These are not the circumstances the Navy football team would prefer to play under as it prepares to face Notre Dame Saturday in front of a national television audience, along with more than 70,000 fans at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
The Midshipmen (5-2) are two weeks removed from a 34-0 homecoming loss to Rutgers, their worst loss in four seasons. Exacerbating the situation is the fact that Navy goes into Saturday?s game without starting quarterback Brian Hampton, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Rutgers loss.
This means sophomore signal-caller Kaipo-Noa Kahea-Enhada will likely get his first start against one of the top teams in the country, a program that has won 42 straight games in this rivalry that dates back to 1927.
Notre Dame (6-1) has won four straight, including last week?s come-from-behind 20-17 victory over UCLA. Quarterback Brady Quinn led the game-winning drive (three plays, 80 yards) and capped it with a 45-yard scoring strike to Jeff Smardzija with 27 seconds left.
A legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate, Quinn has completed 175 of 278 pass attempts for 1,938 yards, 18 touchdowns and four interceptions. He deftly spreads the ball around to targets like Darius Walker (42 catches, 280 yards, 1 TD), Smardzija (42, 487, 7) and Rhema McKnight (40, 523, 7).
“I think he?s a really good player,” Navy coach Paul Johnson said of Quinn. “He?s very talented. When he gets in a zone, he?s as good as there is. He?s a really good player. He?s a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. That should tell you enough right there.”
Among Notre Dame?s defensive leaders are linebacker Maurice Crum, who has 53 tackles and an interception, and defensive backs Chinedum Ndukwe (47 tackles, 2 interceptions) and Tom Zbikowski (38 tackles, 1 fumble recovery).
Although Notre Dame comes in as the clear favorite to beat Navy for the 70th time in 80 meetings, the Fighting Irish know the Midshipmen are capable of coming up with big plays at any time. Navy also has the ability to keep Notre Dame?s offense off the field for long stretches with its triple-option offense.
“You have to play assignment football,” said Notre Dame defensive end Victor Abiamiri, a Gilman graduate. “Often, Navy is able to make plays when someone goes out on their own and gets overzealous on defense. That?s when Navy is dangerous.”
Navy notes
» The Midshipmen have usually fared well following a loss during the Paul Johnson era. They are 11-1 in such situations over the last four years. Navy?s lone losing streak in that time came in 2005 when it opened the season 0-2 after getting beat by Maryland and Stanford.
» Navy currently ranks eighth in the countryin time of possession by controlling the ball for an average of 32:56 a game. At the same time, the Midshipmen are also seventh nationally with nine touchdown drives that took less than two minutes.
» Following practice on Wednesday, Johnson shot down rumors that he is interested in the soon-to-be open UNC job. Current Tar Heels coach John Bunting has been fired but will finish out the year. “I?m all smiles,” Johnson said when asked if he was happy at Navy. “Ask me about 3 p.m. on Saturday, and hopefully I?m still smiling.”
