Tag Archive | "Niumatalolo"

Tags: , , , ,

QB Miller Shows Improvement in Second Navy Spring Scrimmage

Posted on 08 April 2012 by WNST Staff

Sophomore outside linebacker Josh Tate recorded seven tackles, two tackles for a loss and a sack, while senior linebacker Brye French was in on six tackles and a sack to lead the defense to a 58-53 victory over the offense on Saturday morning at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

The defense scored points by coming up with a third down stop (three points), a fourth down stop (six points) a turnover (six points) and a sack or tackle for a loss (three points).

The offense scored points for first downs (three points), plays greater than 20 yards (three points) and touchdowns (six points).

If either side committed a penalty they lost two points, while a personal foul penalty was a minus five points.

“I will have to save judgment until I watch the tape,” said head coach Ken Niumatalolo. “There is always good and bad in every scrimmage. One guy I’m really excited about is Brye French. He’s been super consistent and has done a nice job.”

Senior linebacker John Michael Nurthern was also in on seven tackles for the defense, while junior linebacker Shawn Reed and sophomore safeties Chris Ferguson and James Britton had six tackles apiece.

A week after committing six turnovers the offense did not commit a turnover today. Junior quarterback Trey Miller was extremely sharp, completing 15 of his 18 pass attempts for 159 yards and one touchdown. Miller also rushed for 69 yards on 17 carries despite being hampered by a blown whistle every time he was touched.

“Trey did much better than he did last scrimmage,” said Niumatalolo. “I thought he was pretty sharp and did some good things.Senior slot back Bo Snelson had a solid scrimmage with 49 yards rushing on five carries and he caught a team-high four passes for 28 yards. Fellow senior slot back Gee Gee Greene carried the ball four times for 20 yards and a touchdown and had two catches for 14 yards, while sophomore fullback Noah Copeland had six carries for 34 yards and a touchdown. Third team quarterback Cody West showed some flashes as well, running for 37 yards on seven carries.

Miller’s touchdown pass was a beautiful 20-yard strike to Brandon Turner on the final play of a one-minute drill that wasn’t figured in the final scoring. Turner’s catch came as time expired in the drill. He finished the day with three catches for 42 yards.

Niumatalolo is excited about Turner, who led the Mids in receiving last year with 14 catches for 300 yards (21.4 yards per catch) and three touchdowns.

“Greg Jones is probably the best pure wide receiver we’ve had here, but as far as being a complete player for what we want running, blocking and catching Brandon has a chance to be as good as we’ve ever had. He comes up with some big blocks in the running game that people don’t notice as well.”

Other players that had big plays in the passing game were junior receiver Casey Bolena (1-15), senior fullback Prentice Christian (1-13), senior slot back John Howell (1-20), junior slot back Marcus Thomas (1-23) and sophomore slot back Geoffrey Whiteside (1-16).

“I think we will throw the ball more than we did last year, but we aren’t going to change who we are,” said Niumatalolo.

“Our biggest thing this camp has been about mental toughness and just our overall toughness and we’ve worked these guys hard,” continued Niumatalolo. “We had 800 live reps all last season and we’ve had over 700 live reps this spring so we’ve had almost a full season of live reps this spring so hopefully we are getting tougher and we are getting that mentality back.”

The annual Blue-Gold game will take place on Saturday at 12-noon at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Admission is free and there is a $5 charge to park. The game will also be streamed live for free on Navy All-Access.

 

Comments (0)

Tags: , , ,

Niumatalolo Says Navy Must Get Tougher During Spring Practice

Posted on 04 April 2012 by WNST Audio

Comments (0)

Tags: , , , , , ,

Navy Defense Dominant In First Spring Football Scrimmage

Posted on 31 March 2012 by WNST Staff

ANNAPOLIS, Md.—The Navy defense dominated the offense on Saturday morning in Navy’s first full scrimmage of the spring, winning 133-82.

Points were accumulated by the defense for coming up with a third down stop (four points), a fourth down stop (six points), a turnover (six points), a touchdown (six points) and a sack or a tackle for a loss (three points).

The offense scored points for making a first down (three points), for plays greater than 20 yards (four points) and a touchdown (six points).

When the offense or defense committed a penalty they lost two points and if it was a personal foul penalty the offending team lost five points.

“I like the way the defense played today,” said Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo. “We had way too many turnovers on the offensive side of the ball. The emphasis all camp on the defensive side of the ball is to get the ball out and they did a great job of that.  The offense did a poor job of securing the ball.”

“We got some turnovers today and I thought a few guys stood out,” said Navy defensive coordinator Buddy Green.  “I thought Brye French stood out.  He picked off a pass and made some good plays against the run.  We gave up too much on the dive and we had too many missed tackles in the open field.”

Junior quarterback Trey Miller got the offense off to a good start, running for a 68-yard touchdown on the second play of the scrimmage and then hitting senior wide receiver Brandon Turner with a 33-yard pass on the very next play.

After Miller’s pass to Turner, the defense took over the scrimmage creating six turnovers, recording 13 tackles for a loss and coming up with six sacks the rest of the way.

Sophomore outside linebacker Josh Tate had the play of the day, batting down an option pitch by sophomore quarterback John Hendrick and then picking up the loose ball and returning it 20 yards for a touchdown.

Junior corner Jonathan Wev and senior linebacker Brye French both intercepted Miller, while Tate, sophomore linebacker David Thurston, junior nose guard Alex Doolittle and sophomore outside linebacker Paul Quessenberry all recovered fumbles. Quessenberry returned his fumble 70 yards for a touchdown.

Junior linebacker Shawn Reed led the defense in tackles with 10, including a sack and 2.5 tackles for a loss.  Sophomore outside linebacker Chris Johnson recorded seven tackles and a tackle for a loss, while senior defensive end Collin Sturdivant had five tackles and a sack.

Sophomore fullback Quinton Singleton had a solid day for the offense, carrying the ball 10 times for 74 yards.  Miller ran the ball eight times for 55 yards, but after his 68 yard run on his first carry lost 13 yards on his last seven carries.  Sophomore fullback Noah Copeland carried the ball eight times for 34 yards, while senior fullback Prentice Christian had nine carries for 30 yards and a touchdown.

“Trey can run,” said Niumatalolo.  “He has all the tools that we are looking for. He is fast and he can throw the football and Coach Jasper will continue to work with him.  He has had a very good spring.  He has had seven good practices, but today wasn’t one of his better days.  He has to bounce back. He has to play well for us to be a good football team.”

“Trey has had a pretty decent spring, but he was bad today.  He was awful,” said Navy offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper. “We can’t have turnovers. We harp on ball security and not throwing interceptions.  He had a great run to start the scrimmage, but you have to keep coming back.  We need more consistency out of him.    He’s hard on himself.  He’s real quiet, but it’s killing him inside and I can tell that and that’s a good thing.  We have something to work with.”

Miller and sophomore back-ups John Hendrick and Cody West combined to go 9-25 passing for 144 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.  Miller was 5-13 for 80 yards.

“It was a rough day for us,” said Jasper.  “But it’s the spring and that’s what this is for.   John Hendrick has to mature a lot.  He had a bad practice yesterday and it carried over to today.  John’s in the tank right now and it’s my job to pick these guys up and understand that this is a learning experience for them and we have to come back on Monday and get better. All three guys have a lot of tools and it’s my job to get them ready.”

Senior wide receiver Brandon Turner had two catches for 39 yards, while junior slot back Brian Williams had two catches for 34 yards. Copeland had one catch for 30 yards.

The Mids will practice Monday, Wednesday and Friday next week and will then scrimmage on Saturday morning at the stadium at a time to be announced.

Comments (0)

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

French, Snelson Named Navy Football Captains

Posted on 11 February 2012 by WNST Staff

Brye French and Bo Snelson Elected 2012 Football Team Captains

ANNAPOLIS, Md.- Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo announced Friday night at the annual Navy football banquet that linebacker Brye French (Deatsville, Ala.) and slot back Bo Snelson (Pasadena, Texas) have been elected team captains for the 2012 football season by their teammates.

“Being elected team captain at the Naval Academy is one of the greatest honors you can receive at an institution that produces great leaders,” said Niumatalolo.  “Brye and Bo will do a great job of leading this football team both on and off the field.  They work extremely hard and are both vocal leaders and will lead by actions on the field.”

French played in all 12 games last fall, starting nine at outside linebacker.  He finished sixth on the team with 55 tackles, six of which were behind the line of scrimmage. He made his first-career start at 10th-ranked South Carolina, where he recorded a career-high 13 tackles and a sack in Navy’s 24-21 loss.  He was named the ECAC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance.

Snelson has played in 36 of Navy’s 38 games over his first three years, including 35-straight games dating back to his freshman year.  Snelson, the hard-nosed Texan who is known more for his blocking, has rushed for 191 yards and a touchdown during his career, while catching four passes for 52 yards.  Snelson will team up with John Howell and Gee Gee Greene to give the Mids a talented group of senor slot backs.

Comments (0)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Navy Adds Shaun Nua to Football Staff

Posted on 26 January 2012 by WNST Staff

ANNAPOLIS, Md.—Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo announced today that Shaun Nua has joined the staff as an assistant coach and will assist Dale Pehrson in coaching the defensive line.  Niumatalolo also announced that Justin Davis will move from the defensive line to assist Tony Grantham at outside linebackers. Nua replaces Napoleon Sykes, who left Navy in January to coach at UNC-Charlotte.

Nua comes to the Naval Academy from Brigham Young, where he assisted for the past three seasons.  He is a 2005 graduate of BYU where he received his bachelor’s degree and is currently pursuing his graduate degree.

Over the past two seasons, Nua helped the Cougars achieve the nation’s 24th-best total defense in 2010 and the 13th-ranked defense in 2011. BYU won its bowl games both years while finishing the 2011 season ranked No. 25 in the final USA Today Coaches Poll with a 10-3 record.

“Shaun is a bright and enthusiastic coach and I’m very excited to have him join our staff,” said Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo.   “He is a man of character and coaches with a great deal of passion.  I went to BYU last spring to watch a couple of spring practices and he immediately caught my attention with the way he coached. He will be a great asset.”

“I am very excited to be at Navy,” said Nua. “I have so much respect for these young men and what they do here at the Naval Academy and what they are going to do after graduation.  I am fired up about having a role in helping these young men progress on the football field and I am very grateful that Coach Niumatalolo has given me this opportunity.”

“Shaun is an exceptional coach and an exceptional person,” said Brigham Young head coach Bronco Mendenhall.  “He has an outstanding defensive mind blended with great optimism, and he is an excellent teacher who cares for the players in his charge.  Our players and coaches are sorry to see him leave, but excited for him and his opportunity at Navy. Shaun has a very bright future in the coaching profession.”

As a player, Nua was a 6-foot-5, 280-pound defensive end at BYU from 2002-04 before being drafted in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nua played four years in the NFL, three seasons with Pittsburgh and one in Buffalo, including a winning trip to the Super Bowl with the Steelers his rookie year in 2006.

Nua earned All-Mountain West Conference Second-Team honors as a senior.  He played in all 23 games of his BYU career, appearing in 12 games his junior season in 2002 and 11 games as a senior in 2004 (redshirted in 2003 due to an injury).  He totaled 54 tackles in his two seasons, including 10 sacks and 16 tackles for loss. His four sacks were second on the team behind longtime NFL veteran Brady Poppinga his junior season, while his six sacks led the Cougars his senior year.

Born on May 22, 1981, Nua is a native of Pago Pago, American Samoa.  He transferred to BYU from Eastern Arizona Junior College, where he earned junior college All-America honors. He prepped at Tafuna High School in Tafuna, American Samoa where he was an all-league performer as a defensive end.

Comments (0)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Navy Football To Join BIG EAST in 2015

Posted on 24 January 2012 by WNST Staff

Naval Academy To Join The BIG EAST For Football In 2015

ANNAPOLIS, Md.—Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Admiral Michael Miller, USN announced Tuesday in conjunction with BIG EAST Commissioner John Marinatto that the Naval Academy has accepted a formal invitation from the BIG EAST to become a football-only member of the conference starting with the 2015 season.

The Naval Academy and the BIG EAST have agreed to a three-year phase-in period during which a scheduling partnership will be created and leading to a full schedule of eight games in 2015.  During that period, Navy will continue its current partnership with CBS and post-season bowls.  In anticipation of full football membership, Navy will be included in all future television, marketing, promotion, and bowl negotiations by the BIG EAST Conference effective immediately.

“The Naval Academy is pleased to accept the invitation for our football team to join the BIG EAST conference,” said Miller.  “After careful consideration, we believe this affiliation to be in the best interests of the Naval Academy, our athletic programs and the Brigade of Midshipmen.  While our independent status has served Navy Football well to date, BIG EAST conference affiliation will help ensure our future scholar-athletes and athletic programs remain competitive at the highest levels for the foreseeable future.”

“When people look back, they will mark this as a truly historic day for the BIG EAST Conference,” said Commissioner John Marinatto.  “America’s first national football conference is adding a program with true national appeal. Navy’s decision to make the BIG EAST its first football conference home after over 100 years of independence demonstrates the value of our new expansion model and the long-term viability of our football product.  The BIG EAST is truly proud to be associated with one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the country and one of the most storied programs in college football.”

The Naval Academy has established itself as one of the nation’s elite institutions in both academic and athletic prowess.  Navy has annually ranked near the top of both the NCAA’s APR and Graduation Success Rate for student-athletes.  This past year, Navy’s Graduation Success Rate of 96% places the Academy in the top four of all FBS institutions.

On the gridiron the Midshipmen have compiled a record of 75-40 (.652) over the last nine seasons with the 75 wins ranking as the 20th most in the country (and third most among current or future Big East Schools ranking behind Boise State and West Virginia) over that period.  The Mids have gone to a bowl game in eight of the last nine years and their 18 wins over schools from a BCS conference are the most of any non-BCS school over that same nine-year period.

“The BIG EAST will provide an expanded stage for the American public to see our nation’s future leaders,” said Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk.  “Expanded media opportunities and coverage by the BIG EAST will elevate the national visibility of Navy football to the highest levels.  This new affiliation will brand Navy football as a member of a BCS conference whose competitive aspirations include the opportunity to compete for a championship.  The BIG EAST plays a prominent role in the NCAA governance structure and affiliation will ensure that the Naval Academy solidifies its position as an important contributor to leadership decisions on a national level.  The future direction of Division I athletics and the vision for collegiate football will include insights and input brought to the table by the Naval Academy administration.”

Joining the BIG EAST will not require any degree of government/taxpayer money. Membership, rather, will enhance opportunities for revenue generation in support of the physical mission and the Brigade to a significant degree.  New opportunities for revenues will significantly exceed what Navy can generate as an Independent in football.  The business model that correlates with joining the BIG EAST illustrates an unparalleled opportunity to stabilize the financial condition of both the Naval Academy Athletic Association and the Academy’s support for the physical mission at large.  This includes 32 varsity sports, 14 club programs, intramurals, physical education, and mission related facilities.

Television exposure and opportunities for marketing/promotion will be greatly enhanced through BIG EAST membership.  The BIG EAST television footprint represents 30% of the nation’s households.

“This is an exciting time to be a part of the Navy football program,” said Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo.  “There is no doubt the BIG EAST will be a challenging league for us to compete in every year, but the young men that come to Navy want to compete against the best and I believe this will open up some recruiting doors that we’ve been unable to open in the past.”

The Naval Academy will continue to annually compete against Army and Air Force for the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy and its rivalry with Notre Dame will continue as the longest, continuous intersectional matchup in FBS football.

“It is important to the U.S. Naval Academy, as a premier source for producing the next generation of Naval and Marine Corps officers, that Navy football remains relevant as well as highly visible on the national stage,” said Miller. “This has proven to be the case over the last decade and it will perpetuate itself with this new affiliation.”

Comments (1)

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Navy Announces Spring Football Schedule

Posted on 29 December 2011 by WNST Staff

Navy Football Sets Spring Practice Schedule

ANNAPOLIS, Md.—Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo announced the dates today for Navy’s spring football practice.  The Mids will practice the NCAA mandated 15 times, which includes two scrimmages and a spring game.

Navy will begin practicing on Monday, March 19 and will practice every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday for the first three weeks and Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday the fourth and final week.

The team will scrimmage at the Academy on Saturday, March 31 and at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Saturday, April 7.  The Blue & Gold game is set for Saturday, April 14 at 12 noon, although that time could change to 4:30 PM if CBS Sports Network opts to televise the scrimmage.

Practices during the week generally run from 4:00-6:00 PM and the Saturday scrimmages and practices start at approximately 9:00 AM.  All dates and times are subject to change.

Navy Football Spring Practice Schedule
Monday, March 19
Wednesday, March 21
Friday, March 23 (Stadium)
Saturday, March 24 (Stadium)
Monday, March 26
Wednesday, March 28
Friday, March 30
Saturday, March 31 (scrimmage at the Academy)
Monday, April 2
Wednesday, April 4
Friday, April 6
Saturday, April 7 (scrimmage at the Stadium)
Tuesday, April 10
Thursday, April 12
Saturday, April 14 (Blue & Gold Game at the Stadium)

Comments (0)

Nature Of Navy Win, Season Reminder Of How Remarkable Run Has Been

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nature Of Navy Win, Season Reminder Of How Remarkable Run Has Been

Posted on 10 December 2011 by Glenn Clark

LANDOVER, Md. — It was emotional for players and incredible for fans, but make no mistake when it comes to the United States Naval Academy’s 27-21 win Saturday at FedEx Field over the United States Military Academy.

It wasn’t pretty.

Navy (5-7) blew a 14-0 first half lead and needed two Jon Teague field goals, a huge 4th down stop and a key offsides call on Army (3-9) in the 4th quarter to hang on to win their 10th straight game in the iconic Army/Navy rivalry series. The Midshipmen haven’t lost a game in the series since 2001, an unprecedented stretch of dominance in the series.

Yet this one was a bit different for a number of reasons.

Saturday’s game marked the first time since 2002 that the contest against Army would be the final game of the season for the Mids. In fact, not only had the Mids gone bowling in each of the past eight seasons, they had done so entering their battle with the Black Knights already bowl eligible in each of those eight seasons. Even after defeating their counterparts from West Point Saturday the season is over for Navy, as close losses earlier in the year to the likes of South Carolina, Air Force, Rutgers, East Carolina and San Jose State loomed large for a team needing only one more win to have clinched a trip to the Military Bowl.

Saturday’s game also stood out because the 27-21 final marked the slimmest margin of victory for the Mids in the series since a 30-28 win in December 2000 at the building then known as PSINet Stadium (now M&T Bank Stadium).

Both Saturday’s win and Navy’s season in general weren’t as easy as they have appeared to be in the past.

Of course, that might be a reminder of just how remarkable things have been in Annapolis over the past decade. Since 2002 (the first season for now Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson), the Midshipmen have posted an exceptional 77-50 overall record, including an undefeated record against Army and a 7-3 record against their other Academy rival Air Force-which has resulted in seven Commander-in-Chief’s Trophies.

(Despite the presence of Commander-in-Chief Barack Obama Saturday as Navy won, the C-i-C Trophy isn’t headed back to Annapolis. Their Mids’ loss to the Falcons earlier in the season means the Trophy will remain in Colorado Springs for another season.)

The stretch has also resulted in eight bowl game appearances. If you erase Johnson’s first season (2002) from the equation, the Mids have gone 75-40 over the last nine seasons under Johnson and current head coach Ken Niumatalolo, still undefeated against Army. (The eight bowl game appearances and seven C-i-C Trophies remain.)

Perhaps it explains the emotional nature of Niumatalolo following his team’s win Saturday. He knows just how difficult this stretch has been.

USNA fans have been spoiled by the success of their program in the past decade. Spoiled so much that it has become easy to simply expect their team to maintain such an incredible standard of performance.

The problem is that such a run of success has been much more difficult to achieve than it has appeared.

It isn’t easy for a service academy to defeat another service academy once. Navy found that out Saturday. After rushing TD’s from seniors Kriss Proctor and Alexander Teich put the Midshipmen ahead 14-0 in the first half it looked as though the team might waltz to another victory. That of course wasn’t going to be the case, as the Black Knights would go on to score touchdowns on their next three possessions (all three included involvement from QB Trent Steelman, RB Malcolm Brown or both) to make sure the Mids had to earn the win in the 4th quarter.

“That was a battle” Niumatalolo explained after the game. “I am very, very proud of our young men; very proud of the way our guys battled. This is my 14th Army-Navy game, but this one, from the beginning, was different. Adding in the fact that we don’t have a bowl game, you could feel it with our guys. The last couple of weeks you could see the emotion coming to practice because they knew this was it.”

Niumatalolo at times had to choke back tears during his post-game press conference, despite the fact that he was talking about what (record-wise) will go down as the worst Navy team since Johnson’s first season.

Winning at Navy is incredibly difficult, despite how easy it has looked over the course of the past decade.

The most likely scenario is that the next ten years won’t include eight bowl games. They won’t include seven Commander-in-Chief’s Trophies. They might even include (gasp!) a loss or two to Army along the way.

It won’t mean fans in Annapolis (and throughout the Baltimore and Washington regions) won’t have reasons to be proud. It just means things won’t always look this easy for Navy.

Mostly because things never really have been this easy for Navy.

-G

Comments (0)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Navy Battles Army Saturday at FedEx Field

Posted on 09 December 2011 by WNST Staff

2011 Navy Football Game Specifics
Game 12 Army (3-8) vs. Navy (4-7) presented by USAA
Date and Kickoff Dec. 10, 2011 at 2:30 pm ET
Location Landover, Md. | FedExField (82,000)
Television CBS
TV Talent Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Gary Danielson (analyst), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)
Army-Navy Rivalry Click here for more information

Setting the Stage
• Army and Navy will meet for the 112th time and for the first time inside the Capital Beltway when they square off on Saturday, Dec. 10 at FedExField (82,000) in the annual Army-Navy Game presented by USAA.  Kickoff is set for 2:40 pm (ET).
• CBS Sports will broadcast the game around the world on the American Forces Network with Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson and Tracy Wolfson calling the action.
• CBS Radio/Westwood One will also broadcast the game around the world on American Forces Network with John Tautges on the play-by-play and Eddie George handling the color commentary.
• CBS Sports Network will provide complete coverage surrounding CBS Sports’ broadcast of The Army-Navy Game presented by USAA. The Network will air two special editions of INSIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL on Saturday prior to the game, INSIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL: ARMY-NAVY MARCH-ON SPECIAL (11:00 am-12:30 pm, ET) and INSIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL: ARMY-NAVY TAILGATE (1:00–2:00 pm, ET).  Hosts Adam Zucker and Molly Qerim will be joined at FedExField by analysts Randy Cross and Brian Jones, as well as special guests from the academies.
• The MARCH-ON SPECIAL features the procession of the Brigade of Midshipmen and Corps of Cadets as they march onto FedExField, while the ARMY-NAVY TAILGATE previews the game with in-depth news and analysis.
• PRELUDE: THE MAKING OF A GAME OF HONOR, a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of the SHOWTIME documentary A GAME OF HONOR, airs at 12:30 pm, ET on Saturday.

Pregame
• Army’s Corps of Cadets will march-on at 11:24 am, followed by Navy’s Brigade of Midshipmen at 12:04 pm.
• The Navy Leap Frogs and the Army Golden Knights will jump at 2:19 pm.
• Navy’s fly-by will take place at 2:36 pm, followed by Army’s at 2:37 pm.  Navy’s fly-by will feature four F-18s from Naval Air Station in Oceana, Va.  Army’s fly-by will be four Apache helicopters from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard.

Army-Navy Storylines
• Navy enters the game having won 11 of the last 12 contests against the Black Knights, including each of the last nine. The nine-consecutive wins marks the longest streak in series history by either team.
• The Mids have won nine in a row in dominant fashion, outscoring the Black Knights, 322-91 (35.8-10.1).  The closest game was in 2006 when Navy defeated Army, 26-14, in Philadelphia.  The Mids have won the last two games by 14 points.
•    A win on Saturday would make Ken Niumatalolo just the fourth coach in school history to start his career 4-0 against Army. Paul Johnson went 6-0 against West Point (2002-07), Wayne Hardin won his first-five games (1959-63) against Army and George Welsh won his first-four contests (1973-76).
• Five of Navy’s seven losses this year have come by a combined total of 11 points. The Mids are just 1-5 in games decided by eight points or less. The five losses in close games are tied for the third most in the country.
•    Four of Navy’s 2011 opponents are either ranked (South Carolina and Southern Miss) or receiving votes (Notre Dame and Rutgers) in the top 25 polls.
•    The Mids have played the nations’ 29th-toughest schedule based on the cumulative records of their opponents to date (58-46, does not include Delaware or Army).
•    Eight of Navy’s 12 opponents have winning records and seven are bowl eligible.  Two of Navy’s four opponents that are not bowl eligible, East Carolina and San Jose State, finished with a 5-7 record.
• Navy is No. 1 in the country in fewest penalties per game (2.4) and penalty yards per game (20.9).  Army is tied for third in the country in fewest penalties (4.0).
• Navy has missed or fumbled the snap on at least one kick (PAT or field goal) in eight of its 11 games this year, including five-straight contests in the month of October.
•    Navy is just 16-15 (.516) away from the friendly confines of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium under Niumatalolo, including a 2-4 (.333) mark this year.
• The Mids are 7-9 (.438) under Niumatalolo with more than one week to prepare, but 3-0 (1.000) against Army.
• Navy is 1-5 (.167) in games decided by eight points or less this year and 13-13 (.500) over the last four years.
• In Navy’s four wins this year, it has outscored the opposition 91-17 in the first half (36-0 in the first quarter, 55-17 in the second quarter).
• In the Mids’ seven losses this year, they have been outscored, 152-66, in the first half (59-10 in the first quarter, 93-56 in the second quarter).
• Navy is 4-2 (.667) in 2011 and 26-4 (.867) over the last four years when scoring first.  The Mids are 0-5 in 2011 and 5-17 (.227) over the last four years when the opponents score first.
• The Mids are 4-0 this season when leading after the first quarter and 0-7 when tied or trailing after the first quarter.  Under Niumatalolo, the Mids are 20-3 (.870) when leading after the first quarter and 11-18 (.379) when trailing or tied after the first stanza.
• Navy is 4-3 (.571) when leading after three quarters.  Entering this season, the Mids were 22-0 under Niumatalolo when taking a lead into the fourth quarter.
• Navy has made 43 trips inside the red zone in its 11 games this season, scoring 33 times (.767), including 27 touchdowns (.628).  The Mids are tied for 86th in the country in red zone offense  (Army is also tied for 86th).
• Navy has played five games this year where it has rushed for less than 300 yards and lost all five.  It is 4-2 (.667) when rushing for more than 300 yards.
• An opposing running back has rushed for over 100 yards in a game against the Mids in eight of 11 contests this year.  In the previous three years, Navy surrendered only nine 100-yard rushing games to opposing running backs.
• Senior defensive end Jabaree Tuani has produced 42-career tackles for a loss, which is tied with David Mahoney (2003-06) for the second most in school history.  He is just two behind record-holder Andy Person (1992-95).
• Tuani has recorded 16 sacks over his four-year career, which is tied with Tyler Tidwell (2004-06) for third on the Mids’ career list.

Close Games In The Army-Navy Series
• 53 of the 111 Army-Navy games (.477) have been decided by eight points or less.  Army has won 24 of those 53, while Navy has scored 22 victories and seven have ended in a tie.
• The last time an Army-Navy game was decided by eight points or less was in 2000 when the Mids defeated the Black Knights, 30-28.

Scouting Army
• Army is 3-8 on the year with victories over Northwestern (21-14), Tulane (45-6) and Fordham (55-0).
• The Black Knights have losses against Northern Illinois (49-26), San Diego State (23-20), Ball State (48-21), Miami of Ohio (35-28), Vanderbilt (44-21), Air Force (24-14), Rutgers (27-12) and Temple (42-14).
• Army comes to Landover with the nation’s top-ranked rushing offense (350.9 yds/gm).  The Black Knights last won the rushing title in 1998 (293.8).  Army’s average of 350.9 yards per game would be the most by a team since Nebraska in 1997 (392.6).
•    The Black Knights are 13th in the country in pass defense (178.1).

The Last Time … 
Navy 31, Army 17    Dec. 11, 2010 | Philadelphia, Pa.
• Senior safety Wyatt Middleton’s 98-yard fumble return for a touchdown with 1:03 remaining in the second quarter turned what was shaping up to be a close game into a rout as Navy rolled to its ninth win of the year and ninth-straight win over Army, 31-17, at a sold out (69,223) Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.  The 98-yard fumble return was the longest in school history and longest in an Army-Navy game.
• Navy had jumped out to a 17-0 lead as Joe Buckley nailed a 36-yard field goal and quarterback Ricky Dobbs threw touchdown passes of 77 yards to John Howell and 32 yards to Brandon Turner.  The touchdown pass to Howell was the longest pass play in series history.
• The Mids were in total control of the game midway through the second quarter until a pair of Dobbs turnovers gave Army life.
• Dobbs fumbled the ball on first down from his own 23 and it was recovered by Army’s Josh McNary.  Six plays later, Army quarterback Trent Steelman hit Malcolm Brown with a five-yard touchdown pass to cut the Navy lead to 17-7. It was Army’s first touchdown against the Midshipmen since the fourth quarter of the 2006 game.
• Three plays later, Dobbs gave the ball back to Army again as he was stripped by McNary and Stephen Anderson recovered the loose ball at the Army 48.
• The Black Knights methodically moved the ball down the field, taking it 49 yards in 11 plays.   On first and goal from the Navy three, Steelman tried to power his way into the end zone, but senior linebacker Tyler Simmons and senior outside linebacker Jerry Hauburger met Steelman at the two-yard line and Simmons’ knocked the ball from Steelman’s hands.  The ball popped up in the air and flew right to Middleton who raced 98 yards for the back-breaking touchdown.
• Army took the opening kickoff of the third quarter and drove 47 yards on 12 plays with Alex Carlton capping the drive with a 42-yard field goal to make the score 24-10.
• Navy put the game away with a 13-play, 87-yard, 9:03 scoring drive to start the fourth quarter with slot back Gee Gee Greene waltzing in from the 25 to make it 31-10.

Service Academy Dominance
• Navy has amassed a 74-40 (.649) overall record in the last nine years, while Air Force is 62-48 (.564) and Army is 30-77 (.280).

Dominant Era in Army-Navy History
• Navy’s 31-17 victory over Army was its ninth-consecutive win over the Black Knights, the longest streak in series history by either team.
• The Mids have won those nine in a row against Army in dominant fashion, outscoring the Black Knights, 322-91 (35.8-10.1).

Our Nation’s Future Leaders
• Navy’s 33 seniors received their service assignments on Nov. 30. 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.
•    25 seniors will be commissioned Ensigns in the United States Navy (11 Surface Warfare, five Naval Flight Officers, three Surface Warfare Nuclear,  two Intelligence, one Supply Corps, one Submarines, one Pilot and one Special Warfare), while eight will be commissioned 2nd Lieutenants in the Marine Corps (seven Marine Corps Ground and one Marine Corps Pilot)
• Graduation for the Class of 2012 is Tuesday, May 29.

Service Assignments For The Class of 2012
Player, Service Assignment
Brian Ackerman, Surface Warfare (Nuclear)
Bruce Andrews, Supply Corps
Ryan Basford, Surface Warfare
Thomas Batchelder, Surface Warfare
Brian Blick, Marine Corps Ground
Max Blue, Marine Corps Ground
Alex Boddiford, Surface Warfare
Hal Bowron, Surface Warfare
Brady DeMell, Surface Warfare
Delvin Diggs, Suface Warfare (Nuclear)
Neil Doogan, USMC Ground
Eric Douglass, Surface Warfare
John Dowd, Submarines
Zach Dryden, Surface Warfare
Doug Furman, Navy Pilot
Mason Graham, Marine Corps Ground
Hal Hunter, Intelligence
Caleb King, Naval Flight Officer
Jared Marks, Marine Corps Ground
John McCauley, Surface Warfare
Kwesi Mitchell, Naval Flight Officer
Gary Myers, Naval Flight Officer
Torri Preston, Marine Corps Ground
Kriss Proctor, Naval Flight Officer
Aaron Santiago, Surface Warfare (Nuclear)
Jarred Shannon, Surface Warfare
Eric Stein, Naval Flight Officer
Mike Stukel, Marine Corps Ground
David Sumrall, Intelligence
Jon Teague, Marine Corps Pilot
Alexander Teich, Special Warfare (SEAL)
Jabaree Tuani, Surface Warfare
David Wright, Surface Warfare

President At The Army-Navy Game
• With this year’s game being played in Washington, D.C., it is appropriate to look back at past Army-Navy games attended by the President of the United States.  It is expected that President Barack Obama will attend this year’s game.
• Eight different Presidents have attended the Army-Navy game a total of 18 times.  Harry S. Truman attended the most Army-Navy games, going to seven straight from 1945-1951.  Teddy Roosevelt was the first President to attend an Army-Navy game, as he attended the 1901 contest.
• Only once have both the President and Vice President attended the Army-Navy game.  In 1961, President John F. Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon Johnson were on hand in Philadelphia.
• Navy is 7-9-2 in games against Army in which the President attends and has won the last two.
• The last time the President attended the Army-Navy game, the Mids dealt Army a 34-0 loss in Philadelphia in 2008 with President George W. Bush looking on.

President Of The United States At The Army-Navy Game
Year    President    Result
1901    Theodore Roosevelt    Army, 11-5
1905    Theodore Roosevelt    Tie, 6-6
1913    Woodrow Wilson    Army, 22-9
1924    Calvin Coolidge    Army, 12-0
1945    Harry Truman    Army, 32-13
1946    Harry Truman    Army, 21-18
1947    Harry Truman    Army, 21-0
1948    Harry Truman    Tie, 21-21
1949    Harry Truman    Army, 38-0
1950    Harry Truman    Navy, 14-2
1951    Harry Truman    Navy, 42-7
1961    John Kennedy    Navy, 13-7
1962    John Kennedy    Navy, 34-14
1974    Gerald Ford    Navy, 19-0
1996    Bill Clinton    Army, 28-24
2001    George W. Bush    Army, 26-17
2004    George W. Bush    Navy, 42-13
2008    George W. Bush    Navy, 34-0

Future Army-Navy Sites Announced
• The city of Philadelphia has been synonymous with the Army-Navy football classic over the years, hosting 82 of the previous 111 service academy battles. Army and Navy will be building on that rich tradition in the years ahead with Philadelphia serving as the host of “America’s Game” for four of the next seven years at Lincoln Financial Field (2012, 2013, 2015, 2017).
•    It was also announced that for the first time in series history the game will be played on the doorstep of the nation’s capital as the 2011 Army-Navy game presented by USAA will be played at FedEx Field, while the 2014 and 2016 games will be played at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium.
•    The process for securing a long-term home for future Army-Navy football games officially began in August of 2008 with the service academies distributing a formal “Request for Proposal.”
•    The first Army-Navy game was played in 1890 at West Point and the second in Annapolis one year later. In 1899, Philadelphia’s Franklin Field became the game site. The “City of Brotherly Love” has dominated as host city for the Army-Navy game since that time. There have been 14 different venues that have played host to the event, four of those located in Philadelphia and two in Baltimore.
•    Municipal Stadium, renamed John F. Kennedy Stadium in 1964, has housed the game the most times – 41 in all – that included 35 straight games between 1945 and 1979. It was first played there in 1936.
•    Franklin Field ranks second on the list of Army-Navy game sites with its total of 18, followed by Veterans Stadium with 17 and the Polo Grounds in New York City with nine. “The Vet” first hosted the game in 1980 and did so through 2001 with all but five exceptions.
•    Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia has hosted the game seven times (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010).
•    Army has also battled Navy at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., in 1983; at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., in 1989, 1993, 1997 and 2002; and at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore in 2000 and 2007.
•    For the 16th-straight year, CBS Sports will televise the Army-Navy classic to a national and worldwide (via American Forces Network) audience on Dec. 10. The Army-Navy game will be the only major college football game played the second Saturday in December.

Showtime And CBS Sports Team Up To Produce All-Access Docu-Drama On Navy And Army Football
• SHOWTIME Sports and CBS Sports are teaming up for A Game Of Honor, a two-hour exclusive docu-drama revealing an unprecedented look at America’s two oldest military academies – The United States Military Academy and The United States Naval Academy. As the midshipmen and cadets prepare to serve their country and participate in a rivalry unmatched by any other in sports, the Army-Navy football game presented by USAA, SHOWTIME will capture an all-access look at their unique season-long journey. The in-depth docu-drama will be co-produced and promoted by SHOWTIME Sports and CBS Sports in conjunction with CBSSports.com and will premiere Dec. 21 on SHOWTIME, 10 days after this year’s Army-Navy game on CBS, Dec. 10.
•    SHOWTIME will have behind-the-scenes access to both academies and their respective football teams for six months leading up to the Army-Navy game, as well as during the game and immediately following. With so many stories to tell, SHOWTIME will air exclusive content across multiple CBS platforms including a special preview show about the making of the documentary on Wednesday, November 23 on SHOWTIME; with a network television premiere of the preview show on CBS Sports on Dec. 3. In addition, CBSSports.com will air an exclusive 10-episode weekly original web series beginning Oct. 17.
•    The docu-drama and web series will capture the personal stories of this unique group of men who are rivals on the football field and brothers in arms on the battlefield. As the young men at Army and Navy endure a much different athletic experience than other Division I football players, A Game of Honor will capture the dedication, discipline and determination demanded of the cadets and midshipmen who are members of these storied football programs. A Game of Honor reveals their unique journey from summer training to the demands of an elite classroom education to the weekly preparations for the football field, all while training to serve their country in a time of war. This rigorous passage culminates with the playing of the annual Army-Navy game, this year from the nation’s capital in Washington, D.C.
•    CBS Sports’ Creative Director, Pete Radovich, who also serves as coordinating producer for the Emmy-Award winning SHOWTIME series Inside the NFL, will serve as director of the series. Radovich will co-produce with CBS Sports Coordinating Producer Steve Karasik.
•    ”We are honored to broadcast the Army-Navy football game every year on CBS Sports and thrilled to team with SHOWTIME, CBSSports.com and our long-standing partners at the Naval and Military academies on ‘A Game of Honor,’” said Sean McManus, Chairman, CBS Sports. “Using unparalleled access provided by the academies, this project allows us to go in-depth across multiple CBS platforms to tell inspiring, compelling and unique stories — both on and off the field — about the 2011 cadets and midshipmen.”
•    ”Teaming up with CBS on any production or project has always resulted in a big time and first class end result,” said Navy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk. “This venture could not be more well received by the Academy and the Athletic Department. The story to be told will be emotional, motivating, inspiring, and featured in a way that it will bring an even greater appreciation for some very special people who are some of our nation’s and intercollegiate athletics’ finest leaders.”

Navy Partners with Nike for Army-Navy Game Uniform
•    Before their fight songs ring throughout the stadiums and they storm the fields, nine of the top college football programs will lace their cleats and buckle their chin straps while donning uniquely designed, highly advanced Nike uniforms for at least one game during the 2011-12 season.
•    The fully integrated uniform system, which the University of Oregon debuted during the 2010 BCS National Championship Game, incorporates the latest in performance innovation and design from the world’s most renowned athletic outfitter.  The redesigned base layer facilitates the uniform’s overall innovation, delivering the ultimate in lightweight protection for maximum speed. Strategically placed seams, pads and cooling zones also help minimize distraction and optimize protective coverage.
•    The teams selected to sport the 2011 Nike Pro Combat system of dress uniforms include Army, Boise State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan State, Navy, Ohio State, Oregon, and Stanford.
•    While each school’s uniform delivers the same superior lightweight performance and protection, each will tell a different story through its design. Nike worked closely with each university to bring relevant elements of the school’s rich heritage into a distinguished, modern uniform design. The uniforms capture each team’s unique character.
•    ”The support and positive relationship that Navy athletics has enjoyed over the years with Nike is extraordinary.” Navy Athletic Director Chet Gladchuk said. “Being a part of this exciting initiative further illustrates the mutual respect that is so much a part of the way we present our product.  The Midshipmen are inspired by the technical innovations and appearance that Nike puts forth through the presentation of their equipment and apparel.  Nike continues to motivate all of our teams to compete at the highest level with great success.  This year, the Army-Navy Game will be a showcase for the direction that our partnership will be heading in the future.”
•    The integrated uniform system provides enhanced durability and innovation from the inside out.  Robust padding without the bulk offers optimal low-profile impact protection specifically throughout the crucial “hit zone” between the knees and shoulders. Nike Pro Combat Deflex padding has also been integrated in the hip and knee areas of the pant for crucial impact protection that stays in place. The base layer now features customizable protection, incorporating a thin, incredibly strong carbon fiber plate that can be placed on the thigh padding where needed.
•    The uniform system design also emphasizes improved thermoregulation, including the Nike Pro Combat Deflex padding layer, which is constructed with fabric selected for its ability to help keep the body cool and wick away sweat – making the uniform, and player, lighter and dryer. The jerseys are made of four-way stretch woven twill that sheds moisture. A Flywire collar eliminates two layers of fabric for improved breathability, providing a more stable anchor to keep the jersey in place.

Dowd A Finalist For The William V. Campbell Trophy
• Navy senior guard John Dowd is one of 16 college football players named to the 2011 National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Class and is now a finalist for the 2011 William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the nation’s premier scholar-athlete.
•    The NFF’s National Scholar-Athlete program, launched in 1959, is the first initiative in history to award scholar-athletes postgraduate scholarships for their combined athletic, academic and leadership abilities. This year’s class members find themselves in good company, as past National Scholar-Athletes include former NFL standout Derrick Brooks (Florida St.); actor Mark Harmon (UCLA); NASA astronaut Leland Melvin (Richmond); former Dateline NBC anchor Stone Phillips (Yale); chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters Tournament, Billy Payne (Georgia); famed NFL quarterback Steve Young (BYU); and Heisman Trophy winners Terry Baker (Oregon St.), Gary Beban (UCLA), Doug Flutie (Boston College) and Tim Tebow (Florida).
•    Each finalist will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship at the 54th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 6 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City, and one of the 16 will be announced as the 22nd recipient of the William V. Campbell Trophy. Named in honor of Bill Campbell, the chairman of Intuit, former player and head coach at Columbia and the 2004 recipient of the NFF’s Gold Medal, the award comes with a 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship.
•    Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first-team player and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The 127 semifinalists for the award were announced on Sept. 29.

Dowd Named One Of 10 Finalists For The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award
• Navy senior offensive guard John Dowd has been named one of 10 finalists for the 2011 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.  Dowd is a three-year letterwinner and two-year starter at offensive guard for the Mids and carries a 3.91 GPA in Mechanical Engineering.  He is a two-time Academic All-American and has a chance to become the first Navy football player in school history to be named a First-Team Academic All-American in consecutive years.
•    An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
•    Fan votes, which were conducted through Dec. 5, will be combined with media and Div. I FBS head coaches’ votes to determine the winner.
•    Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2011 football bowl season. Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs won the award last year.

Football Bowl Subdivision Finalists For The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award
Emmanuel Acho, Linebacker, Texas
Jake Bequette, Defensive End, Arkansas
Drew Butler, Punter, Georgia
Kirk Cousins, Quarterback, Michigan State
Austin Davis, Quarterback, Southern Miss
John Dowd, Guard, Navy
Chase Minnifield, Cornerback, Virginia
Dan Persa, Quarterback, Northwestern
Nate Potter, Offensive Tackle, Boise State
Dawson Zimmerman, Punter, Clemson

Comments (0)

With All of the Losses, Even the 15-7-0 Is Now in the BCS Title Picture

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

With All of the Losses, Even the 15-7-0 Is Now in the BCS Title Picture

Posted on 21 November 2011 by Glenn Clark

You know how it works. 15 positive football observations, 7 “not so” positive football observations and one “oh no” moment from outside the world of football.

(As a reminder, we don’t do Baltimore Ravens analysis here. We do PLENTY of that elsewhere. This is about the rest of the world of football.)

15 Positive Observations…

1. I have no concrete proof that Towson University is building a statue for Rob Ambrose, but I don’t know why they wouldn’t.

A lot of people are surprised by the Tigers’ success, but not me. I’m so effing stunned I’m still not a hundred percent certain it actually happened…

There’s no way anyone…in the world…could have ever seen a CAA Championship coming this season. This team still has more work to do though. They won’t feel incapable of beating anyone they play in the NCAA playoffs, starting with Lehigh December 3rd at Unitas Stadium.

Seriously…this is Towson we’re talking about. This can’t be real.

2. I thought I was happier to see the Washington Redskins lose when they play miserably, but I think I was even happier to see their fans suffer heartbreak Sunday.

I will admit that I thought those a-holes in DC were done after Tony Romo hit Jason Witten from 59 yards away…

…but somehow Mike Shanahan’s team stayed in the thing long enough to have a kick to win in overtime. Graham Gano of course missed the kick and DeAngelo Hall channeled DeAngelo Hall to help the Cowboys survive.

I celebrate your misery, clowns. May you never win another game…unless for some reason you play the Steelers. Even then, I dunno.

3. Tony Sparano is giving Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross something very similar to what Lou Brown gave Rachel Phelps.

Does anyone remember earlier this year when the Buffalo Bills were good? No? I swear I thought they were…

Stephen Ross started interviewing coaches before bothering to fire Sparano. Sparano used that to fire up his team, convincing them to win in order to piss off the ownership there that wanted to get new players and coaches. Suddenly Matt Moore and Reggie Bush are playing like real National Football League players and there’s a problem on South Beach…at least for now.

It’s very similar to what Lou Brown did back when he was managing the Cleveland Indians…

Did we ever find out if Brown won American League Manager of the Year that year? He was a hell of a skip.

(Side note. Every time the Orioles tried to hire a General Manager this offseason I assume the calls went awfully similar to that time when Charlie Donovan called Brown at Tire World to offer him the gig with the Tribe.

“How would you like to be the Birds’ GM?”
“Gee. I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know? This is your chance to be a Major League Baseball General Manager!”
“Let me get back to you, will you Peter? I got a guy on the other line asking about some white walls.”)

4. Andrew Luck has an impressive lateral motion towards the Heisman Trophy.

Do you get the feeling the Stanford quarterback is saying to himself, “Well, if no one else wants it…”?

I’d show you something from the Cardinal’s win Saturday night over rival California, but there wouldn’t be anything that would convince you Luck has locked up the award.

Instead, here’s Lee Corso dropping the “f-bomb” on ESPN’s College Gameday Saturday morning from the University of Houston. There’s no real reason to share the video, other than the fact that it includes the f-bomb.

5. If ANYONE has put their name back in the Heisman mix, that person is Baylor QB Robert Griffin III.

The Bears’ QB almost singlehandedly made sure next weekend’s “Bedlam” game was uninteresting to the rest of the country by throwing (and running) all over Oklahoma Saturday night…

It’s probably too little, too late as far as the Heisman is concerned-but it is certainly a reminder that RG3 has been one of the most entertaining players in the country all season. This TD pass to Kendall Wright however is probably not one he should take credit for…

Also humorous? Erin Andrews took the worst of a Gatorade shower intended for Griffin…

AND…in the hysteria on field after the win in Waco, America fell in love with a gal rushing the field on crutches…

6. At times, Matthew Stafford is one of the best quarterbacks in the world.

But if he did this more often the Detroit Lions wouldn’t have to make dramatic second half comebacks week in and week out like they did Sunday against the Carolina Panthers…

This game also involved Lions TE Tony Scheffler invoking an AT&T Flash Mob commercial in a TD dance…

And a note to Fantasy Football owners: Lions RB Kevin Smith ran for over 100 yards in this game. The physics of that alone are stunning, really.

I’m well aware it’s a different guy, but can we talk about this picture for a second? I say this as a HUGE Silent Bob fan. WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? Are those shorts? Is it some sort of jean skirt? Is it a denim quilt? Holy hell.

7. No one knows how to pronounce his name, but Chris Ogbonnaya had himself a fine day Sunday.

Well, I feel like a bit of a silly goose for taking fantasy advice and playing the Jacksonville Jaguars defense against the Cleveland Browns Sunday.

The only meaningful highlight in this one came from Jags RB Maurice Jones-Drew, who invoked Cleveland “hero” LeBron James by tossing powder in the air after scoring a TD…

And in an unrelated story, here’s a 6 year old kid crying about the New York Jets after their loss to the Denver Broncos the other night. He has an awful mother…

El oh el.

Comments (1)