If Navy football head coach Paul Johnson had any doubt who should be his starting fullback when the Midshipmen host East Carolina in the Sept. 2 season opener, Adam Ballard erased those thoughts during Saturday?s scrimmage.
There, the 6-foot-1, 223-pound Ballard ledthe team with 100 yards on 14 carries.
His performance is a continuance of last season, when he started the last three games for an injured Matt Hall, racking up 489 yards in that span. He finished with 668 yards and six touchdowns on the year.
Ballard?s best performance as Navy?s starting fullback came against Army when he rushed for 192 yards and two touchdowns in the Midshipmen?s 42-23 win.
“He?s distanced himself from the rest of the guys,” Johnson said of Ballard. “He?s clearly the starter.”
Hall remains second on the depth chart as he battles back from the knee injury he suffered Nov. 12 in the ninth game of the season against Notre Dame. Hall is actually lucky to even be competing for carries. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament, the medial collateral ligament and the meniscus against the Fighting Irish. He had six touchdowns and rushed for 493 yards before getting hurt.
Also challenging for playing time in 2006 is 6-foot-1, 220-pound sophomore Eric Kettani. The Kirtland, Ohio, native saw action against Rice, Tulane and Army as a plebe.
Coming out of the scrimmage, Ballard said he was excited about how much protection he received in front of him.
“I was so impressed with how the offensive line blocked Saturday,” Ballard said. “They have really come along far during the preseason.”
Ballard said while he appreciates the opportunity to start, he is not taking anything for granted. Also, he would like nothing more than for Hall to be able to compete at the level he was at last year.
“Matt is a tough guy and a hard worker who hasn?t been at 100 percent yet in the preseason,” Ballard said. “We are also lucky to have a guy like Eric, who is young and has come along really fast this year.”
THE BALLARD FILE
Age: 22
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 223
Hometown: Lewisville, Texas
Major: Economics
Did you know? Ballard?s 489 rushing yards during the final three games last year set a school record for the most yards rushed by a player in his first three career starts ? His 192 yards against Army were the most by a Midshipman against the Black Knights since Chris McCoy had 205 yards in 1997.
