Navy left the field Saturday as winners after defeating visiting Massachusetts, 21-20 ,Saturday in Annapolis.
However, the Midshipmen were in anything but a celebratory mood following a game where they fumbled seven times and committed four turnovers. Navy also had to deal with inconsistent quarterback play for the second straight game, as senior starter Brian Hampton and backup sophomore Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada both struggled with running the triple-option offense.
Hampton finished the game 0-for-3 passing with an interception and was relieved by Kaheaku-Enhada in the second quarter. Navy trailed 14-7 at that point, when fullback Matt Hall tied the game with a 53-yard touchdown run. The Midshipmen later trailed 17-14 in the third quarter, but Kaheaku-Enhada gave them the lead for good with a 19-yard scoring run.
“We were very fortunate to have won the game,” Navy coach Paul Johnson said. “Anytime you put the ball on the ground as much as we did, you are fortunate to win. My hat is off to our defense. They made some plays out there, especially in the second half.”
Navy?s defense held UMass to six points in the second half, holding Minuteman quarterback Liam Coen to 5-of-12 passing over that span. He finished the game 17-of-29 for 187 yards. However, the biggest defensive play came late in the fourth quarter when linebacker Rob Caldwell forced a fumble from UMass running back Matt Lawrence, which Navy recovered. The Mids ran all but the final 34 seconds off the clock.
“It was a little bit of role reversal out there today,” said Navy linebacker Tyler Tidwell, who recovered Caldwell?s forced fumble. “Lots of times the offense has put up big numbers but the defense has struggled. We do have the capability to shut down an offense. We have not had to do that a lot.”
Although pleased with the win, Johnson was more than frustrated by Navy?s offense, which hecalled “about as bad of an offensive team” he has coached. At the same time, he refused to place all the blame on Hampton.
“I?m concerned about the lack of quarterback play,” Johnson said. “We have some real searching to do.”
Hampton called this game an educational experience and expects to be under center when Navy travels to Stanford Saturday.
“The only thing I can do is learn and improve,” Hampton said. “We?ll just start up again Monday, and I?ll learn from my mistakes.”
NAVY NOTES
» Coach Paul Johnson used both Brian Hampton and Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada throughout the second half.
» Navy?s 289 yards of total offense against UMass marked its lowest output since Oct. 16, 2004, when the Mids mustered only 260 yards in a 27-9 loss to Notre Dame.
» Defensive end John Chan and linebackers Rob Caldwell and Clint Sovie paced the Mids? defense with nine tackles each.
» Kaheaku-Enhada?s third-quarter touchdown was the first of his career. He finished the game with 41 yards rushing on 12 carries.
