2023: Navy Preview

The Triple Option

The truism about stopping option football is true about most all football: stop run up the middle, punish the quarterback. The quarterback has long been the most important strategic player and if he avails himself of the running lanes, he should be made to regret it with some good hard tackling. Again, a truism across all of football.

Navy has been known for the triple option for just about ever. Paul Johnson ran it, won a ton, and left for Georgia Tech. His successor, Ken Niumatalolo, did the same for 15 years. He struggled the last four years as Army got innovative and the slightest bit modern in their philosophies (mostly going for it on 4th down, etc) and so Navy made a change. The current coach Brian Newberry has been at Navy for five years but took over this season. He promised to bring a little new to the old. That is, he wanted a short passing game to complement the run game. The Navy triple option has been about runs and play-action passes for long scores. There has been no in-between. So far this season it has been a little hit-or-miss.

I mentioned the need for a change earlier. Navy went 73-20 at home from 2003 -2019. They fell to 4-12 in the 2000-2022 years. Can’t lose at home folks. It is bad for business. So far, not so good. This game will be the third home game of the season and Navy is 1-1, with the win coming over Wagner, and the loss last week to USF 44-30. There are grumblings about the dual QB system, well, being a thing.

The last time NT took on Navy it was in 2007, when NT lost 72-64 and neither of these teams could stop the other. It was at once, the pinnacle of Todd Dodge’s offense and the nadir of his defense. Spread passing vs Option running. It was quite ridiculous and it wasn’t televised.

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Navy vs North Texas
October 7 • 2:30pm CT • Annapolis, MD • Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
CBS Sports Network • MGRN

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Some notes about the pageantry: there will be a flyover by two Boeing F/A-18F super Hornets from the “Red Rippers” of Strike Fighter Squadron Eleven out of Navy Air Station Oceana, Virginia Beach, Va.

Aircrew for the lead aircraft will be Lt. Cmdr. Timothy “TEDDY” Nasta (29th Company, Class of 2010) and Lt. Trent “MISO” Hori (20th Company, Class of 2018). Aircrew of the wing aircraft will be Lt. Bennett “BRODO” Marston (27th Company, Class of 2018) and Lt. Natalie “BUCK” Morrison (26th Company, Class of 2018). Providing ground control are Lt. Sam “BOOSTER” Forristall (16th Company, Class of 2017) and Lt. j.g. Hayden “PIGLET” Espericueta (6th Company, Class of 2020).

Good names.

Stopping Navy