The Red Zone Report | 2008 Navy preview: Are Midshipmen headed to another bowl?

NCAA Football

2008 Navy preview: Are Midshipmen headed to another bowl?

By Mark Scott ⋅ July 14, 2008 ⋅ Subscribe to The Red Zone Report

The Naval Academy recorded its fifth straight winning season in 2007, highlighted by a triple-overtime victory against Notre Dame that ended a 43-game losing streak to the Fighting Irish. Navy set a school record in points (511) running coach Paul Johnson’s triple option, but he left for Georgia Tech before bowl season, leaving assistant and eventual new head coach Ken Niumatalolo to lead the squad. Navy lost the Poinsettia Bowl, 35-32 to Utah.

Coach: Ken Niumatalolo (1st full year at Navy, 0-1)

2007 record: 8-5

Starters returning: 13 (5 offense, 8 defense)

Top returnees: QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, QB Jarrod Bryant, FB Eric Kettani, SB Shun White, WR Tyree Barnes, LG Anthony Gaskins, DE Michael Walsh, NG Nate Frazier, SS Wyatt Middleton, CB Ketric Buffin, CB Rashawn King, LB Ross Pospisal, CB Blake Carter

Key losses: FB Adam Ballard, SB Reggie Campbell, SB Zerbin Singleton, WR OJ Washington, LT Josh Meek, C Antron Harper, RG Ben Gabbard, DE Chris Kuhar-Pitters, OLB Matt Wimsatt, MLB Irv Spencer

2008 Schedule

Aug. 30 Towson

Sept. 5 @ Ball State

Sept. 13 @ Duke

Sept. 20 Rutgers

Sept. 27 @ Wake Forest

Oct. 4 @ Air Force

Oct. 18 Pittsburgh

Oct. 25 SMU

Nov. 1 Temple

Nov. 15 Notre Dame (Baltimore)

Nov. 25 @ Northern Illinois

Dec. 6 Army (Philadelphia)

Key game: Nov. 15 vs. Notre Dame. Can Navy really make it two in a row vs. the Golden Domers? This figures to be Navy’s toughest game of the year, so an upset by the Midshipmen could open a lot of eyes.

2008 Overview

Navy has to adjust to a coaching change, although the triple option stays, and it lost some key players from last year’s squad. However, with 13 starters returning and enough veterans remaining, Navy should record a sixth straight winning season.

Among the returning veterans is starting QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada. He fits perfectly in Navy’s offense, and while he battled injuries and backup QB Jarod Bryant for playing time, Kaheaku-Enhada managed to throw for 952 yards, rush for 834 and record 20 touchdowns. Bryant (464 yards rushing, five touchdowns, 252 yards passing) will continue to push for playing time in 2008 and might see time at slot back.

Navy’s offense features a fullback and two slotbacks. The Midshipmen will have two of those positions locked up as last season’s leading rusher, FB Eric Kettani, returns, as does SB Shun White. Kettani led with 880 yards rushing for 10 touchdowns, while White put up a solid 620 yards rushing with seven touchdowns. The backfield does have some big losses, however, as Adam Ballard, Reggie Campbell and Zerbin Singleton are gone after rushing for a combined 1,671 yards, 554 yards receiving and 24 touchdowns in 2007.

The wideouts don’t see a lot of action and are mainly used as blockers. This group doesn’t put up many stats (last year’s leading receiver had all of 13 catches) and isn’t anything special. Tyree Barnes is healthy and will start, but he will not be joined by former defensive back and projected starter Greg Sudderth, who was denied a fifth year of eligibility.

The offensive line, usually a strength, likely will drop a notch or two this year. That unit enters the season with the loss of three starters: LT Josh Meek, RG Ben Gabbard and C Antron Harper and two key reserves, RT Paul Bridgers and C Reyn Kaupiko. LG Anthony Gaskins is the only full-time starter who returns.

The defensive line should be improved this year with two of three starters returning. DE Michael Walsh (57 tackles, three sacks) and NG Nate Frazier (42 tackles, 1.5 sacks) are back. DE Matt Nechak moves up front from outside linebacker.

The linebacker unit was inexperienced last year and was hurt by injuries, especially when MLB Clint Sovie went down with a season-ending injury in the second week. This year, the unit loses 2007’s top tacklers in LB Irv Spencer and OLB Matt Wimsatt. A healthy Sovie is back in the starting lineup and will be joined by MLB Ross Pospisil (four starts, 67 tackles), LB Ram Vela (nine starts, 57 tackles) and LB Tony Haberer (seven starts, 44 tackles).

Navy’s secondary was the one of the worst in the nation in ’07 and was killed with injuries, forcing the Midshipmen to start several freshmen. However, this year nine players return with starting experience, led by SS Wyatt Middleton (88 tackles), CB Rashawn King (53 tackles) and FS Jeff Deliz (13 tackles, then was injured). CB Blake Carter (71 tackles) and CB Ketric Buffin (30 tackles, four interceptions) will compete for the final starting slot on the unit.

Navy might struggle early on to find its rhythm, but once it rights the ship (pardon the pun) this season should play out similar to last season’s 8-5 record.