When Navy faces Boston College Dec. 30 in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, N.C., everyone knows the Midshipmen?s goal offensively will be to establish its top-ranked running attack and wear down the Eagles? defenders.
But to keep the ball in the hands of its offense, Navy must keep Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan off the field. The junior signal-caller was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection this season, leading the Eagles to a 9-3 record by passing for 2,700 yards and 14 touchdowns.
For his career, Ryan is 13-4 as a starter and has thrown for 4,564 yards and 24 touchdowns. He is also no stranger to the postseason, either, earning MVP honors at last year?s MPC Computers Bowl with a 256-yard, three-touchdown performance against Boise State.
Despite those gaudy numbers, Ryan is not taking anything for granted against Navy (9-3), especially since he knows that possessions could be at a minimum if Navy gets its ground offense humming.
“This is going to be an exciting matchup, and it is going to be an honor to play against a service academy,” Ryan said. “I have such a great deal of respect for what they have accomplished and what they plan on doing after graduation.”
Ryan said a lot of his respect for Navy comes from hearing about the service academy from former Eagles coach Tom O?Brien, who just announced last week that he is leaving Boston College to take over the program at N.C. State. O?Brien is a Naval Academy graduate.
Boston College?s interim coach, Frank Spazini, brings with his own perspective of Navy. He was an offensive assistant in Annapolis in 1975-81 under George Welsh.
“We know their offense is a lot different than most others we?ve seen,” Ryan said. “I?m just glad we will have had a month to prepare for them because every possession is going to have added meaning in this game. We?re just going to have to take advantage of any opportunity they give us.”
THE RYAN FILE
» Age: 21
» Height: 6-foot-5
» Weight: 215
» Hometown: Exton, Pa.
» Did you know? Ryan, who has thrown for at least 200 yards 15 times, is currently fifth all-time at Boston College in passing yards (4,564) and pass completions (399) ? His uncle, John Loughery, played quarterback for the Eagles in 1979-82.
