Regrouping after a two-game losing skid is not something Navy?s football team has dealt with often under coach Paul Johnson.
But that is exactly the situation facing the Midshipmen as they prepare to travel to Duke this weekend following Saturday?s 38-14 loss to Notre Dame in front of 71,851 at M&T Bank Stadium. The loss also represents the second straight game Navy?s defense has surrendered 30 or more points. Navy lost to Rutgers, 34-0, on Oct. 14.
Still, Johnson said there are some positives to take away from losing to Notre Dame for a 43rd straight year. New starting quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada looked promising. He orchestrated two first-half scoring drives against the Fighting Irish (7-1) in his first start since replacing injured signal-caller Brian Hampton.
Unfortunately for Navy (5-3), it had no answer for quarterback Brady Quinn and Notre Dame?s offense, which scored on its first four possessions and six of 10 overall. The Fighting Irish never punted against Navy, which trailed, 24-14, at halftime.
“I told the guys at halftime I thought we had a chance,” Johnson said. “But you?re not going to beat them if you don?t stop them once. The last two games have been like a flip. Last game, we were three and out every time but played pretty well on defense. Today in the first half, we moved the ball pretty well, but we couldn?t get them off the field.”
After playing nationally ranked teams in its last two games, Navy?s schedule gets easier this weekend. Duke has the nation?s longest current losing streak (16) following their 45-28 defeat to Vanderbilt.
Still, Navy players know they can?t afford to take Duke lightly with four games to play and a great chance to qualify for a bowl game and win their fourth straight Commander-in-Chief?s Trophy.
“Next week is our game,” Johnson said. “We?ve got to get the ship righted. We?ve got four games left and this team can still have an outstanding record.”
