For the final game in October, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will once again face the Navy Midshipmen, extending a rivalry that dates back to 1927. While the matchup is considered to be a longstanding rivalry, the results have gone decidedly in favor of the Irish. Overall, Notre Dame holds a commanding 82-13-1 record in the series and has won 55 of the last 59 contests between the two schools.
Brian Newberry is in his second season as head coach of the Midshipmen. He first arrived at the Naval Academy in 2019 as the squad’s defensive coordinator before being elevated to the top job last year. The Midshipmen’s 5-7 record last season witnessed them spending most of the season winning a pair of games and then dropping a pair of contests. Improving the overall quality of the program continues to be a challenge for Newberry.
Navy Offense: Running Remains Paramount
The traditional offense in recent decades for Navy has been dominated by the running game. That figures to continue this season, though there may be some new wrinkles, courtesy of the program’s new offensive coordinator. Drew Conic. At quarterback, Blake Horvath takes over for Tai Lavatai and should be an integral part of the running game. Among the few times that the Midshipmen go to the air, Braxton Woodson will likely line up behind center.
Whoever is at quarterback will have fullback and Alex Tecza, who led the Midshipmen in rushing last year and has a knack for chewing up yardage. Backing him up will be Daba Fofana, with the running back duo of Eli Heidenreich and Brandon Chatman also available. Both tied for the team lead in receptions last season with 19 grabs apiece.
As far as the regular wideouts, Nathan Kent and Regis Velez can collect yardage when they catch the ball. The problem is those events are a rarity, with the duo combining for a mere eight receptions last season. At tight end is Cody Howard, but he’s even more of an afterthought with just three grabs last season.
Up front, the offensive line has to find a way to get back to the 2022 average of 241 rushing yards per game after seeing a drop down to just under 195 yards per contest in 2023. At the tackles, Connor McMahon will man the left side while Troy Cummings handles the right. At left guard will be Pen Purvis, while the right slot will be handled by Javan Bouton. Rounding out the group will be center Brent Self.
Navy Defense: Holding Up Their End
For the most part, the Navy defense did their best to keep the Midshipmen in games. The defensive line’s best performer is Justin Reed at left end, who tied for the team lead in sacks last year with edge rusher Luke Pirris, who’s also returning The hope is that players like defensive tackle Kendall Whiteside and nose tackle Landon Robinson will be able to supplement their efforts.
The linebacking corps also has a standout in hard-hitting Colin Ramos on the weakside. He led the 2023 team with 110 tackles, including nine behind the line. In addition, he also knocked away four passes and forced a pair of fumbles. In the middle, either Job Grant or Kyle Jacob will get the nod during camp. Jaxson Campbell is pegged for the Striker position, allowing for some flexibility at linebacker and in the secondary.
On the corners, Dashaun Peeler and Andrew Duhart virtually matched each other in the tackle department in 2023, with Peele also picking off four passes and collecting five pass deflections. The strong safety or bandit spot will be held down by Mbiti Williams, while the free safety slot will be the province of Rayuan Lane.
Navy Special Teams: Experience Helps
Both kicker Nathan Kirkwood and punter Riley Riethman are back, with Reithman’s presence one of the assets in this department. Last year, he averaged 44.8 yards in a busy season in which he was called upon for 80 punts, while Kirkwood’s campaign was much lighter. Missing just one of his 17 extra points, Kirkwood connected on six of nine field goals. On kickoffs, Tyler Bradley and Amin Hassan will handle return duties, while Hassan or Chatwood will deal with punt returns.
The Last Time Notre Dame Met Navy
The start of the 2023 season for both teams began in Dublin, Ireland, and ended in a 42-3 romp for the Irish. Notre Dame dominated for virtually the entire game, rolling up 444 yards of offense and holding Navy to just 169 yards. Two rushing touchdowns in the first quarter by Audric Estime and Jadarian Price, respectively, established a double-digit lead for the Irish. Newcomer Sam Hartman later completed four touchdown passes, two of them to Jaden Greathouse. The Midshipmen managed to avoid the shutout with a 31-yard field goal in the final five minutes.
