For the first time since 2003, Navy’s football team returns the same starting quarterback that ended the previous season.
But while rising junior Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada has the early edge in the competition, coach Paul Johnson is giving backups Jarod Bryant and Troy Goss ample opportunity to prove themselves this spring with the first-team offense.
Johnson said it’s important all three quarterbacks get a chance to play with the first-team offense so each has the best opportunity to display their skills for the coaching staff. He added that if a player only gets a chance to play with the second and third units, it can be difficult to truly gauge how good he is because of the personnel he is working with.
“It’s harder when you’re playing with a lot of guys, when there’s a big drop-off, to see what they can do,” Johnson said. “You might not have a chance to get through your progressions and reads. And that’s why we try to get all [the quarterbacks] time with the ones.”
Navy did just that Saturday duringthe team’s first scrimmage at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. During the two-hour scrimmage, the first-team offense scored on two of its six possessions against the first-team defense.
Kaheaku-Enhada led the offense to one touchdown in his three possessions with the first unit, while Bryant led the offense to the end zone on his only possession with the starters. Goss came up empty in his lone possession with the first team, but he played well overall. He finished the day by completing 4 of 8 passes for 111 yards and one interception. Third-team quarterback Greg Zingler (Severna Park High) led that unit to two touchdowns in six possessions.
Goss, who rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, also led the second team to two touchdowns in three possessions. Kaheaku-Enhada finished with 66 yards on eight carries, while Bryant rushed for 44 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries.
“I thought Kaipo did a real nice job today,” Johnson said. “When he is out there, he moves the team pretty good. I thought Jarod did some good things, and I thought Troy did some good things. They are all coming along. The last touchdown drive that Jarod led was all option plays, and he did a nice job of making the right reads.”
