Navy Football

By Ryan of The Sportmeisters

The NCAA postseason kicked off Dec. 19, with 34 games being played in a three-week span.

Seniors will get their last hurrah, and teams will attempt to end their season on the winning side, in the hopes of improving the recruiting that soon follows.

The Sportmeisters will preview each of the games that lie ahead, and provide our predictions as well. Let’s get to it!

Texas Bowl, Dec. 31, 3:30 PM, Houston, TX

Missouri (8-4) vs. Navy (9-4)

About Missouri

The Tigers came in with high hopes for 2009, and started off living up to the expectations, winning four in a row. Then the meat of the schedule came in, and Missouri flailed, losing three straight to ranked teams. They bounced back, winning four of their last five to finish at 8-4.

With the departure of Chase Daniel, most expected Missouri to fall off in their passing game. Enter sophomore QB Blaine Gabbert, who was directly responsible for the Tigers’ 13th-ranked passing attack (285 yards a game). Gabbert finished the season with 3302 yards, 23 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He has not thrown an interception since Halloween.

Senior WR Danario Alexander’s numbers more than double anyone else on the Tigers roster. His 107 catches for 1,644 yards and 13 touchdowns are big reasons for Missouri’s success. Alexander also leads all FBS receivers with 137 yards per game.

Defensively, Missouri could stop the run (12th in NCAA FBS), but in the pass-happy antics of the Big 12 sputtered against the pass (109th in NCAA FBS).

Senior LB Sean Weatherspoon leads the squad with 104 tackles (14.5 for loss), 4.5 sacks, and an interception.

Freshman DE Aldon Smith is a tough one to contain. He led the team with 11 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss (59 tackles total).

As is the case with the Big 12, Missouri will throw early and often, and if you try to run, you might be stopped, but those numbers seem misleading.

About Navy

The Midshipmen started off slow, losing two of their first three games, both against BCS opponents. They ran for glory, reeling off five straight wins before a close loss against Temple. They regained themselves to win three of their last four, including rivalry wins over Army and Notre Dame, to finish 9-4.

Navy, much like a few other teams in NCAA FBS, likes to run. A lot, in fact, which is the primary reason they average 272.46 yards a game in the rush (fourth in NCAA FBS). It’s also the reason they are last in passing offense (71.38 yards a game). The triple option is their primary weapon, and it usually starts with junior QB Ricky Dobbs.

Despite missing a game, Dobbs still rushed for 1,026 yards and scored 24 rushing touchdowns. That is a new record, breaking the previous one held by Tim Tebow and Chance Harridge.

As is the case with the triple option, if you stop one, there are others still available. Junior RB Vince Murray has been that other option, rushing for 925 yards and six touchdowns.

On the other side of the ball, Navy is good, but nothing special. They are 20th in scoring, allowing only 19.92 points a game. The rest of their numbers are in that range between the top and middle third of NCAA FBS. Senior LB Ross Pospisil leads the team with 98 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Navy is undersized, and it shows.

They are 103rd in sacks (1.38 per game) and 120th in tackles for loss (3.54 per game). However, they have speed, and a rushing attack that eats up the clock, which will work in their favor.

The Matchup

Missouri is 12-14 in bowl games, having won two in a row during their current five-game bowl appearance streak.

Navy is 6-8-1 in their bowl history, trying to snap a three-game losing streak. This is their seventh-consecutive bowl appearance.

The two teams have not faced each other since 1961, when Missouri beat Navy in the Orange Bowl. Missouri is 2-0 against the Navy all-time.

In this game, the numbers can be a bit misleading. Yes, Missouri is ranked high on their rush defense, but they play in the Big 12. The Big 12 does not rush often, so the numbers seem skewed.

On the other side, Navy has a decent pass defense, but they are facing off against a spread offense. They are undersized, which could make stopping a 6'5" receiver a bit more challenging. The winner will come from whoever can utilize their strengths better.

For Navy, they will need to run the option successfully, eating clock and keeping Gabbert on the sideline. When Gabbert does get in, he and Alexander will need to exploit Navy’s small corners for big gains.

The Prediction

Missouri throws it early and often, and Navy can’t play catch-up when they only run the ball. Missouri, 38-20.

The wait is nearly over.

It's been exactly 30 days since the Missouri Tigers last saw the field, dispatching of arch rival Kansas on Nov. 28.

Having recently touched down in Houston for Thursday's Texas Bowl, the Tigers will spend the next few days squeezing in some last-minute preparation for 9-4 Navy.

And the matchup between the Tigers and Midshipmen is one of the bowl season's more intriguing, if for no other reason than the stark contrast between the two teams' style of play.

How effective will Missouri's defense be in dealing with Navy's intricate triple-option offense? Can Navy offset the Tigers' perceived advantage in speed, athleticism, and overall talent?

Will the Tigers and Midshipmen combine to produce a bit of much-needed drama for a bowl season that has been light on close games? Will the Big 12 prove to be too much, or will the pride, nostalgia, and grit that defines a service academy rise up to slay the BCS giant?

And how will each team respond to the long layoff between the regular season and now, especially Navy, which had 11 fewer days to prepare?

To help me tackle some of these questions in the season's final edition of Enemy Intel, I've enlisted the help of Bill Wagner, the Navy beat writer at the Annapolis Capital-Gazette .

RF: How would you characterize the 19-day layoff between Navy's emotionally-charged win over Army and its bowl game against Missouri? Does the extra preparation benefit the Midshipmen? Or, considering Navy won three of its last four games, will the extended break possibly halt some of the team's momentum?

BW: Navy was not able to practice much during the 19-day break because the players were involved with exams. I do not think the break helps Navy one bit because the (triple) option is a repetition offense, and practicing it regularly is important.

I think schools are allowed an extra 15 practices when going to a bowl, and Navy will only use about half of them.

RF: Why are the Midshipmen so efficient at running the triple-option, and why is it that opposing defenses have such a hard time defending it?

BW: Navy is so efficient and executes at such a high level because it practices the option day after day after day, while most teams only have a week or so to prepare for it. As former head coach Paul Johnson used to say, "If they can get better at stopping it in a week than we can get at running it all season, then they deserve to win."

It's all about practice repetitions, and most of Navy's offensive players have been repping this system for years.

RF: With fewer resources at its disposal compared to a majority of other college football programs, how has Navy managed to sustain success? And has the blueprint changed much between Johnson and current head coach Ken Niumatalolo?

BW: Navy's blueprint for success is to use the triple-option to level the playing field with bigger, stronger opponents, play bend-but-don't-break defense that forces teams to drive the field, rely on conditioning and toughness, and don't beat yourself with penalties and turnovers.

That blueprint was created by Johnson and Niumatalolo has wisely maintained it.

RF: Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel stated recently that it's a privilege to be given the opportunity to compete against a service academy, and I think it's safe to assume a majority of coaches across college football would say the same. Is there a certain mystique that comes along with playing an Army or Navy? And, if so, why do you think that is?

BW: I don't know that there is a mystique to playing a service academy, but most opponents do respect that they are going against men who are more than just college football players and have academic and military requirements that are well beyond the average Division I player.

Ultimately, none of that helps Navy win games on the field.

RF: Is there anything specific Navy coaches have pointed out regarding the Missouri Tigers that they feel they have to either guard against or that they can exploit during the Texas Bowl?

BW: Navy coaches and players have talked about Missouri as a great opponent with great athletes, great size, great speed. In typical Navy fashion, they are making Missouri sound unbeatable.

Obviously, the hope is that because none of the Tigers' defenders have seen the option, they may struggle to stop it for a while. All in all, the Navy coaches and players know they have their hands full.

RF: In your mind, what are the keys to this game for Navy? How do you see this one playing out?

BW: I think Navy is capable of winning this game, but it would be a bit of an upset. If Navy can control possession, keep Missouri's offense off the field, run the ball effectively, and get a few turnovers, they could pull it off.

Bill Wagner is the Navy football beat writer at the Annapolis Capital-Gazette. Visit his blog to follow his coverage of Navy Midshipmen football.

A great college football regular season was capped by the Army-Navy game on Dec. 12.

This game would have been lost in last week's championship weekend, so it was good to be scheduled by itself on a Saturday in December.

When you get the BCS out of the way, good things can happen.

Army took a 3-0 lead into halftime. But Navy has not lost a game to Army or Air Force since 2002, so when they dominated the third quarter, it wasn't a huge surprise.

Army and Navy have played 110 times since 1890.

Navy has won the last eight, and they are heading to the Texas Bowl to play the Missouri Tigers. 

Army would have gone to the EagleBank Bowl with a win, but their season ends with them trailing the all-time series with Navy 54-49-7.

The big news off the field is that Cincinnati will face Florida in the Sugar Bowl without coach Brian Kelly.

Kelly left for Notre Dame before leading his undefeated Bearcats toward a showdown with one of the best teams in college football.

It is a shame that there is not a playoff system in college football.

Wait, that is not true, every other college football division is having their playoffs right now.

There was even a champion decided, of all places, on the field when Northwest Missouri State—playing in their fifth-straight D2 title game—beat Grand Valley State.

For my final top 20 poll, I am going to predict the bowl winners. It will be fun after the bowl season to do the real final top 20 poll.

Top 20

1. Texas

2. Cincinnati

3. TCU

4. Alabama

5. Ohio State

6. Florida

7. Iowa

8. Boise State

9. Oregon

10. LSU

11. Georgia Tech

12. Virginia Tech

13. Miami

14. Penn State

15. Oregon State

16. Pittsburgh

17. West Virginia

18. Stanford

19. BYU

20. Arizona

Conference Power Rankings

1. SEC

2. Pac-10

3. Big 10

4. Big East

5. Mountain West

6. Big XII

One Last Thought...

The early college basketball season has been full of epic matchups.

It is OK to play big games in the college basketball regular season because of March Madness.

Big-time regular season college football games are so rare that they are huge stories.

Teams do not want to risk any losses out of their conference games because the regular season is the playoff season in college football.

What starts on Dec. 19 with the New Mexico Bowl is the exhibition season of big-time college football.

It culminates with the BCS Championship game where polls picked the top two teams.

Without a true path to a title game, is it really anything more than an exhibition game?

The BCS puts on a good show, and they hand out a nice trophy, but college football fans aren't buying it.

Every week of the regular season sets up what happens in the postseason, and, with five undefeated teams, there is no way to know that the top two teams are playing for the title.

The BCS does not work.

It needs too many variables to go their way, and it has only happened once this decade where the top two teams wound up undefeated.

The Texas-USC Rose Bowl game was the only true national title game this decade, and that is the biggest flaw of the BCS.

By using the regular season as a round-robin playoff, they rarely get the matchup of the top two teams.

It's the only sport where a champion is crowned, and then the debate begins.

Navy beat Army once again on Saturday in Philadelphia. These teams have played 110 times. This game, unlike the rest of college football is so very unique.

That is because it belongs to all of us.

Those were our Midshipmen and our Cadets facing each other at Lincoln Financial Field.

Those were our Midshipmen beating our Cadets, 17-3.

It has been an honor to watch more than 50 of these meetings between the team from Annapolis and the team from West Point. It becomes part of your being when you spend your formative years in Annapolis and log more than a couple of thousand hours at the Academy, watching sports, mingling with the middies, absorbing all that is so very good about a service academy.

Army fought its heart out and held a 3-0 hafltime lead. But Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs, a special player, led his team to an opening drive touchdown to start the third quarter and Navy never looked back.

What was so different about this game is that the commercials were great to watch. Commercials for the Army and the Navy. Good enough to make any young person want to perhaps explore a future in the service. And that is an honorable undertaking.

This wasn't the most exciting game you'd ever see, but there was great spirit on the field and in those stands.

The spirit of future warriors was there for us all to see. For many, it was their final football game, ever.

They'll go on to be military leaders, soldiers and sailors who will serve us, all of us. They will fight for us, protect the freedom and interests of this great country.

From those 50 games these eyes have seen, some of those players have died serving this country.

Hopefully, none of these players will have to make the ultimate sacrifice. Hopefully they will serve, survive then grow old to tell their children and grandchildren about those wonderful days when they played at Annapolis or West Point.

Those who played and those in the stands who are classmates, are our nation's finest.

Today we honor them. All of them.

Go Navy! Go Army! 

The game is one of the greatest spectacles in all of college football. I am not speaking of the Michigan-Ohio State game, Florida-Florida State, Auburn-Alabama, or even Notre Dame-USC. Today is one of the best sporting events in all of college athletics; it is the annual Army-Navy game, The purest rivalry in college football

They play for one reason, and one reason only—for the love of the game. Their work ethic, sportsmanship, and dedication to their country are the reasons why the Army, Navy, and Air Force epitomize everything right with college football.

There are no rumpled jerseys, no earrings, no flashy jewelry, no long hair, and no beards on their sidelines.

There are no touchdown celebrations involving unsportsmanlike conduct. Questioning a coach's decision is a foreign thought and the respect they hold for authority is second-to-none.

They are, arguably, the ultimate football players.

James Patrick "J.P." Blecksmith (Navy 2003) was one of those role models—a role model who never came back after graduating from the Naval Academy.

His athletic and academic accomplishments were impressive. He lettered four years in track, two in soccer, and three in football at the tony Flintridge Preparatory School in La Canada, Ca. J.P. was first team, all-CIF quarterback as a junior and a senior.

He was named to three national All-American teams as a blue chip athlete. He was also all-CIF track in his sophomore, junior and senior years, and was the Prep League's Most Valuable Athlete in 1999. He was also 10th grade class president, a National Honor Society member, and a peer counselor.

J.P. was the kid you wanted your daughter to marry.

After accepting an appointment with the Naval Academy, Blecksmith played four years on the Navy football team, eventually lettering as a senior wide receiver. While most college football players have aspirations of big money in the NFL, Blecksmith had his life already planned out.

He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Marines Corps and commanded the third platoon (India Company) of the Third Battalion, Fifth Regiment of the First Marine Division.

He was killed November 11, 2004, after deploying to Iraq. His unit was taking part (clearing a building) in a mission in Fallujah, Iraq when he took a bullet to the left shoulder—it eventually lodged in his heart. He was 24 years old when he died.

J.P. had two missions when he deployed to Iraq, to be the best leader of the platoon he commanded and to bring back all of his men safely. He succeeded in both missions.

His death was the only one in his platoon. J.P. paid the ultimate sacrifice, and was awarded the Purple Heart—as well as the Bronze Star—posthumously, in front of his platoon, for his bravery.

Many critics of the service academies point out that they are not as competitive (due to height and weight restrictions) as other FBS schools, and in particular, elite schools. I say no one team plays more competitively than a service academy football team.

The Naval Midshipmen and Army Black Knights share five Heisman Trophy winners. Navy has been one of the nation's top ten rushing teams for nineteen of twenty-one years.

The service academies are no pushovers, despite some less-than-distinguished season records.

Navy beat Notre Dame, 46-44 in triple OT in 2007, snapping a 43-game losing streak going back to 1963. The Midshipmen then won again this year in South Bend, to make it two out of three against the Irish in three years.

Sure those wins were big, but all Midshipmen seniors are looking ahead to tomorrow.

While many football players start looking for agents for their possible future in the NFL, the Navy football players know their path is far different.

They came to play a game, be their most competitive against a vastly superior talent pool, and hopefully, show some young school-age boys a different view of what sportsmanship, commitment to one's country, unselfishness, and sacrifice really mean. 

The Navy's sidelines aren't filled with dead-pans into the cameras, or "we're No. 1" shouts.

Instead, their sidelines are filled with empty chairs—chairs with a set of shoulder pads and jersey for each of their fallen comrades.

A poignant and solemn reminder of really how unimportant football is in the scope of things. Perhaps no game signifies the importance of the contributions made by the service academies more than the Army-Navy game usually played the first Saturday of every December. This year, it is on December 12th.

The beautiful sight of college football is completely captured in this game. Young cadets in their formal uniforms, with brass buttons shining in the sun, and their clean-cut, scrubbed faces ready for a day filled with fun, and yet, carrying with them the knowledge that their future is uncertain, but embraced, nevertheless.

They are football players who don't possess the five-star athletic ability of some of their rivals, but whose hearts and minds are so driven, that they are a force to be reckoned with in every game.

To quit is not in their language.

To finish strong is their mission.

To face all odds with bravery, and to finish the game with intensity is their goal.

To represent the finest America has to offer, with dignity and class. To play the game the way it was meant to be played. Nothing more.

For most seniors, the last game of the year is the most emotional—it is probably the last time their cleats will touch grass on their home field. They also know that for some of them, it's the last time they will see some of their teammates' faces.

Many of them will be deployed, and during this wartime, some will not come back.

It's time to get serious with life.

It's time to say goodbye to their teammates, time to say goodbye to the other team's players. Each one of them knows that while they fought tooth and nail to beat each other up on the field, eventually, they all will be working together, on one team, to defeat the enemy.

To protect the very precious soil that they stand on. And play on.

After the game is finished, the losing team's alma mater is played, while the winning team's players stand side-by-side with the losing side's players, facing the losing side's academy section of the stadium. And the process reverses for the winning team.

Each side—once enemies on the field—comes together as one after the game, and solemnly recognizes that they all have each other's backs for as long as they live. Fittingly, there are no losers in this battle on the field.

America, however, has suffered losses—some of its finest representatives of true role models. The sport of football has lost some of its greatest players as well. Not due to their athletic prowess, nor their bowl wins, or great comeback-wins.

No, football has lost some of its greatest players because of what they represent—excellence both on and off the field. Sacrifice.

All of football is truly graced to have these service academies remind us of what is really important in sport. Army, Navy, and Air Force capture the essence of sportsmanship—competition, pride, and class. Something both college and professional football players need to never forget, and perhaps, even learn.

The next time you watch one of the service academies play, remember J.P. Blecksmith's face. Remember a young man with short-cropped hair, squeaky-clean good looks, and a mega-watt smile. A young man who stood on the proverbial fence so we all could sleep safely at night.

He wasn't just a football player. He was somebody's son or brother who tried to make you proud of his team and proud of your country.

And, more importantly, he made sure your family was safe while he was watching your back. Yeah, they all have our backs. We thank you for giving us these great games. And we thank you for making us proud to be Americans.     

James Patrick Blecksmith, Navy, '03, 09/26/80-11/11/04, Go Navy, beat Army. R.I.P.

 *Special thanks to JP Blecksmith Foundation, at JPBlecksmith.org.

**This article was originally posted by me in July of 2008 and has been modified slightly to reflect current events.

Again, we have another dismal defeat. Again, we are wondering why our Notre Dame team keeps falling short. Again I will only refer to coach Charlie Weis as the "Bloated One". Again, this is in reference to ego not to physique.

To say I am stunned is not accurate. I do not expect the Irish to win another game this year. Not because of talent, because the "Bloated One" still evidently believes he is doing everything correctly. Our offensive line cannot block, our punters cannot punt and our defense refuses to tackle correctly. Yes, I can certainly see why Notre Dame does not need to change.

Speaking of the offensive line, they said they would protect the "Bloated One's" job. The Chicago Tribune has printed several quotes that the players are to blame. These same players also promised better results. I sure would not want to be the person whose career was based on what these players did last night. I do not see how they can look themselves in the mirror. Three of the four defeats this year are solely based on the lack of production from this unit. The only offensive line units worse than the 2009 Irish were the 2008 and 2007 versions. I am absolutely disgusted with their production.

The lack of production from the kicking game does not help. Do we have any punters enrolled at Notre Dame? Aside from the punting and offensive line, we have the "Bloated One" himself. Apparently he feels that complaints regarding lack of results are personal, character concerns. This shows what an over inflated ego gets you. Apparently, the "Bloated One" expects fans to sit quietly and endure loss after loss.

What the "Bloated One" needs to learn is that Notre Dame fans care little about his personality. Yes it is nice and kind to give to charaties and people who are ill. The world would be better if more people would act that way. However, those honorable actions do not translate to football victories. The "Bloated One" has to learn that games are won in the trenches, not from elaborate schemes. Notre Dame has no true offensive line. It is sad but true. We need to work with what we have, not keep doing the same thing over and over and keep thinking that it will work.

Finally about Mr. Brown. While his defensive backfield did not succeed, he had the courage at least to call out the Naval Academy. Just because Navy( and now Georgia Tech) does not drawn all the penalties they should does not mean their vaunted blocking scheme should be allowed. For years I have been waiting for someone to call them on this scheme which is design to promote knee injuries. I just wish the Notre Dame defensive backs could cover as well as Mr. Brown can speak.

They pass the ball about as often as you’ll find a bargain at Annapolis Mall. They're not a member of any conference and you’ll never be able to follow their standout players to the NFL. Nothing about the Navy football team screams “pay attention to me.”

But we should . The entire DMV should.

Even if Maryland was fairly decent at playing football and weren’t the object of the local media’s disdain, Navy has proven over the last five years a propensity for wins over ranked opponents , bowl appearances, and a style of football that is as entertaining as what your run-in-the-mill BCS crashers are putting out.

Not to mention these guys are veterans. This isn't to say that service in the armed forces should force athletic loyalties, but it should create a higher appreciation for athletes that take up the challenge of playing football, knowing that a crack at a professional career in the sport is slim to none.

Even if they are able to get a shot, it comes after the service obligation that financed their education and playing career.

Riding around various parts of Baltimore and Washington, you’re bound to see a few Navy football billboards. And that’s all well and good, except local media haven’t really framed Midshipmen football as the state’s best college football entertainment option.

Maybe independent mid-major football is not the biggest driver in newspaper and television media advertising, but it would be a feather in the cap of journalistic integrity.

Navy has remaining games against Hawaii and Army, with the latter game being one of the few times the nation pays attention to Midshipmen football in the name of patriotism.

There’s every reason not to do so, but when it comes to college football in this region, a little more patriotism may be a good thing.

Ken Niumatololo, Navy's football coach, had a lot to cheer about.

The Midshipman from Navy were the underdog against a clearly superior Notre Dame football team on Saturday, but heart won the day.  Jimmy Clausen is a Heisman trophy candidate and both of his wide receivers are expected to play in the NFL.  Backed by an offensive running game through its triple option that generated 348 yards, the Navy defense continually stopped Notre Dame charges, including four out of six times in the red zone. 

Navy made the first big play against the Irish when cornerback Blake Carter hit wide receiver Robby Parris on the 49 yard line, and Ram Vela recovered the ensuing fumble.  Vela was the Navy linebacker who had leaped over a blocker and sacked the quarterback two years earlier to key Navy's first victory over Notre Dame since Roger Staubach's 1963 Heisman trophy year.  12 plays after Vela's fumble recovery, Ricky Dobbs ran it in for his 17th rushing TD of the year.

After Notre Dame missed a field goal, Dobbs drove the team down to the 25 yard line.  Junior Fullback Vince Murray raced up the middle for Navy's second first half score, and after Notre Dame missed another field goal, the Mids led at halftime 14-0. 

Following a Navy punt into the end zone, Clausen, with pin point passing to Floyd and to Tate, drove the Irish to the 1 yard line with five minutes to go in the 3rd quarter when Robert Hughes, a Junior halfback from Chicago, ran it into the end zone.

Following the kick-off, Dobbs drove navy 72 yards in three plays, capping the drive with a 52 yard pass to Greg Jones, his fourth TD pass of the year.

As the third quarter drew to a close, Clausen tried to run the ball in from the ten yard line but was met with a ferocious hit by Edwards, forcing another fumble. 

Clausen returned in the fourth quarter and drove Notre Dame down the field again, only to have a pass bounce off Floyd's back at the two yard line, right into the waiting arms of Ram Vela.

When Navy was forced to punt, Notre Dame started on their own ten yard line.  Clausen drove them down the field for ninety yards in nine plays, culminating with a 12 yard TD pass to Floyd.

Following another Navy punt, Clausen started out from his own 13 yard line.  Sophomore defensive end Jubari Tuani sacked him at the two yard line.  On the very next play, senior Craig Schaefer put Clausen to the ground deep in the end zone for the game-winning sack.

With a minute to go, Clausen drove the Irish in for another score, hitting Golden Tate for a 31 yard score.  For the first time in the game, Tate bounced off the Navy tacklers like a bowling ball.  But it was too late, as the ensuing kick-off went out of bounds, giving Navy the much deserved and unexpected win, 23-21.  Clausen threw for a fourth time best, 452 yards, but when they got close to the end zone, either they missed field goals, fumbled the ball, were intercepted, or could not find a way past Navy's swarming defense.

Afterwards, Navy received the first invitation to a bowl, the Texas Bowl, while they knocked Notre Dame out of any chance at a BCS invitation.

In front of a sold-out crowd, Navy took the field at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Annapolis, Maryland.  Behind their fleet-footed quarterback, the Midshipmen racked up 289 yards rushing, cruising to victory by a score of 29-2.  The final cannon to end the game sent the Brigade on their way to celebrate the win at O'Brien's, Armadillo's and Castlebay.  

The year was 1959, and Navy had just trounced William & Mary at home, in the first game held at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.  Navy QB Jim Maxfield rushed for two touchdowns and fullback Joe Matalavage added another on an 86-yard run that sealed the Mids' win. 

Not too much has changed in fifty years.  The Midshipmen have led Division I football in yards gained on the ground in five of the last six seasons, with the potent attack led by the starting quarterback, fullback and stable of runners in the Navy backfield.

This Saturday, Navy will honor its 1959 team at halftime as they take on Western Kentucky.  The Mids' also plan to dress in throwback 1959 uniforms (http://www.historicfootballposters.com/Img/1959_Navy_vs_William-&-Mary.jpg) for the occasion. 

Western Kentucky presents another test for the Midshipmen who for the third straight year are 1-2 to start the season.  However, Western Kentucky has yet to secure a victory in 2009 and the Mids should be able to commemorate fifty years in their new home with a win.

Navy's schedule hasn't exactly been a walk in the park thus far.  Opening the season with a heartbreaking loss at Ohio State, Navy rebounded in its home opener, beating Louisiana Tech.  Miscues on special teams led to Navy's second loss vs. Pittsburgh last Saturday.

Despite poor records to open their season, Navy has rebounded well in this decade.  Navysports.com notes that since 2003, Navy has a 19-6 (.760) record in games following a loss.  So far this year, Navy has improved that average.

The fanfare in Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium will begin, as always, with the Brigade of Midshipmen marching on to the field, saluting both the home crowd and away fans, and will be accompanied by a flyover in classic Navy tradition.  For anyone in the Baltimore-Washington D.C. area who have never witnessed this spectacle, it's worth the quick drive on the Beltway.  Four thousand Midshipmen marching in step, dressed in summer whites or winter blues trumps Ohio State's "dotting the I" tradition any day.

As far as tradition and history are concerned, Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium is as rich as they come.  Two Heisman trophy winners have played at the "new" stadium (Roger Staubach and Joe Bellino) and President Eisenhower attended a game in 1960.  Tens of thousands of Navy and Marine Corps Officers have been commissioned in the stadium (also used for graduation ceremonies) presided over by presidents, generals, admirals and heads of state. 

In 2004, the stadium underwent a $40-million dollar renovation, updating the original $3 million dollar structure to accommodate future needs.  The grass field was replaced with a new FieldTurf surface, club level seating was added, two state-of-the-art video scoreboards were installed, as well as an expansive press tower and dining facilities for reunions and special functions.  The entire project was privately funded by the Naval Academy Foundation and Naval Academy Athletic Association (NAAA).

The stadium was rededicated on October 8, 2005, promptly followed by a Navy win over Air Force, 27-24.  Navy hopes to continue its trend of winning games of historical significance on Saturday, with kick-off scheduled for 3:30pm EST.  

Irregardless of the game's outcome, Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium will continue to house a tradition of athletic excellence, as well as serve as a reminder for those who have paid the ultimate price in service for our nation.  To those who will play the game Saturday, representing the Naval Academy on the field means more than football.

The dedication plaque which at the stadium puts it best: "This Stadium is dedicated to those who have served and will serve as upholders of the traditions and renown of the Navy and Marine Corps of the United States. May it be a perpetual reminder that the Navy and Marine Corps are organizations of men trained to live nobly and serve courageously in peace, champions of our integrity; in war, defenders of our freedom."