Navy senior defensive back Keenan Little?s heart dropped as he watched Boston College kicker Steve Aponavicius kick a game-winning 37-yard field goal as time expired in Saturday?s Meineke Car Care Bowl.
The game not only brought a heartbreaking end to Navy?s season, but also marked the end of the careers of the Midshipmen?s 35 seniors, a group of young men that helped turn the program into a consistent winner.
The hardest part of the loss for coach Paul Johnson was watching the seniors end their careers with a loss.
“I?m proud of our seniors, the season that we had, and I?m proud of their last four years for them,” Johnson said. “Hopefully, they laid the foundation for the program. And I told them after the game in the locker room I?m really, really proud of them, and I think that?s why it hurts so much because I wanted them to win.
Navy senior linebacker Tyler Tidwell said getting a chance to go out with a win over a nationally ranked opponent from the Atlantic Coast Conference like No. 23 Boston College would have been icing on the cake for his career. He did everything in his power to make that happen, including playing much of the game in severe pain with a possible bruised kidney.
However, Tidwell said he wouldn?t let that loss ruin what he considers to be a very memorable career. Tidwell leaves Navy with 16 career sacks and 30 career tackles for a loss.
“We?re proud of what we?ve done; we always will be,” Tidwell said. “This is a sore spot at the end, but we?re not going to hang our heads over it. We?re going to look back and see all of the good things that we?ve done to this program, and that?s something we?re going to have pride in for the rest of our lives.
“Yeah, we would have liked to go out with a win. But at the same time, it?s not the end of the world. These younger guys have a great foundation to build on for next year.”
NAVY CLASS OF 2007
» Navy?s current senior class will graduate without ever losing to either Air Force or Army while winning the last four Commander-in-Chief?s trophies.
» The seniors are also the first in school history to go four straight bowl games.
» Navy is 35-15 over the last four seasons.
