Navy has accomplished nearly everything it has wanted to do since hiring Paul Johnson as football coach four years ago.
This success includes three straight Commander-in-Chief trophies, three straight bowl appearances and two straight bowl victories. However, one giant obstacle remains in the Midshipmen?s path: Notre Dame.
Notre Dame owns an NCAA record 42 straight wins over Navy in the one-sided series that dates back nearly 80 years. The Midshipmen?s last win over the Fighting Irish came with a 35-14 victory in 1963.
Still, the Midshipmen came close a number of times the last few years to ending the streak, including a 30-23 loss in 2002 and 27-24 defeat in 2003. Those games, along with Navy?s recent winning ways, gives Johnson confidence that it is just a matter of time before his team pulls off the upset.
“We need to get some breaks against Notre Dame,” Johnson said. “We?ll never have better players than them, but sooner or later we?ll get the break we need.”
Navy Athletic Director Chet Gladchuck said he is confident that Johnson will find a way to defeat Notre Dame.
“We need to stay the course of recruiting speed and disciplined football players,” he said. “If anyone can find the right combination to defeat Notre Dame it?s Paul Johnson.”
