Ricky Dobbs has Record Day

By Trevor Replogle

Annapolis, MD – On a spirited Senior Day in front of over 34,000 fans, it was junior QB Ricky Dobbs that stole the show for the Navy Midshipmen.

Dobbs carried 26 times for 123 yards to lead the Navy running attack. More importantly for Dobbs and the Mids, he was able to find the end zone five times to set a new Naval Academy record for rushing touchdowns.

Dobbs broke the record of former quarterback Chris McCoy who had held the record of 20 TDs since 1997. McCoy was recently honored by being named to the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial All-Star team as a quarterback along with Kaipo-Noa Keheaku Enhada and former Heisman Trophy winner, Roger Staubach.

Dobbs scored the record breaking touchdown with 10:39 left in the fourth quarter, giving the Mids an insurmountable 28-12 lead.

Nearly ten minutes later, Dobbs broke his second school record.

Following a 31-yard completion to Bobby Doyle, Coach Ken Niumatalolo went against his assistant coaches and called Dobbs’ number again on the three yard line. Dobbs powered his way into the end zone and the record books again by scoring his 22nd touchdown of the year. That TD broke the record of most touchdowns scored in a season set by Bill Ingram in 1917.

“The kid is amazing,” said Niumatalolo. “I just wanted it (the record) to be over with.”

The defense wasn’t to be outdone by Dobbs or the Navy offense. Jabaree Tuani and Ross Pospisil led a spirited effort in keeping the Blue Hens out of the end zone.

“I can’t give enough credit to Delaware’s offense,” noted senior defensive captain Pospisil. “I guess we have been living by the bend but don’t break method on defense. That’s both good and bad, but we kept them out of the end zone in the first half.”

The Midshipmen defense held Delaware to four consecutive field goals between the first and third quarters. Two of those field goals came with Delaware inside the Navy ten yard line. One other field goal was forced following a Navy fumble in which Delaware started at the Navy 19.

Penn State transfer, Pat Devlin was able to lead the Delaware offense to their only touchdown with 6:29 remaining in the fourth quarter. Devlin finished the game 17 for 26 with 194 yards passing. He was sacked two times.

The second of those sacks by sophomore defensive end Jabaree Tuani may have been the turning point in the game for the Mids.

Coach Niumatalolo agreed, “It was a huge play. I’d say it was the play of the game. It was a back and forth battle, but that play allowed us to get some breathing room with our offense.”

Delaware was still very much in the game when Tuani sacked Devlin, forced a fumble and recovered it with just over 12 minutes left in the game.

“That’s like scoring a touchdown for an offensive player,” smiled Tuani. “I was just playing for the seniors. It was important for us to win for them, so I was just playing like it was my last game here as well.”

Four plays later Dobbs found the end zone in his first of two record-breaking scores.

After running only 22 plays in the first half, the Midshipmen took over in the second half. The Mids had five possessions and scored four touchdowns – all by Dobbs and all three yards or less.

Navy was happy to avoid the letdown following a big win over Notre Dame and a week off before heading to Hawaii.

“I couldn’t be more excited (for a week off),” remarked Niumatalolo. “We have a chance for the guys to get acclimated in Bancroft Hall and go over what is important there, and they have a chance to get some studying done. Then in two weeks we’re going to the Islands. Personally, I am excited about that.”

Navy wraps up the season with a trip to Hawaii in two weeks followed by the Army-Navy game on December 12. Navy then concludes the season with a trip the Texas Bowl on December 31.

Record Day for Dobbs

Ricky Dobbs is having a record day at Navy Marine Corps Memoral Stadium. Dobbs has rushed for four TDs giving him 21 rushing TDs for the year - the most in the NCAA. He has set a new school record for rushing TDs, previously held by Chris McCoy. He has also tied the school record for most total TDs scored in a season, a record he shares with Bill Ingram from 1917.

Navy leads Delaware 28-12 with 8:35 left in the fourth quarter.

Red Zone problems

Delaware has scored on four consecutive drives, but have not been able to punch the ball into the endzone. Two of those drives have stalled inside Navy's ten yard line. Navy leads the Blue Hens, 14-12 with 3:12 left in the third quarter.

Navy 7-6

Navy leads Delaware 7-6 with 14:51 remaining in the second quarter. The Mids dodged a bullet when Marcus Curry fumbled and Delaware recovered and returned the ball to the Navy 19. The Blue Hens lost 3 yards on the drive and had to settle for a 39 yard field goal to cut the lead to one.

Navy Defeats Wake Forest in a Downpour

Navy Defeats Wake Forest in a Downpour
By Trevor Replogle

Annapolis, MD – Coming into Saturday’s Homecoming game, the Navy Midshipmen were fifth in the county in rushing averaging 279 yards per game. Navy hoped to continue that streak without the service of starting quarterback Ricky Dobbs. Dobbs was injured in last week’s overtime victory against SMU.

Wake Forest was coming off a tough ACC loss at Clemson last week 38-3. The Demon Deacons have relied heavily on the arm of their career passing leader, Riley Skinner.

Kriss Proctor stepped in admirably for Dobbs and led the Navy offense to a 13-10 win over Wake Forest in front of 31,907 fans. The Navy rushing attack pounded out 338 yards on 64 carries on a wet turf and Proctor didn’t attempt a pass in the game. It was exactly 364 days since Navy won a game without attempting a pass against SMU during the 2008 season.

It appeared early that the game would be decided by the feet of each team’s kicker. The Mids got on the board first when Joe Buckley capped off a 7-play, 29-yard drive with a wind-aided 50 yard field goal. True to form, Navy has won 36 of their last 39 games when scoring first.

Jimmy Newman got Wake Forest on the board early in the second quarter with a 40-yard field goal of his own.

The kicking battle continued on the ensuing drive. Navy started on their own 20 and used 11 straight rushes to move deep into Wake Forest territory. The drive stalled and Buckley showed his poise when he connected on a 40-yard field goal, this time into the wind.

Buckley wasn’t the only kicker that had success for Navy. Punter Kyle Delahooke set two career-high marks on the day. He nailed a 65-yard punt in the first quarter and then boomed a 68-yard kick in the fourth.

On Wake Forest’s second possession of the second quarter a torrential downpour started that wouldn’t let up for the remainder of the game. The weather appeared to favor the running-focused Midshipmen and hampered the aerial attack of the Demon Deacons.

Proctor put the game out of reach with Navy’s first drive of the second half. After pounding the Wake defense with six carries from fullback Vince Murray, Proctor showed some nifty moves of his own with a 40 yard scamper into the end zone. The score gave Navy a commanding 13-3 lead.

Skinner finally found pay dirt midway through the fourth quarter when he connected with Devon Brown for a 15-yard touchdown completion, cutting the Mids lead to three.

Wake’s defense was unable to stop the Midshipmen running attack late in the game and the Mids were able to run out the clock.

Vince Murray finished the game with 175 yards on 27 carries, his second straight 100 yard game. Kriss Proctor finished with 96 yards and one touchdown.

Riley Skinner finished the day with 173 yards passing on 25 attempts and one touchdown. He was sacked three times.

Navy hosts Temple next week at Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. With a win the Mids will be bowl-bound. They have accepted an invite to the Texas Bowl once they become bowl eligible.