Identity change at Navy
By: Kevin Dunleavy
Examiner Staff Writer
November 6, 2009
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| Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen will provide the Navy defense with its toughest test of the season this Saturday. (AP) |
Defense-minded Mids prepare for challenge at No. 17 Notre Dame
Navy's identity is its triple option offense. The Midshipmen run it with such military precision that they have led the nation in rushing the last four years.
But this season, Navy has been more about defense. With a yield of 315.6 yards per game, the Mids are No. 27 in the nation in total defense, easily their highest rank since Paul Johnson brought the triple-option attack to Navy in 2002. Meanwhile, the injury-riddled offense ranks No. 79, by far their lowest rank in the triple-option era.
Saturday when Navy (6-3) travels to Notre Dame (7-2) for the 83rd game of their storied rivalry, the Mids will be counting on defense first.
"[This is] by far the best Navy defense that they've had in my time here," said Notre Dame fifth-year coach Charlie Weis. "I don't think it's even been close."
Navy will need the best its defense can muster against a Notre Dame team that ranks No. 5 in the nation in total offense, led by junior quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who has a 164.2 passer efficiency rating, second best in the NCAA.
"He's only thrown two interceptions all season," said Navy safety Wyatt Middleton, who had two last week in a loss to Temple. "He has great eyes, great vision and he has great wide receivers who can go get the ball and make plays after they catch it."
Navy's success on defense has come despite losing its most irreplaceable player, nose guard Nate Frazier, who was dismissed from the academy in the preseason. The Mids have been able to compensate with a veteran lineup that includes seven players who helped Navy to its historic 46-44, triple-overtime victory in South Bend two years ago, when the Mids broke an NCAA-record 43-game skid against the Irish.
"All their linebackers are seniors. And all their DBs are juniors or seniors," said Weis. "They don't try to do too many crazy things on defense. They just try to play sound, fundamentally, run to the football. Trust me, they run to the football."
The defenders who get to the ball most often are inside linebackers Ross Pospisil (65 tackles), Tyler Simmons (53 tackles) and Tony Haberer (50 tackles, 6 TFL), who rank 1-2-3 in stops. Sophomore end Jabaree Tuani is the most disruptive down lineman. Four-year starter Middleton leads the secondary.
"They're a little bit undersized for what you'd normally see in a college football defensive line," said Notre Dame center Ben Olson. "But their effort is unmatched to anyone else in the country."
Last year in a 27-21 win over Navy, Clausen struggled to generate offense. He completed 15 of 18 passes, but accounted for just 110 yards and was intercepted twice. Clausen has come a long way in a year, but so has the Mids defense.
"It's tough to say that they really play harder than everyone else, but it's very rare that you see all 11 guys on one play playing all out," said Clausen. "When you watch the Navy film, they do that."
