Healthy bodies, minds

As a number of injuries have started taking their toll on Navy, Johnson is looking for way to keep his team fresh as it prepares for its two biggest games of the year: Army on Dec. 2 and the Meineke Car Care Bowl on Dec. 30. Johnson has altered the team?s practice schedule and cut back on full-pad workouts during the week to keep players fresh while also making sure they are in game shape.

“We?ve cut practice back a bunch and we?ve been in shells for the last couple of weeks,” Johnson said. “I started doing that when I was at Georgia Southern because, most years, we would play 15 games and there was a point during the year, usually around Game 8, where we would start to cut back and go in shells.”

Such changes could not have come at a better time for Navy, which has dealt with the loss of starting quarterback Brian Hampton and offensive tackle Josh Meek for the year with knee injuries. A number of other players, like fullback Adam Ballard (ankle) and center James Rossi (ankle), are dealing with lingering injuries.

Senior linebacker Tyler Tidwell, who is also dealing with injuries, said it makes sense to cut back on practice at this time of year.

“You have to be mature about it,” Tidwell said. “The coaches are staying on us tomake sure we still have good technique in practice.”

Even with taking every possible precaution, Johnson said having to sit certain players this late in the year is unavoidable.

“Anytime guys can fill in and you can continue to have success, it?s great,” Johnson said. “You have to give the assistant coaches credit for getting those guys ready to play and you have to give the kids credit for being ready to play. Sometimes, when you aren?t the starter, it?s hard to get yourself geared up, but when guys have been called on, they?ve been able to go in and produce for the most part.”