Navy senior guard Anthony Gaskins loves playing at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, but little compares to the rush he receives from having success away from Annapolis.
“I love it when you go out there and they boo you,” he said. “It makes you want to play extra hard.”
The past two weeks, Navy (4-2) has heard more than its share of harassment from opposing fans, but it has done little to rattle the team. The Midshipmen are riding a three-game winning streak, beating Rutgers at home, 23-21, before upsetting then-No. 16 Wake Forest, 24-17, in Winston-Salem, N.C., and rival Air Force, 33-27 in Colorado Springs, Colo.
One of the biggest reasons for Navy’s success? The improved play of its offensive line, led by the 6-foot-1, 284-pounder.
“I guess I am the person with the most experience, and I try to help the guys out and let them know last year I was in the same position as them,” Gaskins said. “I want to let them know they can do it, just have confidence in yourself.”
The young offensive line took a hit when senior right tackle Andrew McGinn suffered a concussion against Towson and has yet to fully recover. Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo explored several different options, but since inserting tackle Austin Milke into the lineup, the Midshipmen are undefeated.
“I am very happy with where they are at,” Niumatalolo said. “I am very pleased with their effort level.”
The unit’s effort has allowed the team to overcome a nagging injury to starting quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada. The senior partially tore his left hamstring during a scrimmage in early August, and its effects have forced him to miss at least part of five games. The offensive line will benefit from having a bye this week to get healthy, before the Midshipmen host No. 24 Pittsburgh (4-1) for homecoming on Oct. 18 at 3:30 p.m.
Navy ranks third in the nation in rushing yards per game with 313.5, as the Midshipmen try to build on their NCAA-record streak of three consecutive seasons of finishing with the top ground game in the Football Bowl Subdivison.
And Gaskins knows exactly how to gauge the offensive line’s success.
“I will be blocking and hear the crowd get loud and then see [a player] running free,” he said. “When you see someone that wide open, you know people are blocking.”
[email protected]
