Two years ago, it was the offense. This year, it?s the defense.
The Navy football team?s defense will experience nearly a complete overhaul in 2007, as the team must replace nine of 11 starters coming off a 9-4 season.
Just who will fill those spots, along with many on offense, remains to be seen. But Navy coach Paul Johnson will take the first steps toward figuring that out in the next month. The Mids begin spring practice on Monday and conclude it with the annual Blue-Gold Game April 21 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
“Every position is open,” Johnson said.
Last season is in the past, Johnson said, and the spring gives every player a chance to prove they belong on top of the depth chart. Whoever steps up will have big shoes to fill. The upcoming graduating class set the modern-day school record for wins over a four-year span (35), including an 8-0 mark over fellow service academies Army and Air Force.
While there are many holes that Navy needs to fill on defense, there will be plenty of competition on the offensive end, as well. At quarterback, sophomore Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada is hoping to remain under center after coming in for an injured Brian Hampton last year. Johnson said Kaheaku-Enhada?s main competition will come from Jarod Bryant and Troy Goss. Bryant is considered the best passer of the group, while Kaheaku-Enhada has a better grasp of Navy?s triple-option offense but needs improvement in his passing game.
“[Bryant] needs to improve in the option aspect of our offense,” Johnson said. “He knows that. We?ve talked about that at length.”
On Kaheaku-Enhada, Johnson said: “He threw the ball better for us in the end of last season. He threw some touchdown passes and gave our guys a chance to catch the ball.”
Another competition to watch this spring is at fullback, where Eric Kettani hopes to take over as the starter for Adam Ballard. Kettani replaced Ballard as a starter in the Meineke Car Care Bowl loss to Boston College after Ballard broke his leg against Army.
“The thing about spring ball is everyone gets to start anew,” Johnson said. “I?m looking for guys in the spring that want to compete, guys that will turn it loose and play hard. By the end of spring, I?ll have a pretty good idea of who we can count on. That?s all you can hope to accomplish inspring ball.”
NAVY NOTES
» Starting Monday, spring practice will take place every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The session concludes with the annual Blue-Gold Game April 21 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
» Navy has 26 lettermen returning and loses 35 going into the 2007 season. The Mids will have seven offensive and two defensive starters back.
» Overall, Navy will have 15 offensive and seven defensive lettermen back from last year?s team that won the Commander-in-Chief?s Trophy and lost to Boston College in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.
