With Navy, Poinsettia Bowl has recipe for a lot of points
By: MICHAEL KLITZING - Staff Writer | ∞
SAN DIEGO -- The United States Naval Academy football team officially punched its ticket to San Diego on an early November evening in Denton, Texas. There was cause for celebration that night as the Midshipmen became bowl eligible for the fifth straight year with their sixth win of the season.
Nationally, however, that game is probably best remembered for another point of emphasis.
Or, to be more accurate, 136 points of emphasis.
The Midshipmen's 74-62 victory (they actually trailed 49-45 at the half ) set a major college record for points scored in a regulation game, and officially cemented their reputation as the team most likely to cause a scoreboard's circuitry to explode.
Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo admits he had never seen anything quite like that game.
"I hope we don't get any more of those, either," he said with a grin.
There lies the key to the outcome of tonight's Poinsettia Bowl between Navy (8-4) and Utah (8-4) at Qualcomm Stadium, as the game will hinge on the answer to two very big questions:
+ Can Utah stop Navy's vaunted triple option?
+ Can Navy stop anybody?
There are skeptics about the second part of that equation, including some wearing Utah crimson.
"What does that tell you?" Utes senior linebacker Joe Jiannoni asked with a laugh at a mention of the North Texas score. "Just from that, you've got to say they've got a great offense, and obviously they do. ... And obviously their defense is giving up everything. They're good on one side of the ball, it looks like and they're terrible on the other."
Indeed, the sight of teams piling up ridiculous numbers against the Midshipmen has not been rare. This season, seven opponents put up at least 40 points on Navy, which finished No. 99 nationally in total defense.
There are reasons.
Navy's defensive unit was hit hard by graduation, then hit even harder in the second game of the season against Rutgers, when safety Jeff Deliz and linebacker Clint Sovie -- two of the rare experienced starters in the group -- went down with season-ending injuries on consecutive drives.
Struggles ensued. Over the next eight games, Navy allowed 392 points, including 59 in a loss to championship subdivision opponent Delaware.
The Midshipmen are hoping to hang their hats on progress shown in the season's final two weeks when they allowed but 27 points total and finished by trouncing archrival Army 38-3.
"They've always been looked upon or kind of laughed at for some of the numbers that have been put up against them, but this is a proud group," said Niumatalolo, who tonight makes his debut as the first Polynesian head coach in NCAA history in the wake of Paul Johnson's departure for Georgia Tech.
"Hopefully, we'll fight back and be resilient just like Utah has this whole year. Our only chance is to come out fighting."
After fighting through several early-season injuries, Utah's offense appears capable of giving any team headaches. Experienced dual-threat quarterback Brian Johnson keeps getting healthier after separating his shoulder in the season opener and has been efficient this season despite the injury.
Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham said racking up an impressive point total isn't the only key for his offense. It will also be charged with keeping the nation's best and trickiest rushing attack off the field, which seems to portend a heavy workload for bruising back Darrell Mack (Monte Vista High graduate).
"If that attack is on the sidelines, they can't do anything with the football," Whittingham said. "What is critical for us offensively is to take care of the ball, make first downs and control the clock. If we can do that, we'll have a chance. If we have a bunch of three-and-outs and a lot of turnovers, it's going to be a long night."
Navy's option attack -- a system in which the quarterback can either run, hand off to a fullback or pitch to a slot-back -- has produced an astounding 351 rushing yards per game, which is why the Middies actually won four games in which their defense gave up 40 points or more.
Savvy and speedy junior quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada leads the way with 782 yards and 11 touchdowns. He along with fullbacks Eric Kettani (755 yards) and Adam Ballard (644) pace seven Midshipmen who have gained at least 463 yards rushing this year.
The seldom-used system shouldn't be too foreign for Utah, which faced the triple option every year against former Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry.
But is it safe to say 136 points won't be in the cards tonight?
"Not on our defense," Jiannoni said. "We know how to defend the option; we've been defending it for years. I don't think they're going to have the success they're thinking on us."
Better test that Qualcomm scoreboard just in case.
-- Contact staff writer Michael Klitzing at (760) 740-6643 or mrklitzing@gmail.com.
Navy at a glance
Navy Midshipmen
Location: Annapolis, Md.
Founded: 1845
Enrollment: 4,200
Conference: Independent
Bowl history: Navy is 6-6-1 all-time, including a 2-2 mark during the past four seasons. The Midshipmen lost 25-24 to Boston College in last year's Meineke Car Care Bowl, but beat Colorado State 51-30 in 2005 in the inaugural Poinsettia Bowl.
Football alumni: Joe Bellino (1960 Heisman winner), Roger Staubach (1963 Heisman winner), Phil McConkey, Napoleon McCallum
Notable graduates: Former President Jimmy Carter, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), former presidential candidate H. Ross Perot, NBA star David Robinson, Apollo astronauts Jim Lovell, Alan Shepard and Wally Schirra
Coach: Ken Niumatalolo (first game)
Player to watch: QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada. A junior from Hawaii with blazing speed, he can find the end zone in less time than it takes most mainlanders to pronounce his name. More importantly, in the option offense, his decision-making is just as quick.
Why they'll win: Facing a disciplined team that runs the option is always a chore. Plus the crowd on hand should be overwhelmingly pro-Navy, making this a virtual home game for the Midshipmen.
Why they won't: Besides the porous defense? Navy is embarking on its maiden voyage without coach Paul Johnson, who bolted to Georgia Tech earlier this month.
Why be a fan: As Niumatalolo reiterated this week, this is a Navy town. And it's hard not to respect the Middies, considering their sacrifices go far beyond the football field.
-- Michael Klitzing
Utah at a glance
Utah Utes
Location: Salt Lake City
Founded: 1850
Enrollment: 28,619
Conference: Mountain West
Bowl history: Utah is 9-3 all-time, the best winning percentage of any school that has played in at least 10 bowl games. The Utes have won their last six bowl appearances, including the 2005 Fiesta Bowl.
Football alumni: Jamal Anderson, Scott Mitchell, George Seifert, Alex Smith, Steve Smith, Bob Trumpy, Eric Weddle.
Notable graduates: Sen. Robert Foster Bennett (R-Utah), boxing referee and television judge Mills Lane, NBA star Tom Chambers, Marriott hotels founder J. Willard Marriott.
Coach: Kyle Whittingham (23-14 overall)
Player to watch: RB Darrell Mack. The Monte Vista High graduate will be playing with a heavy heart after losing the grandfather who helped raise him to cancer last week. On the field, the junior has been nothing short of a revelation, rushing for 1,128 yards and 10 touchdowns after starting year near the bottom of the depth chart.
Why they'll win: It usually takes quite some time to prepare for the option, and the Utes and defensive mastermind Whittingham have had more than three weeks. They should know it inside and out by now.
Why they won't: You can't stay perfect forever, right? Only Boston College has a longer bowl winning streak than Utah, which you'd figure would be due for a slip-up sooner or later.
Why be a fan: Utah has mined a ton of San Diego kids -- remember Alex Smith at Helix? -- and one of its biggest fans is Chargers first-round pick Weddle, who has been staying in the same hotel as his old mates all week.
-- Michael Klitzing
Pointsetta Bowl lineups
By: North County Times
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
UTAH OFFENSE
WR?26?Derrek Richards?5-11?175?Sr.
LT?68?Zane Beadles?6-4?312?So.
LG?72?Caleb Schlauderauff?6-5?300?Fr.
C?63?Kyle Gunther?6-4?304?Sr.
RG?66?Robert Conley?6-1?316?Jr.
RT?65?Dustin Hensel?6-7?320?Jr.
WR?2?Marquis Wilson?5-11?175?Jr.
WR?16?Brian Hernandez?6-0?183?Sr.
QB?3?Brian Johnson?6-1?210?Jr.
RB?6?Darrell Mack?6-0?219?Jr.
TE?48?Matt Sims?6-1?251?Sr.
PK?35?Louie Sakoda?5-10?178?Jr.
UTAH DEFENSE
DE?93?Martail Burnett?6-3?262?Sr.
DT?41?Koa Misi?6-3?263?So.
DT?94?Gabe Long?6-3?290?Sr.
DE?11?Paul Kruger?6-5?255?Fr.
RLB?10?Stevenson Sylvester?6-2?220?So.
MLB?44?Joe Jiannoni?6-0?235?Sr.
SLB?22?Malakai Mokofisi?6-2?243?Sr.
CB?25?R.J. Stanford?5-11?180?So.
FS?17?Robert Johnson?6-3?185?So.
SS?28?Steve Tate?5-11?195?Sr.
CB?1?Brice McCain?5-9?189?Jr.
P?35?Louie Sakoda?5-10?178?Jr.
NAVY OFFENSE
WR?80?O.J. Washington?5-10?188 Sr.
LT?53?Josh Meek?6-1?274?Sr.
LG?72?Anthony Gaskins?6-1?281?Jr.
C?63?Antron Harper?5-11?272?Sr.
RG?74?Ben Gabbard?6-4?297?Sr.
RT?66?Paul Bridgers?6-3?268?Sr.
WR?89?Tyree Barnes?6-2?188?Jr.
SB?28?Zerbin Singleton?5-8?164?Sr.
QB?10?Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada?5-11?194?Jr.
SB?7?Reggie Campbell?5-6?168?Sr.
FB?22?Adam Ballard?6-1?236?Sr.
PK?39?Joey Bullen?5-10?189?Sr.
NAVY DEFENSE
DE?92?Chris Kuhar-Pitters?6-2?258?Sr.
DT?99?Nate Frazier?6-3?285?So.
DE?38?Michael Walsh?6-2?239?Jr.
OLB?34?Ram Vela?5-9?196?So.
ILB?51?Ross Pospisil?6-0?223?So.
ILB?55?Irv Spencer?6-0?238?Sr.
OLB?54?Matt Wimsatt?6-1?216?Sr.
CB?18?Rashawn King?6-0?190?Jr.
ROV?8?Wyatt Middleton?6-0?200?Fr.
FS?20?Greg Thrasher?5-8?181?Sr.
CB?1?Blake Carter?5-11?188?So.
P?31?Greg Veteto?6-1?178?Sr.
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