| Game 4 |
Navy (1-2) vs. San Jose State (3-1) |
| Date and Kickoff |
Sept. 29, 2012 at 3:30 pm ET |
| Location |
Annapolis, Md. | Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (34,000) |
| Television |
CBS Sports Network |
| TV Talent |
Grant Boone (play-by-play), Todd Christensen (analyst), Sheehan Stanwick Burch (sideline) |
Setting the Stage
• Navy and San Jose State will meet for just the second time on the gridiron when they square off at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (34,000) on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:30 pm and the game is presented by BB&T.
• San Jose State defeated Navy last year, 27-24, in San Jose. The loss knocked the Midshipmen out of a bowl game and ended Navy’s eight-year run of playing in the postseason.
• Saturday’s game will be televised nationally by CBS Sports Network with Grant Boone, Todd Christensen and Sheehan Stanwick Burch calling the action.
• The Navy Football Tailgate Show on WNAV 1430 AM / 99.9 FM will air at 1:30 pm with Pete Medhurst and Joe Miller live from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
• The Navy Football Pregame Show with Bob Socci, Omar Nelson and Pete Medhurst will get underway at 2:30 pm, followed by game action beginning at 3:30 pm on the Navy Radio Network.
• Following the contest, Joe Miller and Pete Medhurst will recap the day’s events in a 60-minute postgame show live on WNAV 1430 AM / 99.9 FM and WFED 1050 AM.
• The tailgate show, the pregame show, the game and the postgame show are available over the internet to Navy All-Access subscribers. You can also check the web sites of the individual stations for live streaming of the game.
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 3:09 pm. The march-on will be broadcast live for Navy All-Access subscribers.
• Saturday’s fly-over will be two F-18′s and will take place at 3:31:10 pm. The pilots are from VFA-204 “River Rattlers” out of New Orleans, La.
• At the third timeout of the first quarter, the Naval Academy Athletic Association will recognize Lt. Brad Snyder who recently won two gold medals and one silver at the Paralympic Games in London.
• Snyder is a 2006 graduate of the Naval Academy and served as team captain his season year. Snyder’s service assignment was Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer and he served a tour in Iraq before returning to the U.S. and then began serving a tour in Afghanistan in April, 2011.
• On September 7, 2011, Snyder was providing aid to two Afghan soldiers who were victims of an improvised explosive device explosion when he detonated an IED himself. The blast was centered on his face and resulted in him losing his eyesight in both eyes.
• Snyder resumed swimming in the fall of 2011 and qualified for the 2012 Paralympics after shaving more than 40 seconds off his time. On the first day of competition in the Paralympics, he won the gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle and the silver medal in the 50-meter freestyle.
• On Sept. 7, 2012, one year to the day of losing his eyesight, Snyder competed in and won the gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle. The following day, Snyder was selected by his teammates to carry the U.S. flag during the closing ceremonies of the Paralympic Games. He then helped to present the flag to the President when all Olympians and Paralympians visited the White House.
• Between the first and second quarter, the Naval Academy Athletic Association will honor the Navy women’s lacrosse team. Head coach Cindy Timchal guided the Mids to their third straight Patriot League title and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2012. Navy (18-3, 6-0 Patriot League) won a program-record 18 games and finished the season ranked No. 14 in the national RPI rankings and No. 19 in the deBeer Media Poll.
• In 2012, Timchal became the first college lacrosse coach to win 400 games and earned induction into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
• Timchal was also named the 2012 Patriot League Coach of the Year. Junior attacker Jasmine DePompeo was named the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year and to the IWLCA All-South Region squad, Loren Generi was named the league’s rookie of the year and Kathy Young was the MVP of the league’s postseason tournament. Also, six Midshipmen earned first or second-team all-league honors.
• The Naval Academy Drum and Bugle Corps will perform at halftime.
Scouting San Jose State
• The Spartans are off to a 3-1 start with victories over UC Davis (45-13), Colorado State (40-20) and at San Diego State (38-34). San Jose State’s only loss came at then-No. 21 Stanford, 20-17. The Cardinal are currently ranked eighth in the country and own a victory over USC.
• Junior college quarterback David Fales has been lighting it up for the Spartans, completing 72 percent of his passes. Fales has thrown nine touchdown passes and just two interceptions.
• Fales’ favorite targets are Noel Grigsby and Jabari Carr. Both lead the team with 22 receptions. Chandler Jones has five touchdown catches among his 13 receptions.
• De’Leon Eskridge leads the Spartan rushing attack with 298 yards and three touchdowns on 59 carries.
• Vince Buhagiar is the leading tackler with 35 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss and three sacks, while Cullen Newsome has 29 tackles and one pass break-up.
• San Jose State ranks fourth in the nation in sacks per game (4.25), 13th in passing efficiency (170.9), 17th in kickoff returns (27.6) and 20th in passing offense (305.8)
• Travis Johnson ranks fourth in the nation in tackles for a loss (2.4) and sacks (1.5) per game, while punter Harrison Waid ranks tied for 13th (45.4 per game) in punting average and Fales is 21st in passing efficiency (162.97)
The Last Time …
San Jose State 27, Navy 24 Nov. 19, 2011 | San Jose, Calif.
• Navy was knocked out of postseason play after going to eight-straight bowl games when the Mids lost at San Jose State, 27-24, in front of 25,114 at Spartan Stadium.
• The Navy offense started poorly gaining just 17 yards on its first two drives. Jens Alvernik capped a six-play, 34-yard drive with a 44-yard field goal on San Jose State’s first possession and running back Brandon Rutley scored from three yards out on the Spartans’ second drive as San Jose State jumped out to a 10-0 lead.
• The Mids finally got on the board early in the second quarter on a one-yard touchdown run by Kriss Proctor. The scoring drive was set up when Tra’ves Bush picked off a pass that was batted in the air by Matt Warrick.
• After Navy forced San Jose to go three and out, the Mids scored in three plays to take a 14-10 lead as Proctor hit wide receiver Brandon Turner for 29 yards and then two plays later Aaron Santiago scored on a phenomenal 35-yard touchdown run.
• The Navy defense, however, would give the momentum right back to San Jose as it allowed the Spartans to march down the field (80 yards, 10 plays, 4:27) which was capped off by a Rutley one-yard touchdown run to make the score 17-14 Spartans.
• Navy looked to answer when the Mids had slot back John Howell wide open 40 yards down the field on a first-and-10 play from the San Jose 46, but Proctor lost control of the ball and the fumble was recovered by San Jose’s Vince Bhaglar.
• The fumble led to an Alvernik 23-yard field goal with 32 seconds left in the half to give San Jose State a 20-14 lead at intermission.
• The Mids drove down to the San Jose State three-yard line in the third, but had to settle for a 24-yard field goal by Jon Teague.
• The Mids took a 24-20 lead as Proctor scored from two yards out with 2:05 left in the third.
• San Jose, however, marched 73 yards on six plays with Faulkner hitting Jabari Carr with a 13-yard touchdown to give the Spartans a 27-24 lead with 14:56 left in the game.
• On Navy’s next drive, freshman holder Pablo Beltran fumbled the snap on what would have been a 45-yard field goal attempt by Teague and the Mids’ scoring drive came up empty. Navy would get the ball back two more times, but failed to score on either possession.
Navy Versus The WAC
• Navy is 2-1 (.667) all-time against teams currently in the WAC. The Mids are 2-0 against Louisiana Tech and 0-1 against San Jose State. The Mids play host to WAC member Texas State on Nov. 17.
• Other schools that make up the WAC include Texas-San Antonio, Utah State, New Mexico State and Idaho.
Quessenberry vs. Quessenberry
• There is a good chance that brothers Paul and David Quessenberry will meet head-on in Saturday’s game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
• Paul, 6-2 and 230 pounds, is a sophomore defensive end for Navy that has worked his way into the rotation at defensive end. In three games, Quessenberry has recorded five tackles and a half sack.
• David, 6-6 and 295 pounds, is a senior offensive tackle for San Jose State that has played in 39 games and made 27 starts for the Spartans. He was a Second-Team All-WAC performer as a junior and was a preseason first-team selection this year. He was also named to the 2012 Lombardi Award watch list and is one of four team captains for the Spartans.
California Dreaming
• Navy has 17 players that hail from the state of California.
• Freshman offensive tackle Blake Benjamin (Pomona), junior offensive guard Josh Cabral (Rancho Santa Margarita), long snapper Joe Cardona (El Cajon), freshman wide receiver Bryson Garcia (Ramona), freshman center Brandon Greene (Highland), junior kicker Brynmor Hughes (San Diego), freshman kicker Gavin Jernigan (Lawndale), sophomore wide receiver James King (Orinda), freshman linebacker Tyler Lehrke (San Diego), freshman safety Mike Markovsky (Costa Mesa), junior kicker Stephen Picchini (Moorpark), sophomore defensive end Paul Quessenberry(Carlsbad), freshman kicker Nick Sloan (San Diego), freshman linebacker Trevor Smyth (Valencia), junior linebackerMichael Tuimavave (Daly City) and junior offensive tackle Graham Vickers (Diamond Bar).
• Cabral (starter), Cardona (starter), Quessenberry, Sloan (starter) and Vickers (starter) are expected to play against San Jose State.
Navy Nuggets
• Playing Notre Dame in Dublin and Penn State at State College was the toughest first two games in school history.
• In the last 40 years, Navy has started the year with two FBS opponents just eight times and only twice (2005 and 1982) did Navy go on to have a winning record.
• Navy lost to Maryland in Baltimore and at home against Stanford to start the 2005 season and finished 8-4; lost to Virginia and at Boston College in 1992 and finished 1-10; beat Virginia and lost at Indiana in 1986 and finished 3-8; won at North Carolina and lost to Virginia in 1984 and finished 4-6-1; lost at Virginia and to Mississippi State at home to start the year in 1983 and finished 3-8; beat Virginia and lost to Arkansas in Little Rock in 1982 and finished 6-5; beat Virginia and won at Penn State in 1974 and finished 4-7.
• The Mids have been shut out in the first quarter in seven of the last 11 games dating back to last year and have not scored a touchdown in the first quarter in 10 of the last 12 games.
• The Mids have been outscored 30-3 in the first quarter this year and 82-23 in the first quarter over the last 12 games dating back to last year.
• Navy owns a 16-6 (.727) record in games played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium under Ken Niumataloloand is 17-17 (.500) away from home.
• Navy has already turned the ball over 10 times this year (eight lost fumbles and two interceptions) after committing just 15 turnovers in 2011 (nine lost fumbles and six interceptions).
• Navy led the country in fewest penalties last year with just 28. However, it has already committed 16 penalties in the first three games, including seven each against Penn State and VMI. It is the first time Navy has been whistled for seven penalties or more in back-to-back games since 2000 (12 against Tulane and nine against Wake Forest).
• In Navy’s last six wins it has outscored the opposition, 118-34, in the first half, including 46-3 in the first quarter.
• In Navy’s 33 wins under Niumatalolo, the Mids have outscored the opposition 519-311 in the first half, including 258-108 in the first quarter
• In the Mids’ last nine losses, Navy has been outscored, 199-69, in the first half, including 86-10 in the first quarter.
• In Navy’s 23 losses under Niumatalolo, the Mids have been outscored 444-218 in the first half, including 202-71 in the first quarter.
• Under Niumatalolo, the Mids are 21-3 (.875) when leading after the first quarter and 12-20 (.375) when trailing or tied after the first stanza.
• Navy has been held under 300 yards rushing in eight of its last 15 games and the Mids are just 1-7 (.125) in those games (Army is the lone win).
• The Mids are 18-5 (.783) under Niumatalolo when rushing for 300 yards or more and 15-18 (.455) when the offense is held under 300 yards rushing.
• Navy is 27-4 (.870) under Niumatalolo when scoring first and 6-19 (.240) when the opponent scores first. Navy had lost the last nine games (over the last three years) when the opposition scores first before beating VMI last Saturday.
• An opposing running back has rushed for over 100 yards in a game against Navy in nine of the last 15 contests. In the previous 40 games, Navy surrendered only nine 100-yard rushing games to opposing running backs.
