Saturday, November 17, 2012

Navy 21 - Texas St. 10, 4th Quarter

Gee Gee Greene
Senior Gee Gee Greene gave Navy a 21-3 lead with 10-yard TD run to cap off a 10-play, 75-yard drive.

Texas State answered with a 1-play, 62-yard drive - a pass from Shaun Rutherford to Isaiah Battle and Navy's lead is now 21-10.

Texas State caught Navy sleeping and recovered their onside kick at their own 46 yard line.  A series of penalties doomed the Bobcats' drive and their drive stalled when they turned the ball over on downs at the Navy 34.

Navy was held to a three-and-out.  Freshman punter Pablo Beltran dropped the ball but was able to recover and get off a 45-yard punt to the Bobcats 14 yard line.

Texas State completed a 32-yard pass on their first play, but were not able to get another first down.  They turned the ball over on downs at the Navy 46.

The Mids drove to the Texas State 19 yard line.  The key play of the drive was a 24-yard run by Greene.  On fourth down, kicker Nick Sloan missed a 36-yard field goal attempt.

Marcus Curry
Texas State took over on their own 20 down by 11 with under four minutes remaining.  Behind the arm of Rutherford and the legs of Marcus Curry, the Bobcats were able to move to the Navy 3 yard line.  They turned the ball over on downs as time expired.

Former Navy halfback Marcus Curry was held to 67 yards on 11 carries.  Curry was dismissed from the team in May of 2010 and ultimately resigned from the academy.  He made his first return trip to Annapolis this afternoon.

The Navy seniors gathered on the field for a group picture.  This year's seniors were the 10th consecutive senior class to win on Senior Day.

Sophomore Noah Copeland led the Mids with 110 yards on 17 carries and 2 TDs.  Senior Gee Gee Greene scored the other Navy TD and tallied 71 yards on the ground.

Texas State falls to 3-7 on the season.  The Midshipmen improve their record to 7-4 and will take on rival Army on December 8 in Philadelphia.


Navy 14 - Texas St. 3, 3rd Quarter

Navy kicked off to start the second half and Texas State fumbled.  Navy recovered on the 16 yard line.  On Navy's first play, Noah Copeland found the end zone for his second TD of the game.  Navy leads 14-0.

Navy forced a three-and-out on Texas State's next drive.

The Mids took over at their own 34 following Texas State's punt.  Noah Copeland started the drive with an 11-yard run to the 45.  Five plays later, Freshman QB Keenan Reynolds scrambled 37 yards to the Texas State 2 yard line.  A holding penalty, a rush for negative yards, and two incomplete passes later the Mids attempted and missed a 33-yard field goal attempt.

Texas State put together an impressive 15 play, 61 yard drive that ended with a Will Johnson 36-yard field goal.  The score cut Navy's lead to 21-3.  The Bobcats moved methodically down the field running over one play over nine yards - a 15 yard pass from Shaun Rutherford to Brandon Smith for 15 yards.

Navy started their next drive at their own 25 yard line.  On their fourth play from scrimmage, senior Gee Gee Green found running room and moved to the Texas State 34 yard line.

The quarter ended with Navy leading 14-3.

Navy 7 - Texas St. 0, 2nd Quarter

There was no scoring in the second quarter.

Each team had the ball three times.  Navy punted twice and was unable to convert on a 4th down conversion. Texas State punted once and turned the ball over on downs two times - one of which was from the Navy 3 yard line.

Navy takes a 7-0 lead into the locker room and looks to win on Senior Day for the 10th consecutive time.

Navy 7 - Texas St. 0, 1st Quarter

Navy won the toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff.  Navy drove to the Texas State 24 yard line before Bo Snelson fumbled a pitch from Keenan Reynolds and the Bobcats recovered.

Texas State was held to a three-and-out and punted from their own 34 yard line.  Matt Aiken fumbled the end-over-end punt, but he was able to recover his own fumble.
Noah Copeland

The Mids were able to drive 73 yards on 6 plays with Noah Copeland finding the end zone on a 15-yard carry.  Nick Sloan's PAT was successful and the Mids lead 7-0.

The Bobcats and the Midshipmen were forced to punt on their next possessions and the quarter ended with Texas State in possession on their own 49 yard line.

Navy vs. Texas State Pregame

Navyfest tailgate before the game

Texas State arrives at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium

Navy fans tailgate before the final home game

The Midshipmen arrive


Pipes and Drums band lead the Mids into the stadium


Blue Angle plane at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium




Coach Niumatalolo waiting to greet seniors before the game

Saturday, November 03, 2012

Navy 24 - FAU 17, Recap

Navy was able to hold on for a 24-17 win over visiting Florida Atlantic in front of 29,336 fans at Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.  The win makes Navy bowl eligible for the ninth time in ten years and the Mids have already accepted a bid to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco on December 29.  They will play against a Pac-12 team.

FAU jumped out to an early 10-0 lead over Navy in the first quarter.  Jonathan Wallace was the workhorse all afternoon for the Owls.  He ran the ball 28 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns.  Wallace accounted for all but nine rushing yards for FAU on the afternoon.  Complementing Wallace on the offensive side was QB Graham Wilbert.  Wilbert was 25-35 passing for 205 yards.  

Keenan Reynolds
Navy gained a spark from freshman quarterback Keenan Reynolds in the second quarter and the momentum shifted.  Reynolds led the Midshipmen in rushing with 26 carries for 169 yards and one touchdown.  He also was 8-15 passing with 147 yards and two touchdowns.  The freshman has been the offensive leader since taking over for an injured Trey Miller during the Air Force game.  Since then Navy has gone 4-0 with Reynolds as the starter.

In the fourth quarter, Reynolds was injured and had to be taken to the locker room for an elbow injury.  Reynolds returned the next series and he says he's alright.

"I'm fine.  I'm not really sure what it is, but I am fine."

He confirmed that the injury was his left elbow.

Brandon Turner
Brandon Turner caught both of Reynolds' TD passes on the afternoon - 14 yards and 31 yards.  He says he told Reynolds to get him the ball.

"In the huddle I told Keenan to not be afraid to throw it up.  I had a clean release and I looked back.  I can't see Keenan because he is so short, so I couldn't see the ball come out.  I caught it, turned around and saw the end zone was there."

FAU halfback, Wallace scored his second TD in the fourth quarter to cut Navy's lead to seven, but the Mids defense stood tall and the offense was able to control the ball to hold on for the win.

Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo was pleased with the win.  

"I'm really proud of our players, our seniors especially.  In January they set a goal for themselves to get back to a bowl game and win the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.  They have given us a chance to do both."

Navy improves to 6-3 after losing three of their first four games to start the season.  FAU falls to 2-7.  Navy travels to Troy next Saturday.


Navy 24 - FAU 10, 4th Quarter

FAU was forced to punt and Navy takes over on their own 24 with 14:06 remaining in the game.

Reynolds went down with an injury to what appeared like his left arm or shoulder with 12:01 left in the game.  He was replaced by Trey Miller, the starter at the beginning of the season.  On Miller's first play from scrimmage, he fumbled while handing off to Noah Copeland and FAU recovered on the Navy 39.  Reynolds was taken to the Navy locker room.

FAU drove 39-yards on 7 plays and scored on a 3-yard run by Jonathan Wallace to cut the Navy lead to 24-17 with 9:07 remaining in the game.

Navy took over on their own 38 yard line.  Keenan Reynolds returns to the game with his left elbow taped.

Nick Sloan missed a 51-yard field goal wide left with 5:31 remaining.  FAU takes over on their own 34 yard line.

Wilbert completed several passes including a 19 yard strike to Nexon Dorvilus to move the ball to the Navy 41.  One play later Navy was called for a roughing the passer moving the ball to the Navy 21.  On 4th and 11 on the Navy 22, Wallace was under tons of pressure and forced a pass that fell incomplete.  Navy takes over on downs at their own 22.

Navy ran out the clock and held on for a 24-17 win.  Navy is going bowling in December to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl on December 29.

Navy 24 - FAU 10, 3rd Quarter

Navy returned the opening kickoff of the second half to their own 33 yard line.  Navy drove to the FAU 31 yard line.  Facing a 4th and 8 and driving into the wind, Coach Ken Niumatalolo called time out and decided to go for the first down.  Keenan Reynolds dropped back and found wide receiver Brandon Turner for a TD.  The play capped off a 9-play, 67-yard drive.  Navy leads the Owls 21-10 with 11:50 remaining in the third quarter.

FAU, realizing their need to get back on the scoreboard, made a gutsy call from their own 24 yard line.  Facing a 4th and 1 and down 11 points, Head Coach Carl Pelini decided to challenge the Navy defense.  The Owls lined up in a wildcat formation with halfback Jonathan Wallace lined up as QB.  Wallace called his own number and gained four yards on the carry to extend the drive.  Damian Fortner later fumbled at midfield and Kwazel Bertrand recovered with 7:11 in the quarter.

After driving to the FAU 3 yard line, Navy decided for the sure FG and called on the leg of freshman kicker Nick Sloan,  Sloan split the uprights from 20 yards out and Navy increased their lead to 24-10 with 2:08 remaining in the third quarter.

FAU has the ball on their own 34 yard line as the third quarter ends.  Navy leads the Owls 24-10.

Navy 14 - FAU 10, 2nd Quarter

On the second play of the second quarter, halfback Jonathan Wallace punched the ball into the end zone from 1-yard out to cap off a 15-play, 72-yard drive that took 7:58 off the clock.  FAU leads the Mids 7-0.

Navy started their first drive of the second quarter on their own 25 yard line.  They were able to gain 19 yards on five plays but were forced to punt with a fourth down and 1243

Beltran's second punt went only 18 yards.

FAU takes over on their own 38 yard line and drive to the Navy 36 yard line.  Junior Mitch Anderson kicked a 53 yard field goal to tie the FAU record for longest field goal that was set in 2007.

The Mids seem lethargic and are down 10-0.

Navy started their next drive at their own 16 yard line.  Freshman QB sparked the Midshipmen with a 48-yard run to the FAU 33.  A 22-yard pass to Ryan Williams-Jenkins took the ball to the FAU 11.  Two penalties and three plays later, Reynolds found Brandon Turner in the end zone with a 14-yard TD pass.  The Mids cut FAU's lead to 10-7 with 5:32 left in the quarter.

On FAU's next possession, a pass from Graham Wilbert to William Dukes for 39 yards took the Owls to the Navy 23.  Three plays later FAU faced a 4th and 2 on the Navy 15.  They chose to go for the first instead of kicking the chip shot field goal.  A pass from Wilbert to Wallace gained 0 yards and Navy took over on their own 15 on downs.

The momentum appears to be shifted towards the Mids.

Navy methodically moved the ball down the field against the Owls, with the key play being a 28-yard pass from Reynolds to Tyler Lynch to the FAU 43.  Five plays later, Reynolds found fullback Noah Copeland all alone on the left side and he was forced out of bounds at the FAU 5.  Two plays later Reynolds called his own number and ran to the right side into the end zone.  After Nick Sloan's PAT, Navy led 14-10 with 7 seconds remaining in the half.

Time expired in the second quarter and Navy has fought back to a 14-10 lead.




Navy 0 - FAU 0, 1st Quarter

After a fly-over of two F-18s out of Air Station Oceana, VA Navy kicked off to FAU on a sun drenched field.

Neither team was able to move the ball during their first two possessions.  The Owls were forced to punt twice and the Mids punted once (61 yards) and missed a 45 yard field goal.

On FAU's third possession, they drove to the Navy four yard line before the quarter ended.  Junior half back Jonathan Wallace led the Owls with 45 yards on 10 carries in the first quarter.

Navy was able to gain only 16 yards on 6 carries for the first quarter.


3 Keys to the Navy - FAU Game

The Navy Midshipmen and the Florida Atlantic Owls meet for the first time today at Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.  Navy enters the game with a 5-3 record and one win away from a December 29 bowl bid to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco.  FAU is 2-6 on the season and is coming off a big win over Troy last week.

Handling the Triple Option

Since this is the first meeting between these two schools, it will be telling to see how FAU handles Navy's triple option offense.  It's impossible to simulate the speed and precision that will be on display by Navy this afternoon with a scout team.  Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds has the offense clicking since he took over for an injured Trey Miller at Air Force on October 6.  Reynolds led Navy to a comeback win that afternoon and is 3-0 in his next three starts.  Navy has four starters with over 240 yards rushing on the season, led by senior Gee Gee Greene (70-511).

Man It's Cold Here

The weather at kickoff is going to be around 49 degrees with 15 mph winds.  It feels a lot colder than that however.  That will be a far cry from the 79 degrees and sunny that is forecast for the Boca Raton, Florida area this afternoon..  FAU has not played in a cold weather game all season and although this will not be horrible conditions, it will be much different than what the Owls have been used to all season.

Turnovers

This is a key to just about any football game, but it will be especially important for both teams this afternoon. Both teams have been known to turn the ball over this season.  Navy has thrown four interceptions and has 16 fumbles, losing nine.  The Owls have thrown three INTs and has lost 10 fumbles.