Navy has gotten used to its role of being the hunted in its rivalry with fellow service academies Air Force and Army.
The Midshipmen (2-2) have won nine straight games against the other service academies and will begin their quest for a fifth straight Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy this afternoon at 1 p.m. when they host Air Force (3-1) at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The 2 1/2-foot tall, 170-pound trophy is presented annually to the football competition among Navy, Air Force and Army.
Navy has dominated the series in recent years, but Air Force has the historic edge. The Falcons won the Commander-In-Chief?s Trophy 17 times, including 14 outof 16 seasons between 1987 and 2002. Navy has won the trophy 12 times, with Army taking the trophy seven times since the competition began in 1972.
“Before we worked hard to try to win the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy and now we’re working ever harder to try and keep it,” Navy coach Paul Johnson said. “Winning the trophy is one of our chief goals every year.”
Navy trails the overall series with Air Force, 25-14, but has won a school-record four straight over the Falcons, including last year in Colorado, 24-17. However, Air Force enters this year’s game ready to retake control of the trophy despite coming off a 31-6 loss at Brigham Young last week.
The Falcons also have a new coach this season as Troy Calhoun ? a 1989 Air Force graduate ? replaced Fisher DeBerry, who retired after 23 seasons. Calhoun, who was the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach for the NFL’s Houston Texans last season, understands the significance of this game.
“These are always special games because of the kids who are playing them,” Calhoun said. “You get fired up when you think these are the young men who will be leading our country very soon and the ones on active duty in a couple of years.”
