it six times.  This year’s game marks the first time since 2005 that the trophy was on the line in the Army-Navy game and just the sixth time since the trophy’s inception in 1972.
• Navy is 2-3 all-time against Army when the two teams met with the trophy on the line.
• Navy enters the contest looking to defeat Army for a series-record 11th straight year.  Before Navy started this historical run, the longest winning streak in the series, which was first played in 1890, was five games (by both teams).  Navy has outscored Army, 349-112 (34.9-11.2) during its 10-game winning streak.
• The Mids have won 13 of the last 15 games against Army dating back to 1997.
• Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo is trying to become just the third coach in school history to start his coaching career at Navy with a 5-0 record against Army.  Paul Johnson turned in a 6-0 mark against West Point (2002-07), while Wayne Hardin won his first five games (1959-63) before losing.
• CBS Sports Network will air the Army-Navy Special Presented by USAA on Friday at 7:00 pm ET as the network looks ahead to Saturday’s game.
•    CBS Sports Network will air two special editions of INSIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL on Saturday prior to the game.  INSIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL ARMY-NAVY MARCH ON presented by USAA (12:00-1:30 pm, ET) and INSIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL ARMY-NAVY TAILGATE presented by USAA (1:30-2:30 pm, ET).  Hosts Adam Zucker and Brent Stover will be joined at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia by analysts Randy Cross, Brian Jones and Ron Zook, as well as special guests from the academies. The MARCH ON SPECIAL features the March-On of the Brigade of Midshipmen and Corps of Cadets as they march onto Lincoln Financial Field, while ARMY-NAVY TAILGATE previews the game with in-depth news and analysis, as well as interviews from both head coaches.
• CBS Sports will start their coverage at 2:30 pm with a 30-minute pregame show followed by the 113th playing of the Army-Navy game at 3:00 pm with Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson and Tracy Wolfson calling the action.
• Dial Global Radio Network has the national radio rights with John Tautges, Terry Donahue and Lewis Johnson calling the action.  Dial Global will also air a one-hour pregame show starting at 2:00 pm.

Game Day Festivities
• The March-On of the Brigade of Midshipmen will take place at 12:16 pm and the March-On of the Corps of Cadets will take place at 12:46 pm.
• The Service Academy exchange of Cadets and Midshipmen will take place at 2:46 pm, while the Golden Knights and Leapfrogs will jump at 2:50 pm.
• The National Anthem will be sung by the Army Glee Club at 3:00 pm.
•    Army will take the field with an Army fly-over at 3:06 pm, while Navy will take the field with a Navy fly-over at 3:07 pm.

Scouting Army
•    The 2-9 Black Knights destroyed Air Force (41-21) and defeated Boston College (34-31) of the ACC while suffering losses to San Diego State (42-7), Northern Illinois (41-40), Wake Forest (49-37), Stony Brook (23-3), Kent State (31-17), Eastern Michigan (48-38), Ball State (30-22), Rutgers (28-7) and Temple (63-32).
•    Army is the No. 1 rushing team in the country, averaging 369.8 yards per game.
• Senior quarterback Trent Steelman is 26th in the country in rushing, averaging 104.7 yards per game, and 22nd in scoring, averaging 9.1 points per game.  He has rushed for a school-record 1,152 yards and a program-record 44-career rushing touchdowns, passing Army Heisman Trophy winner Glenn Davis.
• Slot back Raymond Maples has rushed for 1,059 yards and two touchdowns on 196 carries and ranks 36th in the nation in rushing.
•    Linebacker Geoffrey Bacon has had a phenomenal season, ranking seventh in the country with 11.1 tackles per game.
• Linebacker Nate Combs is 25th in the country in tackles for a loss, averaging 1.3 per game.

The Last Time … 
Navy 27, Army 21    Dec. 10, 2011 | Landover, MD.
•     Senior Jon Teague kicked fourth quarter field goals of 23 and 44 yards as Navy defeated Army, 27-21, for a record 10th consecutive year, in front of a crowd of 80,789 at FedExField that included President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.
• Navy jumped out to a 14-0 lead thanks to a pair of Army fumbles.  Army’s Raymond Maples fumbled a pitch and senior defensive end Jabaree Tuani recovered the ball at the Army 26 on the Black Knights’ second possession of the game.
• Six plays later, senior quarterback Kriss Proctor scored from the four to give Navy the early advantage.
• After the two teams traded punts, Army’s Jared Hassin was stripped of the ball by Tuani and junior outside linebackerBrye French recovered the ball at the Navy 45.
• On the first play after the Army fumble, Proctor scrambled for 32 yards down to the Army 23.  Six plays after that, Proctor executed a perfect double option on third-and-eight from the 10 pitching to senior fullback Alexander Teich for the touchdown.
• Army, however, would come right back and cut Navy’s lead in half, as quarterback Trent Steelman directed an eight-play, 67-yard drive that was capped off by a 34-yard touchdown run to make the score 14-7.
• After the Navy offense went three and out, Army was back in business moving 63 yards in seven plays with Malcolm Brown diving over from the three to tie the game at 14 with just 49 seconds left in the first half.
• Navy took the opening kickoff of the second half and moved 48 yards in five plays to retake the lead at 21-14.  After Teich’s 48-yard kickoff return put the Navy offense in business at the Army 48, backup fullback Delvin Diggs had back-to-back carries that picked up 18 yards down to the Army 30.  Junior slot back Gee Gee Greene ran for 20 more yards on first down and, after a Teich eight-yard run down to the two, Proctor scored his second TD of the day.
• Once again Army would come right back, marching right through the Navy defense in six plays with Steelman hitting Brown with a 25-yard touchdown pass on third-and-seven to tie the game at 21.
• The Mids would take advantage of an Army punt by driving 75 yards in 18 plays with Teague capping the drive with a 23-yard field goal to give Navy a three-point lead.  The Mids were forced to kick a field goal after lineman Graham Vickers jumped on third-and-goal from the Army 1.
• On the ensuing kickoff, freshman Noah Copeland forced Army returner Scott Williams to cough up the ball and Navy freshman Jordan Drake recovered it at the Army 27.  Teague would turn the Army miscue into points with a 44-yard field goal to give Navy a 27-21 lead.
• Army got the ball back and quickly moved down the field and had the ball first-and-10 at the Navy 28 when the Navy defense came up big.
• After Brown rushed for four yards on first down, Army tried to catch Navy napping by throwing the ball but Steelman was dropped by junior linebacker Matt Warrick for a loss of five yards.  Steelman would pick up four yards on third down as Tra’ves Bush came flying up from the safety position to make the stop and then on fourth down Steelman was sacked for a loss of one by Warrick to give the ball back to the Midshipmen with 4:31 left.

The Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy
• The Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy is presented annually to the winner of the football competition among the three major service academies — Army, Navy and Air Force — and is named in honor of the President of the United States.
• Navy has dominated of late, winning the trophy a Service Academy record seven-consecutive years from 2003-09 and winning a Service Academy record 15 straight games against Air Force and Army in the process.  Air Force has won the trophy each of the last two years.
• Navy has won the trophy a total of 12 times: 1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1981, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.
• When there is no clear-cut winner,  the trophy remains with the winner of the previous year’s competition.  • The three-sided trophy stands two-and-a-half-feet tall and is engraved with the academy seals.  Reproductions of the three mascots — the Army Mule, the Navy Goat and the Air Force Falcon — are ensconced on the respective sides of this bauble.  The trophy is sponsored by the West Point Association of Graduates, the Naval Academy Alumni Association and the Air Force Association of Graduates.
• The year in which the trophy is won is engraved on AA plate gracing the respective academy’s side of the trophy.

Service Academy Dominance
• Navy has amassed a 82-44 (.651) overall record in the last 10 years, while Air Force is 68-55 (.553) and Army is 32-87 (.269).  The Mids are 17-2 against the other two Service Academies since 2003.

Dominant Era in Army-Navy History
• Navy’s 27-21 victory over Army in 2011 was its 10th consecutive win over the Black Knights, the longest streak in series history by either team.
• The Mids have won those 10 in a row against Army in dominant fashion, outscoring the Black Knights, 349-112 (34.9-11.2).

Our Nation’s Future Leaders
• Navy’s 28 seniors received their Service Assignments on Wednesday, November 28. Graduates of the Naval Academy serve a minimum of five years in the Navy or Marine Corps, while pilots serve eight years upon earning their wings.
•    18 seniors will be commissioned Ensigns in the United States Navy, while 10 will be commissioned 2nd Lieutenants in the Marine Corps.

Service Assignments for the Class of 2013
Andrew Barker, Surface Warfare
Matt Brewer, Marine Corps Ground
Tra’ves Bush, Surface Warfare
Josh Cabral, Naval Flight Officer
Evan Campbell, Marine Corps Ground
Prentice Christian, Surface Warfare
Billy Coats, Marine Corps Pilot
Matt Couch, Supply Corps
Josh Dowling-Fitzpatrick, Navy Pilot
Jerad Fehr, Special Warfare (SEALS)
Brye French, Marine Corps Ground
Jonathan Gazaille, Supply Corps
Gee Gee Greene, Surface Warfare
Beau Haworth, Suface Warfare
Wes Henderson, Navy Pilot
John Howell, Marine Corps Pilot
Tyler Lynch, Naval Flight Officer
John Michael Nurthen, Civil Engineer
John O’Boyle, Marine Corps Ground
Ryan Paulson, Navy Pilot
Kahikolu Pescaia, Navy Pilot
Joe Ryan, Marine Corps Ground
Matt Shibata, Marine Corps Ground
Bo Snelson, Marine Corps Ground
Collin Sturdivant, Naval Flight Officer
Brandon Turner, Surface Warfare
Matt Warrick, Marine Corps Ground
Keegan Wetzel, Submarines (Nuclear)

Navy Quick Hitters
• Navy has been the dominant Service Academy over the last decade, posting an 18-2 record against Army (10-0) and Air Force (8-2) in the last 20 meetings combined, winning seven consecutive Commander-In-Chief’s Trophies from 2003-09 and going to nine bowl games in the last 10 years.  Navy has amassed an 82-44 (.651) overall record in the last 10 years, while Air Force is 68-55 (.553) and Army is 32-87 (.269).  The 82 wins are the 21st most in the country over the last decade.
• The Midshipmen punched their ticket to the Dec. 29 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl at AT&T Park in San Francisco with a 24-17 victory over Florida Atlantic on Nov. 3. It will be Navy’s 18th bowl appearance all-time, including its ninth in the last 10 years. The Mids will take on Arizona State.
• Ken Niumatalolo has led the Midshipmen to a 39-25 (.609) record in his fifth season as head coach.  He is fourth all-time at Navy in career wins.  Niumatalolo holds Navy coaching records for most wins in the first two (18), three (27), four (32) and five seasons (39) of a career.
• Navy’s four losses this season (Notre Dame, Penn State, San Jose State and Troy) have come at the hands of opponents who are a combined 35-13 (.729).  Notre Dame (12-0) is ranked No. 1 in the country and will play in the BCS National Championship Game, while San Jose State (10-2) is ranked 24th in the country.
• Navy has played six bowl eligible teams this year (counting Penn State who will not be going to a bowl due to NCAA sanctions) and compiled a 3-3 record against the six programs.  The Mids defeated Air Force (6-6), Central Michigan (6-6) and East Carolina (8-4) and lost to Notre Dame (12-0), Penn State (8-4) and San Jose State (10-2).
• Over the last nine games (7-2), Navy has outscored the opposition in the second half, 146-80.  The Navy defense has allowed just eight touchdowns in the second half of the last nine contests.
• The Mids have turned the ball over 12 times in their four losses and five times in their seven wins.
•     Senior outside linebacker Keegan Wetzel scored a perfect 1600 on his SAT and is believed to be the only current FBS player in the country to accomplish such a feat.  He carries a 3.89 GPA in systems engineering and is an Academic All-America candidate.  Wetzel has also been a force on the field for the Midshipmen, recording 63 tackles (fourth most on the team), a team-high 13.5 tackles for a loss, a team-high six sacks, has forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.  He is just two sacks away from third on Navy’s single-season sacks list.
• Keenan Reynolds is the first freshman to start at quarterback for Navy since Jim Kubiak started five games in 1991.  Meanwhile, he is just the third freshman in school history to start at quarterback (the other was Alton Grizzard in 1987). Reynolds is 5-1 as a starting quarterback with wins over Central Michigan, Indiana, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic and Texas State and a loss to Troy.  He also came off the bench with Navy down eight points to Air Force and led the Mids to an overtime victory.  Kubiak won just one game as a freshman starter (beat a 5-5 Army team) and Grizzard won two (lost to Army).  Reynolds is the first Navy quarterback to win his first four career starts since senior Bob Powers, who won his first six career starts in 1979.
• Sophomore punter Pablo Beltran is averaging 45.1 yards per punt (34 punts) this season and should his average hold, he would become the school’s single-season record holder. John Skaggs currently holds the single-season punting record at 44.8 yards per punt in 2001.  Beltran would stand 10th nationally if he qualified (must average 3.6 punts per game).
• Navy was 4-0 during the month of October after going 0-5 last year in October. It is the first time Navy went undefeated in the month of October since 1996.  That Navy team finished 9-3 and defeated California in the Aloha Bowl.
• Navy owns a 6-3 record all-time in overtime games, winning six of its last seven.
• Navy owns an 82-44 (.651) record over the last 10 years after posting a 3-30 (.091) mark from 2000-02.  The 82 wins are the 21st most in the country over the last decade.
• Navy is trying to finish No. 1 in fewest penalties and fewest penalty yards per game for the second consecutive year and for the third time in the last four seasons.  The Mids are currently second in penalties (3.4 /gm) and in penalty yards per game (26.5).
• Navy is 3-0 this year and 30-4 (.882) under Niumatalolo when scoring first and 4-4 this year and 9-21 (.300) under Niumatalolo when the opponent scores first.
• The Mids are 3-0 ths year and  24-3 (.889) under Niumatalolo when leading after the first quarter and 4-4 this year and 15-22 (.405) under Niumatalolo when trailing or tied after the first stanza.
• Navy is 6-0 this year and 27-4 (.871) under Niumatalolo when leading at the half and 1-4 this year and 11-22 (.333) under Niumatalolo when tied or trailing at the half.
• Navy is 5-0 this year and 31-3 (.912) under Niumatalolo when leading after three quarters and 2-4 this year and 7-23 (.233) under Niumatalolo when tied or trailing after three quarters.
•    Navy owns a 19-7 (.731) record in games played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium under Niumatalolo and is 20-18 (.526) away from home.

Setting the Stage
• Navy and Texas State will meet on the gridiron for the first time when they square off on Saturday afternoon at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Senior Day.  Kickoff is set for 3:34 pm Eastern.
• Navy enters the weekend looking to win on Senior Day for a 10th consecutive year.  The last time Navy lost on Senior Day was on Nov. 16, 2002, when the Mids lost to Connecticut in a monsoon, 38-0.
• Saturday’s game will be televised nationally by CBS Sports Network with Grant Boone, former Oakland Raider Pro Bowl tight end Todd Christensen and Sheehan Stanwick-Burch calling the action.

Game Day Festivities
• Pregame festivities will get underway at approximately 1:00 pm with the Navy Football Team Walk.  Originating at the Blue Angel in the southwest corner of the stadium, the team will make its way down the sidewalk and through NavyFest before walking up the drive to the stadium.  Fans are encouraged to line up on both sides of the sidewalk to cheer for the team.
• The March-On of the Brigade of Midshipmen will take place at 3:04 pm.  The march-on will be broadcast live for Navy All-Access subscribers.
• A salute to Navy’s 27 seniors will take place at 3:22 pm.
• Saturday’s fly-over (3:31 pm) will be two F-18′s out of Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
•    Between the first and second quarter, the Navy men’s and women’s tennis teams will be recognized.

Scouting Texas State
•    Texas State is 3-6 on the year and coming off a 62-55 loss to No. 20 Louisiana Tech.
• The Bobcats own victories over Houston (30-13), Stephen F. Austin (41-37) and Idaho (38-7).  They have losses against Texas Tech (58-10), Nevada (34-21), New Mexico (35-14), San Jose State (31-20) and Utah State (38-7) along with Louisiana Tech.
•    Former Navy slot back Marcus Curry leads Texas State with 513 yards rushing and nine touchdowns on 84 carries.  He also has 11 catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns.
• Quarterback Shaun Rutherford has completed 129 of his 200 passes for 1,454 Yards and 11 touchdowns with just five interceptions.  Rutherford is also Texas State’s second-leading rusher with 388 yards and four touchdowns on 119 carries.
•    Andy Erickson is Rutherford’s favorite target with 33 catches for 426 yards and three touchdowns, while Chase Harper has caught 20 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns.
• Jason McLean leads the defense with 58 tackles and four passes broken up, while Xavier Daniels had 51 stops, four passes broken up, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.

Navy Vs. The WAC
•    Navy is 2-2 all-time against teams that are currently in the WAC.  The Mids are 2-0 against Louisiana Tech and 0-2 against San Jose State.
•    The Mids lost to San Jose State earlier this year, 12-0.

Lonestar State    
•    Navy has 18 players on its roster from the state of Texas:  Freshman corner Quincy Adams (San Antonio), freshman outside linebacker A.K.Akpunku (Arlington), sophomore punter Pablo Beltran (Humble), freshman corner Brandon Boyd (La Marque), sophomore fullback Noah Copeland (San Antonio), freshman wide receiver Devin Crayton (Helotes), sophomore defensive end Aaron Davis (Pearland), junior nose guard Alex Doolittle (Houston), senior wide receiver Jonathan Gazaille (Grand Prairie), senior wide receiver Tyler Lynch (Irving), freshman outside linebacker Nick Martinez (Elm Mott), freshman linebacker Nick McCrory (Seadrift), freshman defensive lineman Rex Montes (Grapevine), sophomore nose guard Brice Musgrove (Dallas Hill), sophomore guard Nathaniel Otto (Houston), freshman safety Roddy Reyna (San Antonio), senor slot back Bo Snelson (Pasadena) and junior slot back Darius Staten (Carrollton).

Navy Quick Hitters
• The Midshipmen punched their ticket to the Dec. 29 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl at AT&T Park in San Francisco with a 24-17 victory over Florida Atlantic on Nov. 3. It will be Navy’s 18th bowl appearance all-time, including its ninth in the last 10 years.
• Navy has been the dominant Service Academy over the last decade going 18-2 against Army (10-0) and Air Force (8-2), winning seven-consecutive Commander-In-Chief’s Trophies from 2003-09 and going to nine bowl games in the last 10 years.
• Navy will join the BIG EAST for football only starting in 2015.
• Ken Niumatalolo has led the Midshipmen to a 38-25 (.603) record in his fifth season as head coach.  He is tied for fourth all-time at Navy in career wins with Wayne Hardin.  Niumatalolo holds Navy coaching records for most wins in the first two (18), three (27), four (32) and five seasons (38) of a career.
• Navy’s four losses this season (Notre Dame, Penn State, San Jose State and Troy) have come at the hands of opponents that are a combined 29-11 (.725) on the year.  Notre Dame (10-0) is currently ranked third in the country and San Jose State (8-2) is receiving votes.
• Over the last eight games (6-2), Navy has outscored the opposition 132-70 in the second half.  The defense has allowed just seven touchdowns in the second half of those contests.
• The Mids turned the ball over 12 times in the first four games (nine lost fumbles and three interceptions) and went 1-3.  Over the next five games, Navy turned it over just twice and went 5-0.  Last week against Troy, Navy lost two fumbles and lost to the Trojans, 41-31.  The Mids have turned the ball over 12 times in their four losses and four times in their six wins.
•     Senior outside linebacker Keegan Wetzel scored a perfect 1600 on his SAT and is believed to be the only current FBS player in the country to accomplish such a feat.  He carries a 3.89 GPA in systems engineering and is an Academic All-America candidate.  Wetzel has also been a force on the field for the Midshipmen, recording 57 tackles (fourth most on the team), a team-high 11.5 tackles for a loss and a team-high six sacks, has forced a fubmle and recovered a fumble.  He is just two sacks from third on Navy’s single-season sack list.
• Keenan Reynolds is the first freshman to start at quarterback for Navy since Jim Kubiak started five games in 1991.  Meanwhile, he is just the third freshman in school history to start at quarterback (the other was Alton Grizzard in 1987). Reynolds is 4-1 as a starting quarterback with wins over Central Michigan, Indiana, East Carolina and Florida Atlantic and a loss to Troy.  Kubiak won just one game as a freshman starter and Grizzard won two.  Reynolds is the first Navy quarterback to win his first four starts since senior Bob Powers, who won his first six career starts in 1979.  The Mids started 6-0 that year and finished 7-4 with a victory over Army.
• Sophomore punter Pablo Beltran is averaging 45.2 yards per punt (30 punts) this season. He would stand ninth in the country in punting if he qualified (must average 3.6 punts per game) and that average would be a school record for Navy in a single season.
• Freshman Nick Sloan is one of just 13 true freshman kickers starting in the FBS this year.  He is 9-for-11 on field goals and 32-for-32 on extra-points.
• Navy was 4-0 during the month of October after going 0-5 last year in October. It is the first time Navy went undefeated in the month of October since 1996.  That team finished 9-3 and defeated California in the Aloha Bowl.
• Navy owns a 6-3 record all-time in overtime games, winning six of its last seven.
• Navy owns an 81-44 (.648) record over the last 10 years after posting a 3-30 (.091) mark from 2000-02.  The 81 wins are the 21st most in the country over the last decade.
• Navy is trying to finish No. 1 in fewest penalties and fewest penalty yards per game for the second consecutive year and for the third time in the last four seasons.  The Mids are currently tied for second in penalties (3.4) per game and third in penalty yards per game (26.6)
• Navy is 29-4 (.879) under Ken Niumatalolo when scoring first and 9-21 (.300) when the opponent scores first.
• Under Niumatalolo, the Mids are 23-3 (.885) when leading after the first quarter and 15-22 (.405) when trailing or tied after the first stanza.
•    Navy owns a 18-7 (.720) record in games played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium under Niumatalolo and is 20-18 (.526) away from home.

Spreading The Wealth
• Navy has had a remarkable 17 different players score a touchdown this year, including 14 players that have scored their first career touchdown.
• The 17 different players scoring TD’s are tied with Marshall for the second most in the country.
• Navy has had 14 different players score their first career touchdown this year, which is the most of any team in the country.

Wetzel A Star In And Out Of The Classroom
• Outside linebacker Keegan Wetzel has enjoyed a spectacular senior campaign, recording 57 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss, six sacks, a pass break-up, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery this season.
• He leads the Mids in sacks and tackles for a loss.
• He is just two sacks away from third place on Navy’s single-season sacks list.
• Wetzel is also a star in the classroom, carrying a 3.89 grade-point average in systems engineering (honors courses).  He is an Academic All-America candidate and has already been named all-district.
• Wetzel scored a perfect 1600 on his SAT test and is believed to be the only current FBS player that garnered a perfect score on his SAT.

Greene Having Standout Senior Campaign
• A starter in each of the last 35 games dating back to the 2010 season, senior slot back Gee Gee Greene is having his best season yet in 2012 leading the Mids in rushing (90-679, 7.5 avg, 2 TDs) and is fourth in receiving (12 catches for 242 yards, 20.2 yards per catch, 2 TDs).
• He is averaging 7.5 yards per carry this year, which is the second-best average for a single season in school history. The record is 8.3 set by Shun White in 2008.
• Greene is trying to join White as the only other slot back to lead the team in rushing.  White rushed for 1,092 yards in 2008.
• In his career, Greene has rushed for 1,925 yards on 267 carries and scored nine touchdowns, while catching 42 passes for 697 yards and seven touchdowns.  He needs 201 more yards to pass Adam Ballard for 10th on Navy’s all-time rushing list and would join White as one of only two slot backs in the Top 10.
• He has averaged 7.2 yards per carry over his career, which is the program’s fifth-best rushing average, and 16.6 yards per reception.

Starting A Freshman At QB
• Keenan Reynolds became the first freshman to start at quarterback for Navy since Jim Kubiak started five games in 1991, when he guided the Midshipmen to a 31-13 victory over Central Michigan.
• Navy finished 1-10 in 1991 (1-5 with Kubiak as the starter) with its only victory coming against a 5-5 Army team in the final game of the season, 24-3.
• Reynolds is just the third freshman in program history to start at quarterback, joining Kubiak and Alton Grizzard, who started seven games at quarterback in 1987 (Navy was 2-5 with Grizzard as the quarterback and 0-4 without him).
• In his first-career start against Central Michigan, Reynolds completed six of his 11 passes for 134 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 59 yards in leading Navy to a 31-13 victory.  His three touchdowns passing are the most by a Navy quarterback since Chris McCoy threw three against Colgate in 1997.
• Reynolds won his second career start, rallying Navy to a 31-30 victory over Indiana.  He rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries and completed eight of 13 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. His four-yard TD pass to junior Matt Aiken with 2:02 left gave Navy the win.
• Reynolds improved to 3-0 as a starter with a nearly flawless performance against East Carolina as Navy rolled over the Pirates, 56-28.  Reynolds led the Mids to touchdowns on seven of his eight drives and totaled 132 yards of total offense and five touchdowns (3 rushing, 2 passing).
• Reynolds won his fourth straight start with a 24-17 win over Florida Atlantic.  He rushed for a career-high 159 yards and one touchdown on 26 carries and completed eight of his 15 passes for a career-high 147 yards and two touchdowns.
• Reynolds suffered his first defeat as a starting quarterback in his fifth-career start against Troy.  He carried the ball 21 times for 130 yards and three touchdowns, while completing eight of his 15 pass attempts for 159 yards.
• In his first five starts, Reynolds has rushed for 495 yards and eight touchdowns on 98 carries (99.0 yds/gm, 5.1 yds/carry) and has comleted 33 of his 59 pass attempts (.559) for 589 yards (117.4 yds/gm) with eight touchdowns and just one interception.  He has had at least one rushing touchdown in four of his five starts and has thrown at least one touchdown pass in four of his five starts.
• Reynolds was the first Navy quarterback to win his first four career starts since Bob Powers, who won his first six career starts in 1979.  The Mids started 6-0 that year and finished 7-4 with a victory over Army.
• Reynolds is believed to be just the third TRUE freshman to win his first four career starts at quarterback.  Notre Dame’s Matt LoVecchio won his first seven starts as a true freshman in 2000 and USC’s Matt Barkley won his first six starts in 2009.
• Reynolds is far short of qualifying for the NCAA passing efficiency leaderboard (you must average 15 pass attempts per game), but if he did qualify his 177.49 efficiency rating would lead the country.  Oregon freshman Marcus Mariota leads the country with a 176.96 rating.

Setting the Stage
• Navy and Troy will meet on the gridiron for the second time in as many years when they square off Saturday afternoon at Larry Blakeney Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.  Kickoff is set for 3:30 pm Eastern.
• Navy enters the weekend having won five consecutive games.  The last time Navy won six games in a row came at the start of the 1979 season when the Mids defeated The Citadel, Connecticut, Illinois, Air Force, William & Mary and Virginia.
• Saturday’s game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN3 with Dave Weekley and Forrest Conoly calling the action.

Scouting Troy
• Troy owns a 4-5 record this fall, but has close losses to Mississippi State (30-24) and Tennessee (55-48).

• The Trojans are ranked 50th in the country in rushing offense (173.7 yards per game), 15th in passing offense (315.0 yards per game), 15th in total offense (488.7 yards per game) and 53rd in scoring offense (30.11).
• Quarterback Corey Robinson has completed 184 of his 290 passes for 2,199 yards with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions.  His backup, Deon Anthony, has completed 59 of his 86 passes for 635 yards with seven touchdowns and just one interception.
• The leading receiver for the Owls is Chip Reeves, who has 47 catches for 804 yards and five touchdowns, while Eric Thomas has 44 catches for 521 yards and six touchdowns.
• Running back Shawn Southward is the leading rusher with 793 yards and nine touchdowns on 153 carries.
• The defense is ranked 72nd against the run (168.4 yards per game), 103rd against the pass (266.3 yards per game), 90th in total defense (434.8) and 81st in scoring defense (30.0).
• The defense is led by Brynden Trawick, who has 68 tackles and 4.5 tackles for a loss, while Brannon Bryan has recorded 56 tackles and a pick.

The Last Time … 
Navy 42, Troy 14    Oct. 5, 2011 | ANNAPOLIS, MD.
• Senior quarterback Kriss Proctor, playing with a dislocated left (throwing) elbow, completed four of his six pass attempts for 127 yards and one touchdown and rushed for 37 yards and two touchdowns to lead Navy to a 42-14 rout of Troy in front of a Senior Day crowd of 33,359 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.  The victory broke a six-game losing streak for the Mids.
• Proctor, who only played in the first half, directed Navy to five touchdown drives in seven possessions as the Mids built a 35-0 halftime lead.
• The Navy defense, which had been much maligned during the Mids’ losing skid, was superb, holding Troy to just 99 yards of total offense in the first half and forcing two turnovers.
• Nose guard Jared Marks recorded the first big play of the day on Troy’s first possession when he recovered a Corey Robinson fumble on the Navy 24-yard line.
• Six plays later, Navy converted the turnover into points as Proctor scored from the one.  Earlier in the drive, Proctor hitBrandon Turner for 25 yards on a screen pass on third-and-12 and hit slot back John Howell on the next play for 42 yards down to the Troy 11.
• Navy’s second touchdown was also set up by the defense as freshman Parrish Gaines stripped Shawn Southward andCollin Sturdivant recovered at the Navy 35-yard line.  It was the first-career caused fumble for Gaines and the first-career recovery for Sturdivant.
• It took Navy just two plays to move the 65 yards to paydirt with Proctor hitting Gee Gee Greene for 48 yards and a touchdown to cap the drive and the rout was on.
• The Mids would score three more times in the second quarter as fullback Alexander Teich scored on a five-yard run off an option pitch from Proctor, Greene scored on a 10-yard run and Proctor scored from five yards out.
• Senior slot back Mike Stukel capped the scoring with a one-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
• Senior slot back Aaron Santiago, who returned from a broken arm earlier than anybody expected including the doctors, showed no rust in his first game since Sept. 10, leading the Mids with 80 yards rushing on six carries.

Navy Vs. The Sun Belt
• Navy is 6-0 all-time against the Sun Belt with victories over Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Troy and Western Kentucky (twice).
• The Mids defeated Florida Atlantic, 24-17, last week.

Bama Born    
• Navy has seven players on its roster from the state of Alabama:  freshman slot back Bradley Bostick (Birmingham), sophomore slot back Reuben Carson (Birmingham), senior linebacker Brye French (Deatsville), junior corner Eric Graham (Eight Mile), junior wide receiver Shawn Lynch (Pelham), freshman center Ben Tamburello (Hoover) and sophomore slot back Ryan Williams-Jenkins (Helena).

Navy Rallies To Beat Florida Atlantic
• Freshman quarterback Keenan Reynolds piled up 306 yards of total offense and three touchdowns to lead Navy to a 24-17 victory over Florida Atlantic in front of 29,326 fans at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.  The win was Navy’s sixth of the year and clinched a berth to play in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.  It is Navy’s ninth bowl game in the last 10 years.
• The Mids trailed 10-0 with 8:57 left in the second quarter, before Reynolds got Navy going with a 48-yard run down to the FAU 33.
• On the next play, Reynolds hit sophomore slot back Ryan Williams-Jenkins with a 22-yard pass down to the 11-yard line and three plays later, on third-and-13, Reynolds hit senior wide receiver Brandon Turner with a 14-yard touchdown pass to cut the FAU lead to 10-7.
• Florida Atlantic drove down to the Navy 15 on its next possession, but on third down Jonathan Wallace threw incomplete out of the wildcat formation and then on fourth down Wallace was stopped for no gain by sophomore nose guard Danny Ring on a screen pass from quarterback Graham Wilbert.
• The Mids took over at their own 15 with 2:10 left in the half and quickly drove down the field.  Reynolds hit junior wide receiver Shawn Lynch, who made a spectacular over the shoulder catch, for 28 yards to move the ball down to the FAU 43.  Reynolds then threw a screen pass to sophomore fullback Noah Copeland for 25 yards to get the ball to the FAU five-yard line. Two plays later Reynolds scored from the one to give Navy the 14-10 halftime lead.
• Navy took the second half kickoff and methodically moved down the field, but bogged down at the FAU 31-yard line.  Facing a fourth-and-eight, Niumatalolo elected to go for it instead of kicking a 48-yard field goal into the wind.  The gamble paid off as Reynolds hit senior wide receiver Brandon Turner with a 31-yard touchdown pass to make the score 21-10.
• Freshman kicker Nick Sloan made a 20-yard field goal with 2:08 left in the third quarter and it appeared that Navy was in command.  However, the Mids allowed Florida Atlantic back in the game thanks to a costly turnover.
• Reynolds left the game in the fourth quarter with a hyperextended elbow and on the next play, junior quarterback Trey Miller and senior fullback Prentice Christian fumbled the mesh (the fumble was credited to Christian) and FAU’s Andrae Kirk recovered the ball at the Navy 39.
• Seven plays later FAU scored on a three-yard touchdown run by Wallace and the Navy lead was cut to 24-17.
• The Mids took the ball and moved to the FAU 30-yard line, but on third-and-one sophomore slot Geoffrey Whitesidelost four yards on an errant pitch by Reynolds and Sloan missed wide left on a 51-yard field goal.
• With a chance to tie Florida Atlantic moved the ball down to the Navy 17-yard line, but Wilbert threw three straight incompletions, the last one forced by sophomore defensive end Paul Quessenberry, and the Mids got the ball back with 4:10 remaining at their own 22.
• Navy ran out the clock as Reynolds carried the ball five consecutive times for 24 yards and two first downs.
• Reynolds finished the day with a career-high 159 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries, while he threw for a career-high 147 yards and two touchdowns (8-15).
• Turner had the two touchdown catches for 45 yards, while Lynch had two catches for 32 yards.
• Sophomore corner Parrish Gaines, senior linebacker Brye French, senior outside linebacker Keegan Wetzel and senior safety Tra’ves Bush paced Navy with seven tackles apiece.  Freshman corner Kwazel Bertrand had his first career fumble recovery to go along with his six tackles.

Navy Quick Hitters
• The Midshipmen punched their ticket to the Dec. 29 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl at AT&T Park in San Francisco last Saturday with a 24-17 victory over Florida Atlantic. It will be Navy’s 18th bowl appearance all-time, including its ninth in the last 10 years.
• Navy has been the dominant Service Academy over the last decade going 18-2 against Army (10-0) and Air Force (8-2), winning seven-consecutive Commander-In-Chief’s Trophies from 2003-09 and going to nine bowl games in the last 10 years.
• Navy will join the BIG EAST for football only starting in 2015.
• Navy’s three losses this season (Notre Dame, Penn State and San Jose State) have come at the hands of opponents that are a combined 22-5 (.815) on the year.  Notre Dame (9-0) is currently ranked fourth in the country, while Penn State (6-3) is receiving votes.  San Jose State (7-2) has received votes in the polls this year, as well.
• Over the last seven games (6-1), Navy has outscored the opposition 122-57 in the second half.  The defense has allowed just six touchdowns in the second half of those contests.
• The Mids turned the ball over 12 times in the first four games (nine lost fumbles and three interceptions) and went 1-3 in those four games.  Over the last five games, Navy has turned it over just twice and are 5-0.
• Ken Niumatalolo has led the Midshipmen to a 38-24 (.613) record in his fifth season as head coach.  He is tied for fourth all-time at Navy in career wins with Wayne Hardin.  Niumatalolo holds Navy coaching records for most wins in the first two (18), three (27), four (32) and five seasons (38) of a career.
• Senior outside linebacker Keegan Wetzel scored a perfect 1600 on his SAT and is believed to be the only current FBS player in the country to accomplish such a feat.  He carries a 3.89 GPA in systems engineering and is an Academic All-America candidate.  Wetzel has also been a force on the field for the Midshipmen, recording 52 tackles (fourth most on the team), a team-high 11 tackles for a loss and a team-high six sacks.  He is just two sacks from third on Navy’s single-season sack list.
• Keenan Reynolds is the first freshman to start at quarterback for Navy since Jim Kubiak started five games in 1991 and is just the third freshman in school history to start at quarterback (the other was Alton Grizzard in 1987). Reynolds is 4-0 as a starting quarterback with wins over Central Michigan, Indiana, East Carolina and Florida Atlantic.  Kubiak won just one game as a freshman starter and Grizzard won two.  Reynolds is the first Navy quarterback to win his first four starts since senior Bob Powers, who won his first six career starts in 1979.  The Mids started 6-0 that year and finished 7-4 with a victory over Army.
• Sophomore punter and Ray Guy candidate Pablo Beltran is averaging 44.7 yards per punt (27 punts) this season. He would stand 11th in the country in punting if he qualified (must average 3.6 punts per game).
• Freshman Nick Sloan is one of just 12 true freshman kickers starting in the FBS this year.  He is 8-for-10 on field goals and 28-for-28 on extra-points.
• Navy was 4-0 during the month of October after going 0-5 last year in October. It is the first time Navy went undefeated in the month of October since 1996.  That team finished 9-3 and defeated California in the Aloha Bowl.
• Navy owns a 6-3 record all-time in overtime games, winning six of its last seven.
• Navy owns an 81-43 (.653) record over the last 10 years after posting a 3-30 (.091) mark from 2000-02.  The 81 wins are the 21st most in the country over the last decade.
• Navy is trying to finish first in fewest penalties and fewest penalty yards per game for the second consecutive year and for the third time in the last four seasons.  The Mids are currently tied for first with Kansas State in fewest penalties per game (3.44) and fewest penalty yards per game (26.44).
• Navy is 29-4 (.879) under Ken Niumatalolo when scoring first and 9-20 (.310) when the opponent scores first.
• Under Niumatalolo, the Mids are 23-3 (.885) when leading after the first quarter and 15-21 (.417) when trailing or tied after the first stanza.
• Navy owns a 18-7 (.720) record in games played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium under Niumatalolo and is 20-17 (.541) away from home.

ANNAPOLIS, Md.- Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk announced after Saturday’s victory over Florida Atlantic that the Naval Academy has qualified to play in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 29 at AT&T Park in San Francisco against a projected opponent from the Pac-12. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. in San Francisco (4:00 p.m. in Annapolis) and will be televised nationally by ESPN2.

This will be Navy’s second trip to San Francisco for a bowl game.  In 2004, 18,000 Navy fans, including more than 2,000 midshipmen, jammed what was then Pac Bell Park to see Navy defeat New Mexico, 34-19.

“Based on our visit in 2004, we have seen first hand that the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl is a magnificent overall environment and event,” said Gladchuk.  “The city of San Francisco, the stadium, the hospitality from the community, the bowl administration and the beauty of Northern California present as fine a postseason experience as we could possibly enjoy.  The Academy is sincerely grateful to Gary Cavalli and his staff for inviting us back and setting the stage for our team to earn an enjoyable trip to the West Coast and an inspiring matchup versus an opponent from the Pac-12.”

“I am very happy for our young men and our program that we are going back to a bowl game for the ninth time in the last 10 years,” said Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo.  “This group has shown an amazing amount of resiliency after starting 1-3 and they never stopped fighting or believing.  Our only focus right now is on our final three regular season games, but we are thrilled to be going back to San Francisco.”

“We’re thrilled to be able to bring Navy back to San Francisco, said Gary Cavalli, the Executive Director of the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. “Navy’s first appearance in 2004 really put our bowl on the map. They bring a huge fan base, a ton of pageantry and one of the hottest football teams in America.  We look forward to providing a great bowl experience for the Navy players and fans, and hosting a great match-up with the Pac-12.”

Tickets for the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl are on sale now at www.navysports.com.

Tickets can also be purchased starting Monday morning at 9 a.m. by calling 1-800-US4-NAVY or at the Ricketts Hall Box Office.

Ticket prices are $25 (Upper Level End Zone), $40 (Upper Level Corner), $50 (Upper Level Sideline and Lower Level End Zone and Corner), $60 (Lower Level Sideline and Sideline Bleacher behind the team bench) and $75 (Club).  The only way to sit with the Navy contingent is to buy your tickets through the Navy ticket office.

Fans can also purchase tickets to sponsor midshipmen and enlisted personnel and their families for $50 per ticket. Donated tickets are 100% tax deductible.

“We strongly encourage Navy fans to buy their bowl tickets directly from the Naval Academy Athletic Association,” said Gladchuk. “It is very important for this game and for future Navy bowl considerations for our fans to purchase tickets through the NAAA. If you can’t make it to the game we ask that Navy fans buy tickets for our midshipmen and enlisted personnel, which will allow us to create the usual pageantry of Navy football.”

Anthony Travel is the official Naval Academy Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl travel agency. Travel packages include hotel accommodations at the Westin St. Francis Hotel (Navy team hotel). Visit AnthonyTravel.com and search Navy Bowl or call (800) 736-6377 to make your reservations.

This will be Navy’s 18^th bowl appearance in school history and the ninth in the last 10 years.

Setting the Stage
• Navy and East Carolina will meet on the gridiron for the fourth time when they square off Saturday afternoon at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium (50,000).  Kickoff is set for 3:30 pm.
• East Carolina won last year’s game in a thriller, 38-35, on Homecoming in Annapolis. Back-up quarterback Trey Miller came off the bench to throw 59 and 37-yard touchdown passes to give Navy a 35-31 lead, but ECU won the game on a three-yard touchdown run by Reggie Bullock with 2:14 left to play.
• Navy’s last trip to Greenville resulted in a 76-35 victory over East Carolina on Nov. 6, 2010.
• Navy enters the weekend having won three consecutive games overall and two straight on the road.  The last time Navy won four in a row came at the end of the 2010 season when the Mids won at East Carolina, beat Central Michigan and Arkansas State at home and then beat Army in Philadelphia.  Navy last won three straight road games in 2009 when the Mids won at Wake Forest, at Air Force and at Northern Illinois.
• Saturday’s game will be televised nationally by Fox College Sports with Adam Alexander, Gary Reasons and Leslie McCaslin calling the action.

Scouting East Carolina
• The Pirates are 5-3 on the year with victories over Appalachian State (35-13), Southern Miss (24-14), UTEP (28-18), Memphis (41-7) and UAB (42-35). The Pirates have lost to South Carolina (48-10), North Carolina (27-6) and UCF (40-20).
• Quarterback Shane Carden has completed 141 of his 219 passes for 1,685 yards with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions.
• Carden’s favorite target is wide receiver Justin Hardy, who has 51 catches for 749 yards and eight touchdowns.  Hardy is tied for 18th in the country in receiving yards per game (93.6).
• Running back Vintavious Cooper is the leading rusher with 630 yards on 111 carries with three touchdowns.
• The defense is led by Jeremy Grove, who has 55 tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles.  Damon Magazu has recorded 48 tackles and two pass break-ups.
• ECU ranks 103rd in the country in rushing offense (117.5), 41st in passing offense (265.0), 78th in total offense (382.5) and 77th in scoring offense (25.8).
• The Pirates rank 32nd in rush defense (123.1), 102nd in pass defense (269.5), 61st in total defense (392.6) and 56th in scoring defense (25.3).

The Last Time … 
East Carolina 38, Navy 35    OCT. 22, 2011 | ANNAPOLIS, MD.
• East Carolina quarterback Dominique Davis completed 40 of his 45 pass attempts for 372 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Pirates to a 38-35 victory over Navy in front of 34,612 fans at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Homecoming.
• Davis completed an NCAA-record 26-consecutive passes to start the game as the Pirates built a 17-7 halftime advantage thanks to touchdown passes of three yards to Lance Lewis and 10 yards to Michael Bowman.
• The Mids lost starting quarterback Kriss Proctor to an injured left elbow midway through the second quarter when he was hit late by East Carolina’s Matt Milner.  Proctor was replaced by sophomore Trey Miller, who moved the ball down to the ECU 38-yard line before fumbling the snap and East Carolina’s Michael Brooks recovered it.  ECU would score a touchdown on the ensuing series.
• Navy’s Marcus Thomas returned the second half kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown to cut the ECU lead to 17-14.  It was Navy’s first kickoff return for a TD since Reggie Campbell returned one against Army in 2007.  Meanwhile, it was the fourth-longest return in school history.
• After the Pirates answered with a one-yard touchdown run by Reggie Bullock, the Mids cut the lead to three again when Alexander Teich took the toss from Miller and scored from the one to make the score 24-21.
• Bullock, however, would answer again for East Carolina, this time scoring on a 13-yard run with 14:53 left in the game.
• Navy would come right back and make it 31-28 when Miller hit Brandon Turner with a 59-yard touchdown pass.  The Mids took their first lead of the game since going up 7-0 when Miller threw a strike to Matt Aiken for a 37-yard touchdown pass to give Navy a 35-31 lead with 7:51 left.
• ECU took the ensuing kickoff and marched 77 yards in 15 plays, milking 5:37 off the clock, and took a 38-35 lead on a three-yard touchdown run by Bullock.
• The Mids got the ball back at their own 28 with 2:14 left and Miller quickly went to work.
• On the most controversial call of the game, Miller hit Aiken down the left sideline at the two-yard line on third down. Aiken made a spectacular grab, secured the ball, got two feet down, turned and dove over the goal line.  After breaking the plane, he landed a yard inside the end zone and the ball came loose.  The officials on the field called it an incomplete pass, however Navy challenged the ruling on the field.  The official in the replay booth confirmed the ruling on the field setting up a third-and-10.  Miller hit Aiken over the middle for eight yards with 22 seconds left giving Navy plenty of time to get the field goal team on the field.
• With eight seconds left, the field goal team was in place. Teague got the ball off fast and high, but it clanged off the right goal post, sending the Mids to their fifth-straight loss.

Navy Vs. Conference USA
• Navy is 25-28-1 (.472) all-time against teams currently in Conference USA.
• Navy, Houston, Memphis, SMU and UCF are all future members of the BIG EAST.

The Tar Heel State    
• Navy has 12 players from the state of North Carolina on its roster.
• Sophomore corner Eric Johnson (Fayetteville), sophomore quarterback Greg Bryant (Fayetteville), junior wide receiverHayden Maples (Raleigh), freshman corner Myer Krah (Durham), sophomore safety Chris Ferguson (Angier), freshman slot back Jamaal Williams (Durham), junior wide receiver Brantley Horton (Cleveland), sophomore outside linebackerObi Uzoma (Wake Forest), senior defensive end Collin Sturdivant, junior offensive tackle Adam Geuss (Charlotte), senior offensive tackle Andrew Barker (High Point) and senior wide receiver John O’Boyle (Charlotte).

Navy Quick Hitters
• Opening the year against Notre Dame in Dublin and at Penn State was the toughest opening two games in school history.
• In the last 40 years, Navy has started the year with two opponents from BCS conferences just eight times and only twice (2005 and 1982) did the Mids go on to have a winning record.
• Navy has been the dominant Service Academy over the last decade going 18-2 against Army (10-0) and Air Force (8-2), winning seven-consecutive Commander-In-Chief’s Trophies from 2003-09 and going to eight straight bowl games from 2003-10.
• Navy will join the BIG EAST for football only starting in 2015.
• Since 2003, Navy has won 19 games against schools from a BCS conference.  The 19 wins against BCS schools during that time period are the most in the country by a non-BCS school.  Navy’s wins against BCS schools have come against Vanderbilt (`03, `04), Duke (`04, `05, `06, `07), Rutgers (`04, `08), Stanford (`06), Connecticut (`06), Pitt (`07), Notre Dame (`07, `09, `10), Wake Forest (`08, `09, `10), Missouri (`09) and Indiana (`12).
• Navy’s three losses this season (Notre Dame, Penn State and San Jose State) have come at the hands of opponents that are a combined 17-4 (.810) on the year.  Notre Dame (7-0) is currently ranked fifth in the country, while Penn State (5-2) is receiving votes in the AP Poll (it is ineligible for the USA Today/Coaches Poll).  San Jose State (5-2) was receiving votes before being knocked off by Utah State, 49-27, two week ago.
• Navy’s victory over Indiana last Saturday was the Mids’ first over a Big Ten opponent since winning at Illinois in 1979 and the first win over a Big Ten opponent in Annapolis since defeating Purdue in 1926.
• Navy has 12 players from the state of North Carolina on its roster.
• Navy is 25-28-1 (.472) all-time against teams currently in Conference USA.
• Over the last 11 years, Navy has consistently been one of the nation’s top rushing teams, never finishing lower than sixth.  The Mids are currently 13th in the country in rushing (236.7).
• The Navy defense has given up just 79 points over the last five games (20 quarters plus one overtime), allowing three points to VMI, 12 to San Jose State, 21 to Air Force, 13 to Central Michigan and 30 to Indiana. It is the fewest points allowed over a five-game stretch since 2009.
• For the seventh year in a row, the Naval Academy finished in the top five in the country for graduating NCAA student-athletes on the FBS level.  Navy graduated 100 percent of its student-athletes in six of the 20 NCAA sports reported.  Overall, 96 percent of Navy’s student-athletes that enrolled from 2000-03 graduated.
• Senior outside linebacker Keegan Wetzel scored a perfect 1600 on his SAT and is believed to be the only current FBS player in the country to accomplish such a feat.  He carries a 3.89 GPA in systems engineering and is an Academic All-America candidate and a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete-of-the-Year candidate.  Wetzel has also been a force on the field for the Midshipmen, recording 36 tackles, a team-high 8.5 tackles for a loss and a team-high four sacks.  He has also recovered a fumble and broken up a pass.
• Keenan Reynolds is the first freshman to start at quarterback for Navy since Jim Kubiak started five games in 1991 and is just the third freshman in school history to start at quarterback (the other was Alton Grizzard in 1987). Reynolds is 2-0 as a starting quarterback with wins over Central Michigan and Indiana.  Kubiak won just one game as a freshman starter and Grizzard won two.
• Navy has played 12 true freshmen so far this year, which is tied as the ninth most in the country.
• Navy has had 17 players make their first career starts this fall, which is the fourth most in the country.
• Sophomore punter Pablo Beltran is off to a great start in 2012, averaging 45.1 yards per punt (25 punts). He would stand 10th in the country in punting if he qualified (must average 3.1 punts per game).
• Freshman Nick Sloan is one of just 16 true freshman kickers starting in the FBS this year.  He is 7-for-7 on field goals and 17-for-17 on extra-points. He is one of just two kickers in the country that has not missed a kick all year (field goals or extra-points). The other is Jeremy Shelly of No. 1-ranked Alabama.
• Navy owns a 6-3 record all-time in overtime games, winning six of its last seven.
• Navy owns a 79-43 (.648) record over the last 10 years after posting a 3-30 (.091) mark from 2000-02. The 79 wins are tied as the 21st most in the county during that time period.
• Senior guard Josh Cabral and slot back Gee Gee Greene have started 32 consecutive games for the Midshipmen, while senior linebacker Matt Warrick has started 21 in a row and senior safety Tra’ves Bush 17 straight.
• Navy has turned the ball over 12 times this season (nine lost fumbles and three interceptions) after committing just 15 turnovers in 2011 (nine lost fumbles and six interceptions).  The Mids have not turned the ball over in the last three games.
• Navy is 28-4 (.875) under Ken Niumatalolo when scoring first and 8-20 (.286) when the opponent scores first.
• Under Niumatalolo, the Mids are 22-3 (.880) when leading after the first quarter and 14-21 (.400) when trailing or tied after the first stanza.
• Navy owns a 17-7 (.708) record in games played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium under Niumatalolo and is 19-17 (.528) away from home.
• Niumatalolo holds Navy coaching records for most wins in the first two seasons (18), three seasons (27) and four seasons (32) of a career.

Defensive Scores    
• Jordan Drake’s 24-yard interception return for a touchdown against Indiana was Navy’s second interception return for a touchdown this year.  Matt Warrick had a seven-yard interception return for a touchdown against VMI in the third game of the season.
• The two defensive scores are the most by a Navy defense in the same season since 2008 when Navy had three defensive touchdowns (Ram Vela interception return against Army, Clint Sovie fumble return against Temple andRashawn King fumble return against Wake Forest).
• It is the first time that Navy has returned two interceptions for a touchdown in the same season since 2004 when David Mahoney (Rutgers) and Josh Smith (Army) turned the trick.

Looking For Four-Straight Wins
• Navy will be looking to win its fourth consecutive game for the first time since the end of the 2010 season when the Midshipmen won four in a row to end the regular season (76-35 over East Carolina, 38-37 over Central Michigan, 35-19 over Arkansas State and 31-17 over Army) .

Keeping The Opponents Off The Scoreboard
• The Navy defense has given up just 79 points over the last five games (20 quarters plus one overtime), allowing three points to VMI, 12 to San Jose State, 21 to Air Force, 13 to Central Michigan and 30 to Indiana.
• It is the fewest points Navy has allowed over a five-game stretch since 2009 when the Mids surrendered a combined 79 points to Notre Dame (21), Delaware (18), Hawai’i (24), Army (3) and Missouri (13).

Navy vs. the BCS / Non-BCS
• Since 2003, Navy has won 19 games against schools from a BCS conference.  The 19 wins against BCS schools during that time period, which have come against 10 different teams, are the most in the country by a non-BCS school.
• Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo has eight wins against teams from a BCS conference since taking over the program at the end of the 2007 season.
• Navy’s 19 wins against BCS schools have come against Vanderbilt (`03, `04), Duke (`04, `05, `06, `07), Rutgers (`04, `08), Stanford (`06), Connecticut (`06), Pitt (`07), Notre Dame (`07, `09, `10), Wake Forest (`08, `09, `10), Missouri (`09) and Indiana (`12).

Freshman Kicker
• Freshman Nick Sloan beat out five other kickers in preseason camp to earn the job as Navy’s kicker on field goals and PATs.  He made his first career field goal attempt from 26 yards against Notre Dame and also made his only PAT attempt.
• He is 7-for-7 on field goals and 17-for-17 on extra-points for the year. He is one of only two kickers in the country that has not missed a kick (extra point or field goal) this fall.  The other is Jeremy Shelly, the starting kicker for No. 1-ranked Alabama.
• Sloan is one of just 16 true freshman kickers starting in the FBS this year.  His 38 points are tied for the ninth most by a freshman this season.
• He is the first freshman to start at kicker for Navy since 1996 when Tim Shubzda started multiple games, including the opener against Rutgers.  Shubzda connected on four-of-six field goal attempts and all six of his PAT’s as a freshman, splitting time with Jason Covarubbias and Tom Vanderhorst.

Close Calls
• Navy lost five games in 2011 by a total of 11 points.  The five losses by eight points or less were tied for the fifth most in the country and cost the Mids a ninth-consecutive bowl game.
• The Mids are 2-0 this year in close encounters, knocking off Air Force by seven in overtime and beating Indiana by one.
• The Mids are 16-13 (.552) under head coach Ken Niumatalolo in games decided by eight points or less.