In the 100 days leading up to the kickoff of the college football season on Saturday, Aug. 25, HERO Sports is ranking the top 100 teams in the FBS. Each day, starting May 17 and ending Aug. 24, a new team is revealed in the HERO Sports Top 100.
No. 52 Navy
Seven wins and a second consecutive loss to Army? That was not the same Navy team we've grown accustomed to seeing under Ken Niumatalolo. The Midshipmen have the returning pieces — and a ton of intriguing next-man-up players — to flirt with 10 victories and challenge for the AAC West title.
[divider]
2017 Record: 7-6 (4-4, American)
This was only the second time since 2002 that Navy failed to win eight games. But more importantly, it was the second time in two years that Navy lost to Army, a small swoon that ended 14 straight wins by the Midshipmen, the longest winning streak by either team in the 128-year series.
All six losses came by 10 or fewer points and while they rebounded in the bowl game with a demolition of Virginia — their fourth bowl win in the last five years — it was still a disappointing season for a talented team.
[divider]
Head Coach: Ken Niumatalolo (12th Year, 84-48)
Ken Niumatalolo could've been preparing for his first season as Arizona head coach right now had he accepted the Wildcats' offer after a January interview. Instead, he's preparing for his 12th season in Annapolis. It was the second time in the last two years that he interviewed for a new job; in late 2015, he interviewed for the BYU job after Bronco Mendenhall left for Virginia.
The interview requests and job offers will never stop coming for the 53-year-old former Hawai'i quarterback.
[divider]
Player Losses
FB Chris High, WR Tyler Carmona, G Evan Martin, G Robert Lindsey, C Parker Wade, DE Tyler Sayles, LB D.J. Palmore, LB Micah Thomas, CB Tyris Wooten
Fullback Chris High was the leading rusher among non-quarterbacks (621 yards) and Tyler Carmona was one of only two players who had more than seven receptions (14 receptions, 381 yards, four touchdowns). They lost three interior offensive linemen, including two-year starting right guard Evan Martin, a 2016 all-conference selection.
Defensively, Navy was hit hard at each level, losing end Tyler Sayles (seven tackles for loss), two of their three leading tacklers in D.J. Palmore and Micah Thomas, the former of whom led the team with 12.5 tackles for loss, and their best cover man in Tyris Wooten.
[divider]
Returning Offensive Players
QB Malcolm Perry, QB/WR Zach Abbey, SB Tre Walker, SB Keoni-Kordell Makekau, FB Anthony Gargiulo, OT Jake Hawk, OT Andrew Wood
Longtime Niumatalolo assistant Ivin Jasper — and Navy's backup plan should Niumatalolo eventually accept one of the offers — is back for his 17th year as quarterbacks coach and 11th as offensive coordinator. And despite the departures of key pieces, this could be one of his best offenses ever.
He has a new starting quarterback in converted receiver Malcolm Perry, a quick, instinctive runner who shared time with Zach Abbey (nine starts) last year and averaged more than eight yards per carry.
Though Perry and Abey will be on the field together (Abey was listed as a co-starter at receiver on their post-spring depth chart) — and potentially rotate under center — much of the spring was spent working on Perry's throwing. He attempted only two passes last year, one of which was intercepted.
“We really wanted to get him into all of our throwing situations,” Niumatalolo told The Washington Post in April. “Even though we’re not a throwing team, we know people are going to load the box up with him, so it was a big emphasis with us to work on our passing. People try to creep up their secondary — they better not, because this guy can throw the ball. . . . He was a quarterback in high school.”
Slotbacks Tre Walker and Keoni-Kordell Makekau and fullback Anthony Gargiulo will be the primary non-quarterback ball-carriers. Gargiulo came on strong late, rushing for 343 yards and two touchdowns in their final four games.
Tackles Jake Hawk and Anthony Wood will both contend for All-AAC honors.
[divider]
Returning Defensive Players
DE Jarvis Poli, DE Josh Webb, NT Jackson Pittman, LB Nizaire Cromartie, LB Hudson Sullivan, CB Micah Farrar, CB Jarid Ryan, S Sean Williams
Navy's defense improved dramatically in several areas, including first-half points (18.5 to 11.3) and third downs (54 to 42 percent), and slightly in others, including red zone (93 to 88 percent) and yards per pass attempt (8.8 to 8.4). They still struggled forcing turnovers (1.2 per game) and generating pressure (4.6 percent sack rate) and while Dale Pehrson's 3-4 defense can be successful without constant takeaways and pressure, they needed more field-flipping plays.
Jackson Pittman — one of only six Mids currently listed above 300 pounds — anchors the interior line and is flanked by two upperclassmen ends in Jarvis Polu and Josh Webb. Webb was their only player who had at least three sacks (he had four sacks).
Safety Sean Williams (below) is a team captain with 25 career starts who's a true sideline-to-sideline player and could be one of the better free safeties in the entire FBS this year. Jarid Ryan moved from safety to corner.
Junior Nizaire Cromartie, whom Niumatalolo called their best pass rusher, moved to outside linebacker and sat atop the post-spring depth chart at their "raider" position, one that requires both pass-rushing and run-stopping.
"Cromartie is one of the most athletic players on our entire defense. He runs real well, can change directions, bend and move,” outside linebackers coach Justin Davis said. “He is a pretty natural fit for what we need to do at raider.”
[divider]
Player Additions
LB Griffin Braumoel, LB Evan Fochtman
Sophomores Griffin Braumoel and Evan Fochtman — neither of whom played last year — are behind Taylor Heflin and Elan Nash at the mike and striker linebacker positions, respectively, but had sensational spring camps.
Baumoel won the Admiral Mack Award as the most-improved player in the spring and Fochtman, a former quarterback who moved to safety and, eventually, linebacker, isn't a huge guy (6-foot-1, 194 pounds) but can reportedly thump ball-carriers.
[divider]
Schedule
Navy's trip to Hawai'i is the farthest for any FBS team this season. Not only is kickoff not scheduled until 11 p.m. ET on a Saturday, they play AAC title contender Memphis back in Annapolis the following Saturday.
Date | Opponent |
---|---|
Saturday, Sept. 1 | at Hawai'i |
Saturday, Sept. 8 | vs. Memphis |
Saturday, Sept. 15 | vs. Lehigh |
Saturday, Sept. 22 | at SMU |
Saturday, Oct. 6 | at Air Force |
Saturday, Oct. 13 | vs. Temple |
Saturday, Oct. 20 | vs. Houston |
Saturday, Oct. 27 | vs. Notre Dame |
Saturday, Nov. 3 | at Cincinnati |
Saturday, Nov. 10 | at UCF |
Saturday, Nov. 17 | vs. Tulsa |
Saturday, Nov. 24 | at Tulane |