Final - Navy 28, Connecticut 24

6:39 - UConn runs the ball and was stopped on the goal line.  The time expired before the Huskies could get another play run.  Navy wins 28-24 and now has 12 straight wins at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

6:36 - UConn calls a timeout with a 2nd-and-goal on the Navy 1 yard line with 0:17 left in the game.  UConn needs a TD to take the lead.

6:34 - Connecticut calls a timeout after driving to the Navy 23 yard line with the arm and legs of Bryant Shirreffs. There are 45 seconds remaining in the game.

6:26 - Will Worth officially scores from 1-yard out, his second rushing TD of the game.  Bennett Moehring's PAT is good and Navy leads UConn, 28-24 with 3:08 left in the game. Navy's scoring drive was 4 plays-17 yards-1:49.

6:24 - Will Worth appears to score from 2 yards out, but Navy had called a timeout prior to the snap.

6:18 - Navy forces Connecticut to punt from their own 9 yard line.  Navy will get the ball back with 4:57 left in the game down 3.  Calvin Cass returns the punt 26 yards to the Huskie's 17 yard line.

6:14 - Navy is forced to punt and Erik Harris's kick travels 63-yards to the UConn 5 yard line.  The pressure is now on the defense to stop Bryant Shirreffs and the Connecticut offense.  Let's see what defensive coordinator, Dale Pehrson has up his sleeve.

6:08 - Bobby Puyol kicks a 38-yard field and Connecticut leads Navy, 24-21 with 9:08 remaining in the game.  The Huskies have scored 24 unanswered points in the game.  UConn's scoring drive was 9 plays-70 yards-4:29.

6:04 - The Huskies fumble again, their 5th of the game. They have recovered three of them.  UConn has the ball 3rd-and-7 on the Navy 27 yard line.

6:00 - On Connecticut's first play following Navy's punt, Shirreffs hits Hergy Mayala with a 41-yard pass completion to midfield.  The Huskies are out of the shadow of their own goal posts.

5:57 - Navy is forced to punt and Erik Harris pins the Huskies inside their own 10 yard line.  Connecticut has the ball and 91 yards between them and a go ahead TD.

5:52 - At the end of the third quarter, Navy and Connecticut are tied, 21-21. An interesting stat was just announced.  On Navy's first two drives they had 176 yards of offense.  Since then they have 175 yards of offense.

5:40 - Chris High fumbles the ball and UConn's Jamar Summers recovers and returns the ball 86 yards for a TD.  Navy and UConn are now tied, 21-21 with 2:39 remaining in the third quarter.

5:37 - Dishan Romine gets into the mix with a 19-yard carry to the UConn 21 yard line.  The Mids are moving the ball well on the ground after struggling their last few drives.

5:35 - Toneo Gulley takes a Will Worth pitch 15 yards on the left side to the Navy 39 yard line.  Calvin Cass takes the next carry 10 yards and Navy has the ball near midfield.

5:29 - UConn's Ron Johnson carries the ball 3 yards to the end zone to cut Navy's lead to 7.  The play of the series was a 25-yard pass from Tyler Davis to Alec Bloom on a fourth down fake punt at the Navy 28. Navy still leads 21-14 with 8:07 remaining in the third quarter.

5:22 - Navy pants on their first drive of the second half, their first punt of the game.  UConn takes over on their own 40 yard line.

5:20 - Navy has the ball to start the second half, 1st-and-10 at their own 25 yard line.

5:15 - The Midshipmen are returning to the field following the half.  Some first half stats - 

UConn has four fumbles in the first half, losing two of them

Will Worth has four more passing yards than Bryant Shirreffs - 109-105

Tyra's Wooten has 8 tackles to lead the Mids

UConn had 6 drives in the 1st half - 3 ended on punts, 2 on fumbles, and a TD

4:58 - The half ends with the Midshipmen holding a 14 point lead over visiting UConn in front of an announced crowd of 31,501.

4:54 - Bryant Shirreffs completes a 34-yard TD pass to Noel Thomas and UConn is on the board. Navy still leads the Huskies 21-7 with 1:10 remaining in the half.

4:47 - Moehring's 32-yard FG attempt was blocked and Navy came away with no points following the UConn fumble on the kickoff. 

4:44 - Navy's kickoff team forced a fumble and recovered on the UConn 20 yard line.  Khaylin Williams forced the fumble and Green recovered his second loose ball on the afternoon.

4:38 - Bryant Shirreffs fumbled on UConn's 2 yard line and Alohi Gillman returned it for a Navy TD. Gillman also forced the fumble.  This was the third consecutive play in the game that has been reviewed.  Moehring's PAT was good and with 5:36 left in the half, Navy leads 21-0.

4:34 - Will Worth was stopped on a 4th and 1 from the UConn 1 yard line.  The Huskies take over first and 10 at their own 1 with 5:48 remaining in the half.  Last year, UConn was the only team to stop the Mids in the Red Zone.  The Mids were 55-58 last year in the Red Zone.  They took a knee, missed a FG and were stopped by the Huskies on their third unsuccessful Red Zone attempt.

4:24 - UConn punts on all three drives so far.  This time Craig Scott returned the punt 20 yards to the Huskie's 44 yard line.

4:19 - Navy has 185 yards of total offense so far in the game.  The surprising part is that they have 3 more yards passing than rushing, 94 yards passing and 91 yards rushing.

4:14 - Worth runs it in from one yard out.  Moehring's PAT gives Navy a 14-0 lead with 10:35 remaining in the second quarter.  Navy's scoring drive was 9 plays-80 yards-4:51.

4:11 - High gains 26 yards on the ground following a Navy chop block penalty.  Navy has a first down at the Huskie's 16 yard line.

4:09 - Worth completes another long pass, this time a 40-yarder to Calvin Cass to the UConn 34 yard line.

4:04 - At the end of the first quarter, Navy leads UConn 7-0.

4:00 - Navy is forced to punt for the second time in as many series.  Wain's punt goes into the end zone and Navy takes over on their own 20 with 0:26 remaining in the first quarter.

3:58 - Navy forced an incomplete pass on a third down, but were flagged for roughing the passer when Amos Mason hit Bryant Shirreffs late.  1-10 UConn on the Navy 46 yard line.

3:52 - Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American" is being played through the stadium's PA system. The brigade of Midshipmen are singing along.  Touching!

3:50 - Fullback Chris High gets Navy on the board first with a 4-yard carry.  Moehrings PAT gives the Mids a 7-0 lead with 4:52 remaining in the first quarter.  Navy's scoring drive was 10 plays-96 yards-4:57.

3:46 - On a 3rd and 5 play, Will Worth completes a 47-yard pass to Jamir Tillman to the UConn 33 yard line.

3:39 - Navy forces the Huskies to punt on their first possession.  Justin Wain pins the Mids deep in their own territory as the punt was downed at the Navy 4 yard line.

3:31 - UConn has won the toss and elected to receive.  Navy's kickoff from Bennett Moehring is taken at the UConn 1 yard line and returned to the 16.

Previewing the Navy, UConn game - 

This afternoon, UConn (1-0) will take on Navy (1-0) at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

It's a hot one here in Annapolis.  The real feel during pregame warmups is 94 degrees with 74% humidity.

Both teams come into today's game, 1-0.  UConn defeated Maine last week when kicker Bobby Puyol kicked a 37-yard field goal with 11 seconds remaining in the game giving the Huskies the 24-21 win.  Navy defeated Fordham, 52-16 in the Midshipmen's home opener.

Navy has won 11 straight home games.  The Mids last lost at home to Western Kentucky on September 27, 2014.

Will Worth will be the starting QB for Navy this week after Tago Smith tore his ACL on a run in the second quarter last week against Fordham. Sophomore Zach Abey will be his backup.

Navy's co-captains, SB Toneo Gulley and LB Daniel Gonzalez are both wearing #2 for the rest of the season in honor of injured QB Tago Smith.

UConn held Maine to 40 yards rushing on 19 carries last week.  Last week the Midshipmen had 427 yards rushing.  FB Chris High had 176 yards rushing himself.

Navy's Win Over Fordham Bittersweet

Navy faced Patriot League foe, Fordham in the season-opener for both teams in Annapolis Saturday afternoon.  The Midshipmen came away with a 52-16 blowout win over the rams in Navy's eleventh consecutive home win dating back to last season.

The Mids were led offensively by Junior fullback Chris High who gained 176 yards on just 10 carries and found the end zone twice.  Navy's daunted triple option attack opened the way for 427 yards rushing on the afternoon.

Senior signal caller, Tago Smith guided the Mids to a 21-10 lead over their FCS opponent after just one quarter of play.  Smith has been biding his time in the shadow of Keenan Reynolds who set the NCAA record for all-time touchdowns scored with 88.  Smith was injured on a 22-yard carry at the beginning of the second quarter.  MRI results on Sunday confirmed that Smith had torn his ACL in his right knee and he is scheduled for surgery this week.

Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo became choked up about Smith's injury when asked about it in the post-game press conference.

“Just a great kid.  The kind of kid who really symbolizes who we are.  He hasn’t said crap for three years. He came to work every day.  He didn't complain, didn't get bitter.  I was the guy keeping him off the field.  There were other coaches that wanted to take him for other positions and play him.   I held him back. For three years he didn't say a word, just worked his butt off.

"What he did in the first half didn’t surprise me. We knew the guy was a really good football player who was just playing behind Keenan (Reynolds).  I just feel for the kid.”



Will Worth came in to replace the injured Smith and had nine carries for 22 yards and a rushing touchdown.  He also completed all three of his passes for 78 yards, including a 57-yard TD strike to Toneo Gulley.

Freshman QB Malcolm Perry was called from the stands after marching to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium with the rest of the Brigade of Midshipmen.  He changed at halftime and made his collegiate debut at the end of the third quarter with Navy leading, 49-13.

The Mids host Connecticut (1-0) next Saturday at 3:30.

Navy Football Getting No Respect

Navy's Senior Associate Athletic Director for Sports Information, Scott Strasemeier, shared this interesting fact about this year's Navy football team. 

Despite coming off a school record 11 win season against just two losses, winning the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy, the Lambert Trophy (best team in the East), sharing the American Athletic Conference West Division Championship with Houston and winning the Military Bowl, Navy is one of just four schools in the country that did not have one player make any of the numerous preseason award watch lists for 2016.  

The other three schools were UTSA (3-9 last year), North Texas (1-11) and UCF (0-12).

Navy opens the 2016 season at home on September 3 against Fordham.

EARLY ONSLAUGHT PROPELS PENNSY IN 59th BIG 33 CLASSIC

Article submitted by Jeff Batzel

 

Pennsylvania used a stifling defense, a pass on their first offensive play that completely caught Maryland off-guard, and a punishing running attack enroute to a 26-14 victory in the 59th Big 33 Classic at Hersheypark Stadium on Saturday night.

 

A Damar Hamlin (Pittsburgh Central Catholic-Pitt) interception of a batted Maryland pass in the first three minutes of the game set the stage for a Devante Cross (Parkland-Virginia) to Miles Sanders (Woodland Hills-Penn State) pass to get things started.   Sanders, a runningback, ran a backside wheel route and Cross came back to the weak side to find him completely unguarded for a TD on Pennsylvania’s first play from scrimmage.

 

Two more TD’s in just over a 3-minutes time span in the 2nd quarter added to the damage.  Again it was Sanders and his HS teammate Jo-El Shaw (Woodland Hills-Syracuse) doing the damage as runners behind the superb work of the Keystone State’s Offensive Line.   Sanders, the game's MVP, would score again in the third quarter on a 19 yard run to seal the deal.  Sanders had 7 rushes for 73 yards while Shaw had 80 yards on 14 totes of the pigskin.

 

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania’s defense was stifling and limited Maryland to just 143 total yards on the evening.  JoeJay Smith (Beth Catholic-Garden City CC) added a 2nd interception for Pennsylvania.

 

Maryland did get on the board twice late in the game, both on big plays when the game was no longer in doubt.   

Aaron Matthews (Clairton/Pitt) who led Pennsylania with 89 yards receiving makes a catch over the middle and is brought down by Maryland's Martin Foray, a St. Francis University of PA recruit.

 

Pennsylvania 26, Maryland 14

Pennsylvania - 6 - 13 - 7 - 0 -- 26
Maryland - 0 - 0 - 0 - 14 -- 14

Scoring Summary
First quarter
PA-Miles Sanders 21 pass from Devante Cross (kick failed), 8:52
Second quarter
PA-Sanders 5 run (pass failed), 8:37
PA-Jo-El Shaw 3 run (Mike Cushma kick), 5:24
Third quarter
PA-Sanders 19 run (Cushma kick), 8:59
Fourth quarter
MD-Dae’lun Darien 35 pass from Shawn Bliss (Mike Shinsky kick), 5:53
MD-Martin Foray Jr. 62 interception return (Shinsky kick), 1:43

Keenan Reynolds Drafted In The Sixth Round By The Baltimore Ravens

ANNAPOLIS, Md.--Navy senior quarterback Keenan Reynolds was selected in the sixth round of the NFL draft on Saturday by the Baltimore Ravens. It is the second-consecutive year that Navy has had a player drafted. Last year, long snapper Joe Cardona was drafted in the fifth round by the New England Patriots. Reynolds is just the 16^th Naval Academy player to be drafted and just the fifth to go in the top seven rounds.

“All I needed was for someone to put their neck on the line for me and I’m so thankful that the Baltimore Ravens did just that and I can promise they won’t regret making an investment in me,” said Reynolds.  “I’ve always loved playing at M&T Bank Stadium and I’ve heard nothing but great things about the Baltimore Ravens organization. I can’t wait to get started.”

“This is a great day for Keenan, his family and the Navy Football Brotherhood,” said Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo.  “Keenan is one of the greatest players in Navy Football history and we are all thrilled he’s going to one of the best organizations in the NFL in the Baltimore Ravens.”

“Keenan Reynolds has been the best player in college football over the last four years and I’m thrilled that he is getting the opportunity that he deserves,” said Navy offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ivin Jasper.  “He is one of the smartest football players I’ve ever been around and I expect him to do very well.”

Reynolds finished his Navy career with a 32-13 record, which are the most wins in school history by a quarterback.  He finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting this year and was named a Third-Team All-American by the Associated Press.  He was named the winner of the Sullivan Award, which is given to the nation’s top amateur athlete.

Reynolds led Navy to a school record 11 wins against just two losses in 2015, which included wins over Air Force and Army to win the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy and a victory over Pitt to win the Military Bowl.  The Mids also won the Lambert Trophy, which signifies the best team in the East, for the first time since 1963 and finished the year ranked 18^th in the country in both the Associated Press and Coaches poll

Reynolds was 7-1 in Service Academy games, including a 4-0 mark against Army.  He is the only quarterback in the history of the Army-Navy game to win four games.  His seven career touchdowns scored are the most in the history of the Army-Navy game.

Reynolds scored 88 touchdowns in his career, which are the most rushing touchdowns in Division I history and the most total touchdowns in FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) history.  Ironically, the man that is second to Reynolds with 87 career touchdowns is Louisiana Tech’s Kenneth Dixon, who was also drafted by the Ravens.

Reynolds scored three or more touchdowns in a game 17 times in his career, the most in FBS history. He is the first player in FBS history to score 23 or more rushing touchdowns in a season three different times. His 530 career points scored are the most in FBS history.

His 4,559 career rushing yards are the most in FBS history by a quarterback and the most in school history by any player. He is just the sixth player in FBS history to rush and pass for 4,000 yards in a career.  His 22 career 100-yard rushing games are the most in school history.

Reynolds also set the school record for passing touchdowns with 31, while throwing just eight interceptions in 462 career attempts giving him the lowest interception percentage in school history.

On Feb. 28 he became just the fourth player in school history and the first as a current midshipman to have his number retired (#19).

Reynolds' teammate, senior fullback Chris Swain, has agreed to terms with the San Diego Chargers as a free agent. 

"I am very excited about the opportunity that the Chargers are giving me and I fully intend to take advantage of it,” said Swain.  “San Diego is a great organization located in a Navy team in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  I can’t think of a better place to be.”

"What a great day for the Navy Football program and the Brotherhood to have Keenan drafted and for Chris to sign as a free agent,” said Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo.