College Football News Preview 2020: Navy Midshipmen Keys To The Season
Biggest Key To The Navy Midshipmen Offense
Navy just has to keep being Navy. Run the ball, run some more, dominate the clock, and do everything the program has done for well over the last decade.
The Midshipmen were able to run for 300 yards or more ten times last year, and won all ten games. They failed to run for 300 three times, and they lost two of them. Overall, the program is 2-13 in its last 15 games when it couldn’t hit that obscene 300-yard mark.
Biggest Key To The Navy Midshipmen Defense
The secondary can get torched for big plays. Teams have to desperately throw to keep the chains moving when the Navy offense is dominating the time of possession. That’s great, but there’s a problem when the better passing teams are able to connect deep.
The Navy formula glitches when teams are able to air it out. Notre Dame is Notre Dame, but it was also able to win easily after firing at will – Ian Book and company were able to connect on 73% of the throws for 305 yards and five scores, and most importantly, averaged 14 yards per throw.
The other loss came against a Memphis team that connected on 78% of its throws with three scores and averaged 11 yards per pass. The Tulane and Houston games were wins, but they were shootouts because the secondary struggled.
Allow fewer than eight yards per pass – like Navy did last year six times – and there were never any issues in easy wins.
Key Navy Midshipmen Player To A Successful Season
QB Perry Olsen, Soph.
Olsen fits the Navy quarterback mold, but it’s asking way too much to be another Malcolm Perry right away. Perry – last year’s starting version and the new Miami Dolphin – ran for over 2,000 yards and 21 touchdowns last season and was just decent enough as a passer to add a little something.
Olsen is tough – he was a high school linebacker, too – who got in a little work last season and scored a few times. He fits, but he has to be dynamic to make the O go at close to Perry’s level.
Key Game To The Navy Midshipmen Season
Memphis, Nov. 14
There’s a whole lot of work to do before getting to mid-November – beating Tulane, Houston and SMU will be a big deal along the way – but to take the West, taking down Memphis is a must.
The Tigers won 35-23 early last year, but Navy is up 3-2 in the all-time series. In one way or another, this game will mean a whole lot in the West race.
– Navy Midshipmen Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
2019 Navy Fun Stats
– 4th Down Conversions: Navy 26-of-34 (76%) – Opponents 14-of-26 (54%)
– Rushing TDs: Navy 52 – Opponents 13
– Red Zone Scores: Navy 47-of-49 (96%) – Opponents 30-of-38 (79%)