Navy football?s prolific triple-option offense is predicated mainly on the Midshipmen?s ability to maintain a consistent rushing attack.
Usually, that strategy works to perfection ? Navy led the nation last year by averaging 318.7 yards a game while finishing 15th in scoring offense at 34.2 points a contest. However, every so often in a game, Navy will catch a defense not paying attention, which allows it to show off its passing attack.
More times than not, this means the ball is going in the hands of wide receiver Jason Tomlinson. The senior wideout led Navy with 25 receptions for 445 yards and a touchdown in 2005, including 114 and 115 receiving yards against Air Force and Kent State, respectively.
Tomlinson knows he must make the most of his opportunities to catch the ball when thrown his way since Navy receivers are usually called upon to be blockers downfield.
“When I get the ball thrown to me, I usually try to make it a big one,” said Tomlinson, who is averaging 17.3 yards per catch for his career. “A lot of times, we have lulled a defensive back to sleep who gets tired of seeing the option left, option right, option middle. Then we?re able to capitalize on it.”
Navy head coach Paul Johnson said having deep receiving threats like Tomlinson, O.J. Washington and Tyree Barnes, who had six catches for 154 yards (a 25.7 yards-per-catch average), opens up the running game even more.
“We have a couple of receivers that can run a little bit, so hopefully we can stretch the defense if everybody is crowding the line of scrimmage,” Johnson said.
Tomlinson is also expected to play a large role on special teams after averaging 8.1 yards per punt return last year. One goal he would like to accomplish there is to return a punt for a touchdown ? something Navy has not done in 112 games, the longest such streak in the country.
“We?ve had a lot of success here in my career, and returning a punt return for a touchdown would be a great thing to do,” he said. “That would be one way to leave my mark here.”
NAVY NOTES
» Jason Tomlinson?s 17.3 yards-per-catch average is fifth-best in Navy history. Eric Roberts (2002-04) leads the school in that category at 23.3 yards per catch.
» Prior to Tomlinson in 2005, the last Midshipman to have back-to-back 100-yard receiving games was Ryan Read in 1998.
» The Mids have not had a punt return for a touchdown since Ross Scott returned one 65 yards on Oct. 5, 1996, in a 64-27 victory over Duke … Navy has played 95 games without returning a kickoff for a touchdown, the eighth longest streak in the country.
