Navy will attempt to stop a string of four straight sub .500 seasons. Last season, former defensive coordinator Brian Newberry took over as head coach and guided the Midshipmen to a 5-7 record, the most wins since going 11-2 in 2019.
As with many teams, the key will be stability at quarterback, but whoever is under center will benefit from an experienced offensive line. The defense should again be strong, but Navy’s success will be dependent on becoming more consistent on offense.
Navy Football’s AAC Title Odds
Navy’s odds to win the AAC are +3500, via BetMGM.
Navy Football’s Betting Odds and Over/Under Win Total
Navy’s win total Over/Under is 5.5, with Under 5.5 at -175 and Over 5.5 at +145.
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Navy Football’s 2024 Schedule
8/31 vs. Bucknell
9/7 vs. Temple
9/21 vs. Memphis
9/28 at UAB
10/5 at Air Force
10/19 vs. Charlotte
10/26 vs. Notre Dame at East Rutherford, NJ
11/2 at Rice
11/9 at South Florida
11/16 vs. Tulane
11/30 at East Carolina
12/14 vs. Army at Landover, MD
Bold indicates AAC contests
Key Navy Football Returners
2023 All-AAC First Team
LB Colin Ramos
P Riley Riethman
Third Team
S Rayuan Lane III
Honorable Mention
FB Alex Tecza
CB Dashaun Peele
Navy Looking For Offensive Improvement
Last season, Navy averaged 17.7 points per game, which was 122nd in the country. After one year, the Midshipmen brought in a new offensive coordinator, Drew Cronic, who was the head coach at Mercer the previous four years. Last season, he guided Mercer to a 9-4 record. The year ended with a 41-0 second-round loss to eventual national champion South Dakota State in the FCS playoffs.
Junior Blake Horvath and sophomore Braxton Woodson are in the running for Navy’s starting quarterback spot. Both saw action in four games last year, with Woodson attempting 40 passes and Horvath just 12. Of course, to operate Navy’s offense, the QB has to be able to run. Horvath rushed for 183 yards (4.9 yards per carry) while Woodson rushed for 173 yards (3.3 yards per carry) and one touchdown.
Whoever is at quarterback will benefit from an offensive line with four returning starters – senior tackle Connor McMahon, junior guard Ben Purvis, senior center Brent Self, and senior guard Javon Bouton.
Junior fullback Alex Tecza leads the ground game after rushing for 758 yards (6 ypc) and five touchdowns. Junior running back Eli Heidenrich is the leading returning receiver (19 receptions, 382 yards, 4 TDs) for Navy.
The defense, which was 22nd in the FBS while allowing 22.4 points per game, should again be solid. The unit is led by linebacker Colin Ramos, who had 110 tackles including nine tackles for loss, and senior free safety Rayuan Lane III, who shared the team lead with four interceptions and had a team-high eight pass breakups. Senior cornerback Dashaun Peele also had four interceptions.
A real weapon is senior punter Riley Riethman (44.79 yards per attempt) who is among the best in the nation.
2024 Navy Football Season Prediction
I predict the Midshipmen will win at least six games, though they won’t win the AAC title. Last year, Navy was competitive in 10 of its 12 games and more of the same should occur this year.
The key for Navy is getting off to a good start because the second half of the schedule – vs. Notre Dame, at Rice, at USF, vs. Tulane, at East Carolina, and vs. Army – is much more difficult than the first half of the season.
What will help is an opening schedule that begins with Bucknell and Temple at home. If Navy doesn’t go 2-0 in those games, then the season could derail quickly.
The key is whether the offense can improve. Last year, Navy had a plus-11 turnover margin, which ranked fourth nationally, and it still wasn’t good enough for a .500 record.
One reason for Navy’s struggles was third-down conversions. The Midshipmen converted just 50 of 173 attempts (28.9%) which was 127th in the country. That is why the addition of Cronic will draw so much scrutiny this season.
